Tasting Notes: dried apricot/honey/marmalade
Botrytis cinerea is a form of rot that certain grapes are susceptible to. The fungus encapsulates and punctures the fruit, leaving small holes over its skin.
This forces moisture to escape, leaving the grapes dehydrated, shrivelled and frankly looking rather hopeless.
While that might sound off-putting and unwanted, under the right conditions and with diligent winemaking, this malady can produce some of the very best and longest-living wines in the world.
The ‘noble rot’ concentrates the sugar, flavour and acidity of the grapes, resulting in an ultra-intense and flavourful sweet wine.
Semillon is a versatile, golden-skinned grape that can produce wine in a broad range of styles, from refreshingly dry to lusciously sweet. At one time it was the most commonly planted grape in the entire world.
It originates from just south of Bordeaux, where it plays the lead role, over Sauvignon Blanc, in the creation of world-renowned sweet wines such as Sauternes and Barsac.
In the early 1800s, Semillon was first cultivated in Australia, which remains its New World home to this day. This particular bottle hails from Riverina, the largest wine-producing region within New South Wales that has a reputation for outstanding botrytised-affected wines.
It’s made by the De Bortoli family, a fourth-generation of wine-makers who have been operating in the region for nearly a century.
This is a multi-award winning sweet wine of fantastic value, that needs to be served well-chilled. On the nose, notes of honey, peach and the slight spice of ginger, which all spill over on to the palate alongside chewy dried apricot and mango.
What follows is a generous finish, that develops into bitter marmalade on toast and orange peel.
Try it with roasted peaches and vanilla ice cream for a simple, indulgent finish to any meal, or likewise, pair it with some strong, funky English blue cheese.
The very best of which I’ve ever tried is Colston Bassett Stilton from Nottinghamshire, or Barkham Blue from Berkshire.
This wine is exclusive to Tesco, £6 a bottle at time of purchase. .
