Semillon Winery

Question 1

Semillon Disease Sensitivity/Thickness of Skins

Answer 1

Susceptible to Botrytis (sorting required for Botrytis vs. grey rot adding to cost)
Thin skins (sorting for healthy fruit adding to cost)
Multiple passes in vineyard for Botrytis adding to cost

Question 2

Semillon Aromatic Variety?

Answer 2

No
Can be fermented in steel, concrete, or oak, leading to various styles and quality levels

Question 3

Semillon Reductive or Oxidative in winery

Answer 3

Reductive
Barrel fermentation for top quality wines adds to cost
Oak integration adds complexity

Question 4

Semillon sugar levels/potential ABV

Answer 4

High sugar levels for sweet wines (achieved by pruning for low yields)
Can be harvested early for lower abv (Hunter Valley) resulting in pale color and high acidity

Question 5

Semillon Affinity for Oak

Answer 5

Strong affinity for sweet wines
Vanilla and sweet spice flavors and deeper color from French Oak