2023 Thomas Wines The O.C. Semillon

Highly Rated
A typically slightly riper style of Thomas Semillon in scintillating, Trophy-winning form!

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Sale price$29.00
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Description

The Trophy-winning, 2023 Thomas Wines The O.C. Semillon is a vibrant expression of the Hunter Valley’s iconic style. From a single vineyard planted in 1998 along Oakey Creek Road, this wine captures the unique character of its terroir in producing typically riper wines.

This vintage saw lower yields and a delayed harvest, resulting in the earliest Semillon pick of the year. Despite a cooler growing season, the grapes achieved a slightly riper profile while maintaining the vineyard’s signature fine acidity. Only 363 dozen were produced in total.

Pour a glass, and you'll be greeted by tangy citrus, subtle tropical notes, and a hint of freshly cut grass. The palate is linear and focused, with a steely mineral vein and a whisper of hay and straw. Its bracing acidity and lovely phenolic grip make it perfect for pairing with seafood and a squeeze of lemon.

With 95 points and the Trophy for Best Young Semillon at the 2023 Winewise Small Vignerons Awards, this is another standout Semillon from Andrew Thomas.

95 points
"This wine has real personality with its intense fruit aromatics. Gorgeous feijoa and warm-scented lemon aromas. The palate is ultra-soft and refreshing with good flavour and brightness. It's an absolute delight to drink. Sourced from a single vineyard, planted in '76, located on Oakey Creek Road ('OC') on a transitional sandy loam strip. Great value."
- Toni Paterson MW (Halliday Wine Companion)

95 points - "This wine has real personality with its intense fruit aromatics. Gorgeous feijoa and warm-scented lemon aromas. The palate is ultra-soft and refreshing with good flavour and brightness. It's an absolute delight to drink. Sourced from a single vineyard, planted in '76, located on Oakey Creek Road ('OC') on a transitional sandy loam strip. Great value." - Toni Paterson MW (Halliday Wine Companion)

93 points - "The 2023 O.C. Semillon is crunchy and glassy tight on the nose, with hay and straw, scratched lemon, ocean spray and crushed shells. The wine is crystalline and pure, completely taut and thrumming with energy. A beauty. And it has miles to go before it sleeps." - Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)

Winemaker's Comments
Hunter Valley Semillon is one of the world's most uniquely regional wine styles. This vineyard, situated on a sandy/loam strip along Oakey Creek Road, Pokolbin (hence, The O.C.), was planted in 1998. Earlier vintages of this wine were made in a riper more generously flavoured, contemporary style, however we have since realised this particular vineyard is more suited to the classically styled Hunter Valley Semillon.

The lower yields experienced again from this vineyard in 2023 led to it being the very first Semillon to be picked this year, although the cooler growing season delayed that picking by about two weeks. Whilst it has a slightly riper feel than we've seen in recent vintages, the core of fine acidity is still a defining feature of wines made from this wonderful patch of dirt. We yielded just over six tonnes of hand-picked fruit from our allocated rows which have resulted in a relatively small production of only 363 dozen.

The Len Sorbello Trophy - 2023 Winewise Small Vignerons Awards (Best Young Semillon)

Tasting Notes
This wine bolts straight out the gate with classic Hunter Semillon character; tangy citrus, touches of gentle green tropicals, a steely mineral vein, and a whisper of freshly cut grass. It’s a linear and focused wine, full of energy, a lovely phenolic nip and bracing acidity. Delicious, well-textured and tangy, just add your seafood of choice with a squeeze of lemon.

Price Bracket $30 or Less
Type White
Body Light Bodied
Variety Semillon
Country Australia
Region Hunter Valley
Australian State NSW
Feature High Score
Trophy Winner
Reviewed By The Wine Advocate
Halliday Wine Companion
Critic Score 93
95
Alcohol 11%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2023
Closure Screw Cap

Thomas Wines

Andrew Thomas is a modern-day legend in the Hunter Valley, crafting some of the region's greatest wines for over three decades. His personal label is regarded as a benchmark winery, with a focus on premium Shiraz and Semillon— the Hunter Valley's hero varieties. Thomas has access to some of the region’s best vineyards, allowing him to create wines that truly capture the essence of the Hunter.

Originally from McLaren Vale, Thommo moved to the Hunter Valley to join the winemaking team at Tyrrell's Wines. After 13 years, he ventured out to develop his own label, making single-vineyard wines that highlight the subtle differences between Hunter’s subregions.

Thomas Wines is known for its classic Hunter Valley Shiraz and Semillon, but it also occasionally explores innovative styles without compromising on value. The white wines are delicate and cellar-worthy, while the reds are full-bodied and classic in the best sense of the word, making them one of the benchmarks for modern Hunter Shiraz.

A mentor to much of the next generation of Hunter producers, if you want to try the essence of the Hunter Valley, Thommo's wines are a must-try.

The Thomas Wines Braemore Vineyard Hunter Valley, NSW Thomas Wines

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