Semillon Late Harvest
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2028
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Blue cheese, apricot tart, foie gras
✨ Technical Specifications
JM Cellars' Late Harvest Semillon is a luxurious expression of Washington State's capability to produce world-class dessert wines. Drawing inspiration from the legendary sweet wines of Sauternes, this wine is crafted from Semillon grapes left on the vine late into the autumn. During this extended hang time, the grapes dehydrate and concentrate their natural sugars, acids, and flavors, occasionally assisted by the magical influence of Botrytis cinerea (noble rot). Sourced from top-tier Columbia Valley vineyards, the fruit benefits from the region's dramatic diurnal temperature shifts, which lock in a vibrant, spine-tingling acidity to balance the intense, honeyed sweetness. The resulting wine is a golden elixir boasting rich aromas of dried apricots, orange marmalade, wild honey, and toasted nuts, wrapped in a viscous, velvety texture.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1998 by John and Peggy Bigelow, JM Cellars is a benchmark family-owned artisanal winery centered at Bramble Bump, a wooded sanctuary in Woodinville, Washington. Initially mentored by prominent Washington vintners Mike Januik and Charlie Hoppes, the Bigelows evolved from basement garagistes into leading producers of small-lot, site-expressive Pacific Northwest wines. While production operations are based in Woodinville and Maltby, estate fruit originates from Margaret's Vineyard—a certified sustainable and Salmon-Safe site perched within Walla Walla's acclaimed SeVein development. Complementing their estate plantings, JM Cellars selectively sources from venerated Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley, and Red Mountain vineyards, including Boushey, Stillwater Creek, and Quintessence. Winemaking under John and his son Tommy emphasizes precision and texture, utilizing small-batch fermentations in stainless steel, concrete eggs, and French oak barrels. Benchmark cuvées include their signature Tre Fanciulli red blend, Margaret's Vineyard Bordeaux varietals, and vineyard-designated Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay, consistently distinguished by vibrant fruit purity and structured finesse.
🍇 Grapes
Semillon