2022 Brokenwood Semillon, Hunter Valley, Australia

ABOUT THIS WINE

100% Semillon. Brokenwood has become a standard bearer for Semillon—and all of Australia—with winemaker Iain Riggs at the helm. He celebrated his 40th vintage in 2022. Riggs picks the grapes early to preserve the zesty acidity that’s a signature of the bottling, then ages the wine entirely in stainless steel. The result is a low-alcohol knockout with the energy and the ability to go the distance.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

A benchmark Australian winery founded in 1970 by Sydney trio Tony Albert, John Beeston and Australia’s leading wine critic, James Halliday, Brokenwood evolved from a weekend venture for these self-professed hobby winemakers into one of Australia’s most reputable wine labels. These enthusiastic partners knew little about viticulture, thus the early vintages were a labor of love for them and the family and friends they roped in to help. In spite of this, the distinct reds received praise from the earliest vintages, and with the appointment of winemaker, Iain Riggs, in 1982, the company extended its range to include the jewel of the Hunter Valley, Semillon. Thirty-five years later, Brokenwood is known for producing some of Australia’s most long-lived Semillons, and one of the nation’s most iconic single vineyard wines, the Graveyard Shiraz, which Australia’s leading auction house, Langton’s, lists among the top twenty-five in the country. While the size of the company has grown, the operation remains deliberately labor intensive with the intent of retaining individuality and quality.

In a region considered relatively warm and subtropical, the presence of summer-dominant rainfall, afternoon cloud-cover and weak sea breezes temper what could otherwise be a challenging climate for the production of quality table wine. This unique climate provides the Hunter Valley with an impressive grape-growing history, with the first vineyards being planted in 1825 by one of pioneers of the Australian wine industry, James Busby. The jewel in Brokenwood’s crown is a vineyard planted a century later: the Graveyard Vineyard. Riggs’ passion for exploring premium regions to produce single vineyard wines has also seen fruit sourced from outside the Hunter Valley. This fruit complements the Hunter’s Shiraz and Semillon with aromatic complexity and style diversity, namely Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.