Chateau Tanunda 150 Years Vines Semillon 2017/2020

TASTING NOTES

Honey, Lemon, Grapefruit and hints of pineapple on the nose. Lively, fresh citrus and stonefruit on the fleshy palate with clean, fresh acidity on a long lingering finish. A seamless wine of fine acid structure and intense varietal flavours driving the length on the palate. 

WINEMAKING

The grapes were hand picked, hand sorted and gently basket pressed before fermentation in a combination of temperature controlled stainless steel, and seasoned barrels. 

This is followed by seven months’ barrel maturation in our cellars with regular lees stirring to enhance aroma and structure whilst building flavor complexity. 

The Barossa is home to some of the world’s oldest ungrafted Semillon vines and the grapes for this wine are from an ancestor vineyard in the renowned Light Pass sub-region. The low yielding ‘Barossa Ancestor Vines’ were planted more than 150 years ago. Only 11.9 hectares of vines

over 150 years exist in the Barossa, representing 0.17% of the region’s plantings

* Only 219 cases produced

REVIEWS

96 POINTS

Review by: Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

This is beautifully styled with elegance and exquisite charm, showing lemon peel, crunchy apple, oatmeal and dried grass nuances combined with concentrated palate delivering fine focus and drive with a prolonged vibrant finish. At its best: 2025 to 2035

97 POINTS

Review by: Andrew Caillard MW

Pale/ light straw colour. Intense and beautifully focussed lemon curd, grapefruit, apricot, tonic water aromas with herb garden/ lime notes. Concentrated and pastille-like with fresh lemon curd, grapefruit, lime, nectarine fruits, underlying yeasty complexity, attractive mid-palate creamy notes and fresh mineral acidity. A remarkable multi-dimensional wine with linearity, width and depth. Maturation in seasoned oak puncheons makes all the difference. An emerging classic with underlying torque achieved through a persistent phenolic twist. Screw cap may allow very long-term aging. A beautiful Barossa Semillon from one of Australia’s oldest surviving 19th Century vineyards. Drink Now – 2032

93 POINTS

Review by: Aaron Brasher, Huon Hooke's The Real Review

Waxy, lemony, nutty and floral aromas: there's a real vitality and brightness to the nose. The palate is tight, all that waxy, lemony gear drives the flavour profile, there's some lovely oak that frames up the wine, but the drive of lemony, crunchy, citrusy fruit comes to the fore. Needs some time to show its straps. 2023–2031

94 POINTS

Review by: Tyson Stelzer, Halliday Wine Companion 2022

Hand picked from a single vineyard, planted 1850s. Basket pressed, matured 7 months in seasoned French oak puncheons. Tense and tight Barossa floor semillon of neutral nashi pear and lemon definition, built with the structural support of old French oak barrel maturation. Coiled, taut and restrained, it projects impressive elegance while delivering enduring persistence. A cellaring special.