top of page

WINE OF THE WEEK: Moss Wood Semillon 2016, Margaret River, Western Australia


£16.99, waitrosecellar.com and 8 stores


Moss Wood Semillon

Sémillon is in decline pretty well all over the world, often losing out to the more aromatic, feisty Sauvignon Blanc. Sémillon is still big in Bordeaux, of course, giving the world exceptional botrytis sweet wines, but as a dry wine it's just not in vogue. And yet it can be wonderful, with flavours not unlike Sauvignon, but more muted, and a distinctive, rich, lanolin-like texture. With age, it often develops a nutty or toasty character, even when it hasn't seen any oak, and the best can be very long-lived. That's the preamble, here are the wines – yes, wines. Moss Wood Semillon (accent rarely used in the southern hemisphere) is officially Wine of the Week, but I can't ignore the equally fine David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner 2016 from Elim, South Africa (same price and retailer, but only 5 stores). As I had a Cape Semillon as Wine of the Week a couple of months ago (now out of stock), I settled on Australia's Moss Wood for the main slot. It has a subtle, biscuity, creamy note, herbal/grassy freshness and sweet apple on the nose. The palate is lively but creamy, rounded and delicately nutty (although it's unoaked) with apple pie, pineapple and zingy grapefruit flavours and a sea-breeze fresh finish. You can drink it now, with seafood (plain, with light spices or a rich fish pie), with cheese dishes, or chicken or pork, or you could cellar it for 10 or more years. 14%


Ghost Corner Semillon

David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner Semillon 2016, which is partly fermented in new oak, has a lemony, smoky, flinty nose with savoury-cracker complexity and a deeply mineral palate with zesty citrus and salted almond flavours, classic supple Semillon texture and steely acidity. 13.5%

Moss Wood Semillon 2016, Margaret River, Western Australia

David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner Semillon 2016, Elim, South Africa

£16.99, waitrosecellar.com and Waitrose branches in Belgravia, Canary Wharf, John Lewis Oxford Street, Kings Road and West Ealing. Moss Wood is also in the Gloucester Road, John Lewis Bluewater and Kensington branches

bottom of page