- Lower Hunter Valley, NSW - $38-$60
- Screwcap
- 11.0%alc
Rated alongside Tyrrell's Vat 1 and Mount Pleasant's Lovedale; Brokenwood's ILR is one of the very finest dry semillon labels on the planet.
From a vintage characterised by its heat and dryness, Brokenwood's 2003 ILR presents itself as a relatively youthful colour in the pale-gold/light-straw spectrum, before it unravels to an evenly developed, classic bouquet of honey toast and dry straw with grapefruit, mineral and white flower aromas providing necessary freshness and life. The artfully composed and attractive nose precedes a wonderfully focused, zesty palate marked by a chiselled extract of chalky, sour citric acids, which drive the wine to a scintillating climax of exceptional length and tightness. It possesses terrific shape and mouthfilling structure, with a joyous thread of honeyed richness beginning to emerge underneath its primary melon and lemon/lime citrus flavours.
ü+ An absolutely stunning hot year semillon with plenty of Brokenwood's trademark zip, freshness and acidity. I'd happily give it another 5 years at least. Drink to 2018.
95 points
Great to see this in screwcap now - ILR was a notoriously variable wine under cork.
ReplyDeleteScrewcaps have done wonderful things for Hunter Semillon.
Great photo Chris. :-)
ReplyDeleteVery true Andrew, the future is looking much brighter for Hunter sems because of it. Just think what screwcaps have already done for our country's rieslings.
ReplyDelete