Sémillon Sauvignon Blanc 2022
A classic blend of grape varieties but one not widely found in Niagara due to the difficulty in growing Sémillon here. It is both winter sensitive and thin skinned, so it thrives only on a few select sites. Sémillon from the Lizak Vineyard right next to Lake Ontario in Beamsville is blended with Sauvignon Blanc from a few kilometres East and slightly further from the lake from Hughes Vineyard.
The wines were both barrel fermented and aged for 10 months in primarily second fill and older French oak. The result is a captivating combination of fruit, texture, spice, and minerality backed by linear acidity that does not overpower but will give this wine exceptional longevity.
Sémillon Sauvignon Blanc 2022
A classic blend of grape varieties but one not widely found in Niagara due to the difficulty in growing Sémillon here. It is both winter sensitive and thin skinned, so it thrives only on a few select sites. Sémillon from the Lizak Vineyard right next to Lake Ontario in Beamsville is blended with Sauvignon Blanc from a few kilometres East and slightly further from the lake on Hughes Vineyard.
The wines were both barrel fermented and aged for 10 months in primarily second fill and older French oak. The result is a captivating combination of fruit, texture, spice, and minerality backed by linear acidity that does not overpower but will give this wine exceptional longevity.
SENSORY PROFILE
Medium straw in colour, with aromas of peach, pear, and lemon as well as wet stone and faint smoky wood. The body is medium to full with integrated tannins and a strong acid backbone. The wine finishes very long with vanilla and spice accenting the notes of stone fruit and citrus rind.
FOOD PAIRINGS
This wine will pair exceptionally with white fish and seafood such as scallops, as well as poultry or pork especially if prepared with a fruit accompaniment such as a peach reduction to highlight the flavours in the wine.
CELLARING POTENTIAL
This wine is ready to consume on release but will improve and gain complexity with time in bottle until at least 2030.
VINTAGE
The 2022 vintage was largely shaped by a very wet end to 2021 followed by a sharp cold January that caused bud death across most vineyards and varieties. Some areas such as very close to Lake Ontario or on slopes with very good water and air drainage fared better, but overall this winter led to a significantly reduced crop.
A slow start in spring was followed by a warm and mostly dry summer. August brought some storms but the fall was again dry and relatively warm leading to good ripening conditions for the small crop that was hanging.
Quality is good to excellent due to the lower yields and favourable weather and the wines from 2022 will be sought after due to their relative scarcity.
WINE DATA
Variety: 53% Sémillon, 47% Sauvignon Blanc
Alcohol: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 1.7 g/L
Titratable Acidity: 6.5 g/L
pH: 3.44
Bottling Date: 2023-08-24
Production: 100 cases
VINEYARD AND HARVEST DATA
Appellation: Lincoln Lakeshore
Site: Lizak Vineyard (SEM), Hughes Vineyard (SB)
Soil: Vineland fine silty loam (SEM), Jeddo and Chingouacousy clay loam (SB)
SEM Clone: 315
SB Clones: 530 (50%) and 297 (50%)
Rootstock: 3309
Vine Age: 2004 planting (SEM), 2011 planting (SB)
Harvest Date: 2022-09-16 (SB), 2022-09-29 (SEM)
Yield: 3.1 T/ac
VINIFICATION
Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc were harvested about two weeks apart and vinified separately in barrel. A second use 500 L French Oak puncheon was selected for the Sémillon and a mix of second use and older French Oak barriques for the Sauvignon Blanc. Both selected and wild yeast conducted the fermentations and partial malolactic conversion was carried out on the Sémillon.
The final blend was established by barrel selection and is comprised of 53% Sémillon and 47% Sauvignon Blanc. The wine was aged on its full lees for 10 months before being blended, gently fined and clarified using only bentonite (no allergens/non-vegan fining agents were used), followed by filtration prior to bottling.
REVIEWS
“Bright mineral notes with touches of mint, grapefruit pith and hints of apple blossom. Juicy on the palate, savoury and spicy.” 90 points (Silver) – Decanter World Wine Awards 2024
“The blend is 53% Sémillon from the Lizak Vineyard and 47% Sauvignon Blanc from Hughes Vineyard that was barrel fermented and aged in used barriques for nine months. It has a fresh, open knit nose of lilacs, wild honey, pear, grapefruit, bergamot, light herbs, and integrated spice notes. It has a fleshy texture on the palate with rich notes of pear, yellow apples, juicy citrus, barrel spice notes, subtle herbaceous accents, and a fresh, vibrant finish.” 92 points – Rick Vansickle, Wines in Niagara
“This wine is truly made in a classic, Jeff Moote way. I mean, I have tasted many of his wines and he has a sixth sense with winemaking. He can extract the best of each grape varietal, respect the vineyard source, all while keeping a stunningly bright structure and authentic grape integrity. This is pure and fleshy, energetic and textural. The nose developed some incredible aromas of white flowers, citrus , vanilla bean, guava and passion fruits. While the oak is definitely playing a role in the tasting experience, it is all positive… enhancing the texture, filling the mid palate and sparking the spices on the finish. Flavours include lime, lemon meringue, Asian pear, pink grapefruits and a hint of grassiness. The finish offers salty minerality blended with white spices and a tart lemon peel sensation making this wine very complex and delightful.” 91 points – Carl’s Wine Club