2023 Louis

Eden Valley

Semillon

Pale lemon with gold hues. Lifted aromas of grapefruit, white peach, orange, almond and clover blossom, with hints of lychee, custard apple, creamed honey and fresh flowering herbs. A bright and expressive palate with layers of lemon curd, peach, clover and honey, balanced by crisp Granny Smith apple texture, refreshing acidity and excellent length.

$35.00
$35.00
Pale lemon with gold hues. Lifted aromas of grapefruit, white peach, orange, almond and clover blossom, with hints of...

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BACKGROUND

Fourth-generation winemaker, Cyril produced semillon from family-owned vineyards around the Keyneton region since the 1960s. The Louis Semillon is a selection from over 50-year-old vines planted by Cyril in 1968 on the Henschke Eden Valley Vineyard. Since 1995, this wine has been named as a tribute to Cyril’s brother, Louis Edmund Henschke (1919-1990), the fourth-generation grower of the Hill of Grace Vineyard.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Varieties: 100% Semillon

Harvest Date: 24 March

Alcohol: 11%

Vintage Rating: Exceptional vintage

Maturation: Fermented in tank and bottled post-vintage to preserve the aromatic fruit characters.

Cellaring Potential: 10+ years (from vintage).

VINTAGE

While the winter of 2022 saw average rainfall, the latter part of the year brought cooler and above average wet weather. This led to poor flower set and encouraged the spread of downy mildew. A hail flurry on 23 January caused some damage to the green berries, which became sites for botrytis infections later during ripening. The cool lead up to vintage resulted in a slow ripening period, allowing for great flavour development and acid retention. Rainfall during harvest encouraged the growth of botrytis, but careful hand selection during picking delivered good quality fruit. Despite the challenges, the 2023 vintage will be remembered for excellent quality wines with riesling, semillon and shiraz the standout varieties.

TASTING NOTES

Fourth-generation winemaker, Cyril produced semillon from family-owned vineyards around the Keyneton region since the 1960s. The Louis Semillon is a selection from over 50-year-old vines planted by Cyril in 1968 on the Henschke Eden Valley Vineyard. Since 1995, this wine has been named as a tribute to Cyril’s brother, Louis Edmund Henschke (1919-1990), the fourth-generation grower of the Hill of Grace Vineyard.

Varieties: 100% Semillon

Harvest Date: 24 March

Alcohol: 11%

Vintage Rating: Exceptional vintage

Maturation: Fermented in tank and bottled post-vintage to preserve the aromatic fruit characters.

Cellaring Potential: 10+ years (from vintage).

While the winter of 2022 saw average rainfall, the latter part of the year brought cooler and above average wet weather. This led to poor flower set and encouraged the spread of downy mildew. A hail flurry on 23 January caused some damage to the green berries, which became sites for botrytis infections later during ripening. The cool lead up to vintage resulted in a slow ripening period, allowing for great flavour development and acid retention. Rainfall during harvest encouraged the growth of botrytis, but careful hand selection during picking delivered good quality fruit. Despite the challenges, the 2023 vintage will be remembered for excellent quality wines with riesling, semillon and shiraz the standout varieties.

95 Points
"Control, fruit intensity, purity, palate length and vibrancy. Yeah, just a few of the descriptors that come to mind when tasting this exceptional Eden Valley Semillon. It was tank fermented and then the four months on yeast lees added a textural richness to the palate, which maintains that natural lemony acid zip through the middle. It also has a fine taut minerality through to the finish."

RAY JORDAN, WINEPILOT.COM

93 Points
'It's a pristine, stony dry, lemony beauty of a wine. One with a marble-like slickness to its acid profile and focused line. Taut and crisp with hints of grapefruit pith, crushed quartz, white flowers and almond paste. Barossa semillon deserves more praise and this is a beauty."

DAVE BRROKES, HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION

92+ Points
"Indeed in the short to medium term this 2023 release is destined to mature beautifully. It tastes of fresh lemon and lemon oil, with grassy tonic-like top notes, and it boasts a long, juicy sail of flavour through the finish."

CAMPBELL MATTINSON, THE WINE FRONT

92 Points
"Fragrant in green apple, citrus, honeysuckle and spring flowers, it hosts an equally vibrant palate hosted by citrus in its many forms: Meyer lemon, lemon zest, key lime pie and grapefruit pith. It is accompanied by a lovely, enticing, bright freshness of acidity."

JENI PORT, WINEPILOT.COM

90 Points
"Really fresh, lifted, bright and lively aromas of lemon pith, white flowers, wet stone and melon skin. Crunchy, punchy and full of citrusy, snappy goodness. Textured, long and focused flavour"

AARON BRASHER. THE REAL REVIEW