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