Tyrrell'S 'Vat 1' Semillon 2016
Tyrrell's
One of Australia's oldest family-owned wineries, Tyrrell's is an icon in the nation's wine industry. With vineyards from its home in the Hunter Valley, to South Australia and Victoria, the family has sourced premium parcels of fruit with which to continue their heritage of fine wine. The Tyrrell's name has been synonymous with the wine industry since its inception in 1858 by English immigrant Edward Tyrrell.
Today, the winery is managed by Bruce Tyrrell, a 4th generation family member and the head winemaker. In 1989, Bruce completed his first vintage of Semillon and named it 'Vat 1'. Upon its release to the market as an aged Semillon seven years later, it swept the awards shows and is now considered the benchmark of that wine style. As a family endeavour, Bruce and his wife Pauline's children are also involved; Jane is a sales representative of the brand, while her brother Chris as assistant winemaker, helps his father make the wines that have captured the global wine industry's attention.
SKU
TYSE201610 UCAU
$79.99
Per item
Price:
Vat 1 Semillon only ever comes from our best old vine, dry grown vineyards. These blocks feature ideal sandy, free draining soils that give these wines their unique character. The oldest of these blocks was planted in 1923.
Hand picked in the early hours of the morning, the fruit is very lightly crushed and pressed before a relatively cool fermentation. Then the wine spent minimal time on yeast lees before being bottled early to maintain its freshness. No oak fermentation or maturation.
The 2016 growing season was one that started with great promise with our wettest winter in nearly a decade. Perfect conditions for budburst and flowering were followed by an unsettled summer consisting of hot days and wild storms. Luckily, these weather patterns calmed down into one of the driest February’s on record.
Vat 1 Semillon only ever comes from our best old vine, dry grown vineyards. These blocks feature ideal sandy, free draining soils that give these wines their unique character. The oldest of these blocks was planted in 1923.
Hand picked in the early hours of the morning, the fruit is very lightly crushed and pressed before a relatively cool fermentation. Then the wine spent minimal time on yeast lees before being bottled early to maintain its freshness. No oak fermentation or maturation.
The 2016 growing season was one that started with great promise with our wettest winter in nearly a decade. Perfect conditions for budburst and flowering were followed by an unsettled summer consisting of hot days and wild storms. Luckily, these weather patterns calmed down into one of the driest February’s on record.
Scores & Reviews
95 / 100
Gary Walsh
The business of describing, and rating baby Hunter Semillon is an interesting task. The wines are barely formed, and the descriptions of flavours do not exactly leap out of the glass, nor cause a flurry of typing. What I’m looking for, I guess, are the following fundamental things – balance, line and length, and no off flavours. If those are right, then the rest will follow. Oh, and maybe a bit of X-Factor too.
Fresh lime and lemon, a whiff of white peach, subtle white flower perfume. Light and fine, almost a vanilla fragrance in the mouth, crunch of ripe citrus, a little chalky texture, and then the big ticket item – a superb long finish – replete with latent flavour and power. Vat 1 delivers again.
95 / 100
Gary Walsh
(2015 vintage) Vat 1, year in, year out, rarely sets a foot wrong.
Honey and some soapy perfume, white fruit like pears, plus mixed citrus and a flicker of pepper. Light in body, yet delivers plenty of flavour, ripe lime, lovely clean acidity – almost a sherbetty character – then a finish that’s light, delicate but very long. Precision and beauty. Good bet for the cellar too.