The Noble Semillon
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2030
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
blue cheese, fruit tarts, crème brûlée
✨ Technical Specifications
Crafted by the historic d'Arenberg estate in South Australia, 'The Noble Semillon' is a luscious sweet wine born from the magical transformation of Botrytis cinerea, or noble rot. The wine's character is defined by the shriveled, raisin-like appearance of the infected grapes, which require meticulous hand-harvesting. In the vineyard, the cool morning mists followed by warm afternoons create the perfect conditions for botrytis to flourish, concentrating the sugars, acids, and flavors within the Semillon berries. The resulting nectar is fermented slowly, yielding a decadent dessert wine bursting with notes of candied citrus, dried apricots, honey, and exotic spices, all kept remarkably fresh by a vibrant spine of natural acidity.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1912 by Joseph Osborn, d'Arenberg stands as an iconic pillar of McLaren Vale viticulture, stewarded today by fourth-generation chief winemaker Chester Osborn. The estate spans undulating coastal landscapes influenced by the moderating maritime winds of the Gulf St Vincent, resting upon complex, ancient geologies ranging from calcareous Terra Rossa to sandy loam and weathered limestone. Viticulture is rigorous and certified organic and biodynamic across all estate-owned and leased vineyards. While renowned for formidable Rhone-style reds, d'Arenberg's white winemaking upholds identical artisanal rigor: gentle whole-bunch basket pressing ensures minimal phenolics and purity of expression. From the racy, textural The Money Spider Roussanne and crisp The Dry Dam Riesling to the lusciously layered botrytised expressions The Noble Semillon and The Noble Botryotinia Fuckeliana, the wines epitomize balance, crystalline minerality, and vibrant natural acidity.
🍇 Grapes
Semillon
🍷 ABV
9.5% - 11.5%