Sémillon

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Sémillon
Also called:	Wyndruif
Notable regions:	France, Australia, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, etc.
Hazards:	sunburn, Botrytis cinerea

Sémillon is a golden-skinned grape used to make dry and sweet white wines, most notably in France and Australia.

Contents 1 History 2 Viticulture 3 Regional Procduction 4 External links 5 References

[edit] History

The history of the Sémillon grape is hard to determine. It is known that it first arrived in Australia in the early 1800's and by 1820's, the grape covered over 90 percent of South Africa's vines (where it was known as Wyndruif – "wine grape"). It was once considered to be the most planted grape in the world. This is no longer the case. South Africa only counts with 1% of Cape vineyard Sémillon plantings. In Chile's post-war vineyards were made up of over 75 percent Sémillon.

[edit] Viticulture

Sémillon, which is easy to cultivate, consistently produces six to eight tons per acre of vigorous vines.^[1] The vines are fairly resitant to vine diseases, excpet for rot. The grape ripens early and in warm areas, it acquires a pinkish hue.^[2] Since the grape has a thin skin, there are also risks of sunburn in hotter climates. This grape grows best in climates with sunny days and cool nights.

The Sémillon grape is rather heavy with low acidity and an almost oily tecture. It has a high yield and wines based on this grape can age a long time. Along with [[Sauvignon Blanc] and Muscadelle, Sémillon is one of the three approved varieties used for making white wines in the Bordeaux region. The grape is also often used as the base for sweet wines such as those in Sauternes and Barsac.

[edit] Regional Procduction

Sémillon is the major white grape in Bordeaux, Graves, and Sauternes. Although today Australia's major white varieties are Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc, early in the viticultural development, it used to be Sémillon which was mislabeled as Riesling.

In France, the Sémillon grape is grown mostly in Bordeaux. There, it is blended with Sauvignon blanc and Muscadelle. When dry, it is referred to as Bordeaux blanc and is permitted to be made in the appellations of Pessac-Léognan, Entre-deux-mers and other less renowned regions. In this form, Sémillon is generally a minor constituent in the blend. When used to make the sweet white wines of Bordeaux, such as the wine of Sauternes and Barsac, it is often the dominant variety. In such wines, the Sémillon is attacked by the "noble rot" of Botrytis cinerea which consumes the water and thus concentrates the sugar present in the grape pulp. When attacked by Botrytis cinerea, the grapes shrivel and the acid and sugar levels are intensified.^[3]

Sémillon is widely grown in Australia, paricularly in the Hunter Valley north of Sydney. There are four styles of Sémillon-based wines made there: a commercial style, often blended with Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc; a sweet style, after that of Sauternes; a complex, minerally, early picked style which has great longevity; and, an equally high in quality style which receives oak handling. The latter two styles, pioneered by McWilliam's Mount Pleasant and Tyrrell's, are considered to be unique to Australia. Sémillon is also finding favour with Australian producers outside of the Hunter Valley in the regions of the Barossa Valley and Margaret River.

Outside of these regions, however, Sémillon is unpopular — often criticised for lack of complexity and intensity. As such, plantings have decreased over the last century. As referenced above, the grape can still be found in South Africa and Chile. The latter has the largest plantings of this grape.^[1] Although, the number of acres planted with Sémillon fluctuates often, California plants this grape mostly for to blend it with Sauvignon blanc.^[1] The grape is also planted in Argentina.

[edit] External links

• A short history of Sémillon
• Epicurious.com: Sémillon

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c} http://www.winepros.org/wine101/grape_profiles/semillon.htm
2. ^ www.uncork.com.au/tidbits17.htm
3. ^ http://www.epicurious.com/drinking/wine_dictionary/entry?id=7976