Thomas Wines Braemore Hunter Valley Semillon 2014
From an excellent vintage in the Hunter (though more a classic red than a classic white year), I’ve had this a few times now and it’s a cracker. Curiously I didn’t much like it as a tank sample tried a while back last year. Clearly took some time to find its feet (much like the Alluvius really, which makes sense)
I actually opened this bottle as Andrew ‘Thommo’ Thomas shares a birthday with me (5th Feb) so seemed right. We rock.
Anyway, this is a seriously powerful white wine from a great site. There’s just a hint of lanolin on the green melon, green apple and lemon grass nose – the first hints of development. Underneath its still a baby though, the lemon fruit compact and the acid firm but yet not intrusive. It’s the length that gets you though, the citrussy power going and going in a line of perfect flavour. It’s going to live forever, basically, as indicated by the fact you can still taste it minutes later.
I found myself unconsciously drinking this, which is all the indications I ever need of a great wine. It’s probably going to get even better as a mature wine too.
Yes.
Details: 10.8%, Screwcap, $30
Tasted: Feb ’15. Sample
Best drinking: 2015-2030+
Score: 18.5/20, 94/100+
Would I buy it? I probably should have already bought some to stick in the cellar.
Buy online: MyCellars, Winestar, Thomas Wines website
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4 Comments
Andrew,
As a predominantly red drinker i have been looking for a quality, not to complicated Australian white to enjoy on a warm summer day.
This could be it, i didnt find the acid as firm as you, i felt it Aligned quite nicely, even though it will soften further in time.
It has a real…………… fruitosity for me ( may not be a real word ? )
The length becomes almost delicate and kept calling me back to the glass.
Even now it has a textural thickness on the palate……most interesting.
Only bought six………bugger!
Regards
Colin r
Hunter Sem might be your thing then Colin! I'd give the Alluvius from Pepper Tree a go as well if you like this – the 14 is a ripper!
This is an amazing wine – one of my fav's , I always wonder what it will be like when its old – but never have the patience to see. I dont feel like I am missing much – with the pleasure it brings.
It's such a good older wine as well. That's what is so appealing about Hunter Sem. Great young. Great old. Awesome all the way. Bloody cheap in the scheme of things too.