Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon is one of Australia’s wine icons. Picked relatively early while high in acidity, it is fermented to under 12% ABV. Patience has always been the credo with Lovedale Semillon. It needs at least a decade to develop the signature notes of honey and buttered toast that has made aged Hunter Semillon such an iconic and distinctive wine.
Sealed under natural cork, the 1998 Lovedale Semillon remains at no more than mid-development on its evolutionary path. Gone is the edgy, almost battery acid like acidity of youth, but the wine remains remarkably zesty and fresh, with little suggestion of maturity. On this evidence, the wine needs at least another three years in bottle, if not, 5 or 6. One can only wonder how long more recent vintages, sealed under screw cap, will take to evolve.
1998 MOUNT PLEASANT LOVEDALE SEMILLON
Producer: McWilliams
Variety: Semillon
Vintage: 1998
Region: Hunter Valley, New South Wales
ABV: 11.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Format: 750ml
Retail price: N/a
Date tasted: 26 November 2011
Tasting Note:
Pale lemon yellow – little apparent development. Clean nose, remarkably backward, lemon squirt with the barest hint of lanolin suggesting evolution. The palate too is remarkably backward, clearly a good cork seal here; at the lighter end of medium bodied, relatively simple zesty lemon at present – hard to believe this is a 13 year old wine! Acidity still plays the leading role here. On this evidence, remaining bottles should be left for another 3 or more years.
Score: 17/20
Sealed under natural cork, the 1998 Lovedale Semillon remains at no more than mid-development on its evolutionary path. Gone is the edgy, almost battery acid like acidity of youth, but the wine remains remarkably zesty and fresh, with little suggestion of maturity. On this evidence, the wine needs at least another three years in bottle, if not, 5 or 6. One can only wonder how long more recent vintages, sealed under screw cap, will take to evolve.
1998 MOUNT PLEASANT LOVEDALE SEMILLONProducer: McWilliams
Variety: Semillon
Vintage: 1998
Region: Hunter Valley, New South Wales
ABV: 11.5%
Closure: Natural cork
Format: 750ml
Retail price: N/a
Date tasted: 26 November 2011
Tasting Note:
Pale lemon yellow – little apparent development. Clean nose, remarkably backward, lemon squirt with the barest hint of lanolin suggesting evolution. The palate too is remarkably backward, clearly a good cork seal here; at the lighter end of medium bodied, relatively simple zesty lemon at present – hard to believe this is a 13 year old wine! Acidity still plays the leading role here. On this evidence, remaining bottles should be left for another 3 or more years.
Score: 17/20
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