2021 Brokenwood Wines Semillon Hunter Valley Australia 750 ml

The world’s most complex, long-lived dry whites can come from the most unexpected places, such as Australia’s Hunter Valley. The combination of terroir and grape variety—an unlikely match, but one perfectly suited to the sun-soaked Land Down Under—gives Hunter Valley Semillon a one-of-a-kind blend of subtlety, complexity, and verve found nowhere else, and in terms of value—well, there’s no competition.

No winery does Semillon better than Brokenwood, which put this combination on the map and made this value bottling a constant in our cellars. Their stunning Semillons can age for decades, adding richness and complexity to the vibrancy and lemon-lime zest of their younger selves. 

In the same way that breezes from San Pablo Bay cool down hot and sunny Napa Valley, the chilly wind off the south Pacific lowers temperatures in Hunter Valley—just north of Sydney—allowing Semillon grapes to retain their vibrant acidity and zip. While the region has been under vine since the early 19th century, it wasn’t until the mid-20th century that the combination of Hunter Valley’s unique terroir and Semillon’s early-ripening brilliance took the world by storm.

Almost 50 years later, Brokenwood has become a standard bearer for Semillon—and all of Australia—with winemaker Iain Riggs at the helm. As James Halliday wrote, “In 2017 Iain Riggs celebrated his 35th vintage at the helm of Brokenwood, offering a unique mix of winemaking skills, management of a diverse business, and an unerring ability to keep Brokenwood’s high profile fresh and newsworthy.” 

Of course, what really keeps Brokenwood’s profile amongst the Australian elite is the beauty and charm of the wines. Take a sip and see what we mean.