Every great, classic wine is born of a knife-edge. Benchmark whites – especially fresh, firm-spined whites - usually come from cool edges. Think of German Riesling, Burgundian Chardonnay, Loire Sauvignon and Galician Albariño. Hunter Valley is an (Australian) spitting distance from Sydney. This is the oldest wine region in Australia, with some of the oldest vines not just of that country, but (thanks to Phylloxera) of the world. Hunter is home to some of the most famous and established names in Australian winemaking, such as Drayton, Tulloch and McWilliams. The source of this fame is invigorating, nuanced and white: Hunter Valley Semillon is described as iconic, and a benchmark. It accounts for a tiny percentage (about 3) of Australian wine output. This is a specialist offering. Wine geeks adore it, but Semillon is under the radar of many wine consumers. When it comes to Australian whites, I find lower awareness of Hunter Valley Semillon than of the persuasive parvenu Chardonna...
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