Andrew Thomas, Synergy Semillon, Hunter Valley

This wine felt more like a semillon sauvignon blanc blend. Semillon dominant but with those grassy / green elements from a Sauvy B. I enjoyed it - I probably wouldn't have said that a couple of years ago, but tastes evolve. At the price point this is a worthy wine, but not one for cellaring.

Colour: medium straw Nose: lemon peel, lemon curd. Underripe white stone fruit, nectarine. Passion fruit. Pineapple? Palate: lemon peel, lemon curd, maybe lemon cordial? Passion fruit. Nectarine, white peach, pineapple. Fleshy, fuzzywhite fruit, textural. Fresh, with lithe, zippy, lemon-like acidity. Medium bodied, 12,2% alcohol. Seal: screwcap.

{screwcap 12.2} Pale yellow straw. Slightly candied nose; passion fruit and straw. Hint of citrus, no more. Sweet candy aspect too, sherbert or something. Same flavours as nose. Medium, but soft and spritzy acid. Light body in presence, with a distinct feel of residual sugar. Patchy on on palate, fairly swiftly-finishing, sort-of crisp but still with a sugary tinge. At its best young and cool I think.

{screwcap, 12.2%} Very pale straw. Grassy and sour lemon aromas. Light palate, refreshing, with medium acid, no oak. This bottle one a while in fridge; has lost a little freshness. Fresh bottle would be better. Short-medium finish. Not for aging though.

Lemon, lime with a rounded tropical taste sitting in the background. Fruit intensity is very good with medium acidity that works nicely. There is a slight chalky texture in there too. All in all its a very nice sem that is punching well above its weight. One of the best QPR semillons in the Hunter.

{screwcap, 12.2%} Vivid nose; sweet lime juice and grass. Almost tropical - there a real hint of passionfruit among the aromas. The palate is quite different; still juicy but with a straw-tasting dryness; almost skin-tannic in a gentle way. A little bit furry. Acid is just medium level, the palate less fuity thsn the nose suggests; eventually a lime juice character emerges. Probably best as a vibrant, light-bodied youngster I reckon.