The easing of lockdown restrictions might mean people are back to being out and about, but the world is far from the same. While jet-setting is still on a hiatus, why not travel through another medium: wines.
As we wait for travel destinations to recover at their own pace, wine is something we can always count on when fernweh (German for a crave for travel) strikes.
“Drinking wine is a way of travelling, of experiencing new cultures, of sharing our common humanity,” writes Master of Wine Tim Atkin. It brings us to places around the world when we have to stay where we are.
If you’re missing Oz’s crisp, hot summers and verdant landscapes, make Hunter Valley’s sémillon wines part of your next vino purchase. For the uninitiated, sémillon is a golden-skinned, plump white grape from Bordeaux used to make dry (such as sauvignon blanc or muscadelle) or sweet wines (notably Sauternes). Because it’s a blending component, pure sémillon wines are tragically underrated, often overshadowed by the Great Whites.
Sémillon wines are produced in many places including South Africa, California and Washington State, but some of the best sémillon winemakers come from Down Under — specifically Hunter Valley, in New South Wales. Its warm but humid climate is ideal for the variety. Dry, lean and vibrant with piercing acidity and sharp citrus flavours, Hunter sémillons is beautiful with seafood, magnifying their succulence with its crisp, zesty profile.
Tyrrell’s Hunter Valley Sémillon (available here) is a textbook example: lemony-clean on the nose, light-bodied, and brimming with green apple and grapefruit flavours. Another excellent choice is Brokenwood Sémillon (available here), which has a fuller body and juicy notes of pear and lemon pith. Both are highly drinkable in youth, or will age gorgeously with distinctive burnt toast characters in bottles.
For more travel inspiration around Hunter Valley, visit Destination NSW’s website.
(Main and featured image: Tyrrell’s Wines/MJK Creative)
This story first appeared on Prestige Online Singapore.