Brokenwood ILR Reserve Semillon 2009
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Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine &
Spirits -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
For a wine at seven years of age, this is remarkably undeveloped. Hints of celery leaf and apple accent tart citrus fruit, still mouthwateringly crisp. There's some richness on the palate, but hold through at least 2020 if you prefer mature notes of honey, marmalade and toast.
Cellar Selection -
Wine & Spirits
Reduced at first, this opens from flinty restriction toward lush, caramelized lemon flavors and hazelnut scents. It’s creamy and rich, developing deeper tones of orange and smoke with air. A textural pleasure, especially in the company of miso-glazed black cod.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Even at eight years of age, the 2009 Semillon ILR Reserve retains a hint of green to its pale straw hue. Youthful lime-inflected aromas have a grassy element as well, similar to fresh coconut husk. This is tight, acid-driven and concentrated on the palate, with great verve and length on the tart, nearly mouth-puckering finish. In short, this is all you expect in a great age-worthy Hunter Sémillon. Drink it now with oysters or clams on the half shell or put it away for at least a few more years. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.
Rating: 92+
Although based in Hunter Valley, Brokenwood’s practice of multi-district blending has been a major part of the company's philosophy since fruit from other regions was first sought in 1978. This unique approach and the resulting quality wines have cemented Brokenwood's place as one of Australia's most revered and consistent labels.
Established in 1970, Brokenwood Wines has evolved from a weekend venture for self-professed hobby winemakers into one of Australia's most reputable wine labels. Brokenwood was established by a trio of Sydney-based solicitors who then paid a record price of $970 per acre for a 10-acre block in the foothills of the Brokenback Ranges. The original block, initially planned as a cricket round for the local community, was planted with Cabernet Sauvignon and later Shiraz. The first vintage picked in 1973 yielded plenty of praise and a loyal following that eventually led to increased production and the creation of a new winery just two years later.
Growth was steady until 1978 when six new partners joined allowing for the purchase of the Graveyard Vineyard the vineyard that produces the winery's flagship wine. When in 1982 Brokenwood decided to diversify into white wines, they appointed Iain Riggs as winemaker and managing director. Just a year after diversifying into white wine production, Brokenwood's output was 70 percent white.