I have been a Chardonnay fan for many years, tasted and drank quite a few in that time and the Huntington Estate Special Reserve Chardonnay’s reputation made this wine a no brainer, winner, for me…and it was!

However, originating from the island state of Tasmania, Semillon was not a variety that was recommended to me, talked about or among many wine lists that I can remember. Now, I am not saying it wasn’t on bottle-shop shelves or on restaurant wine lists but it was not a go-to like Chardonnay was, and probably still isn’t…sadly. It’s a shame really because Semillons, like this one from Huntington Estate, would go a long way to changing attitudes about this particular variety no matter where it’s produced.

I won’t go into the details of who Walter Scott was, however, I will provide a quote of his that I think sits very well with Huntington Estate winemaker, Tim Stevens. “Excellence is not a skill, it’s an attitude.” Now, just to clarify this, I am not saying Tim is not skilful in what he does. He most certainly is! What I’m saying is, it is easy to tell, when tasting these two wines that Tim has an extraordinary and excellent attitude to his winemaking. Taste both of these wines and you too will know what I mean.

Region: Mudgee, NSW     Price: $45 & $35 respectively     Source: Samples thanks kindly to Huntington Estate

2023 Special Reserve Chardonnay

This Chardonnay is so pretty as it sits in the glass. Almost like liquid gold (check out the photo on Instagram) which is probably a good way to describe it actually. Quite intense and delightful aromatics where stone-fruits run the show, think peaches and pears, while delicate citrus notes have a say. The palate is similarly intense thanks to abundant varietal characters. Peach, nectarine, melon, lemon tart and little limey notes come into play. It has a lovely smooth buttery/creamy textural like mouth-feel that adds to its appeal. I really enjoyed this Chardonnay and I wasn’t alone.

2022 Special Reserve Semillon

The pale lemon like colour didn’t surprise me considering it is a young Semillon. The aromas, however, were a different story. Vibrant, youthful, zesty lemons and limes were at the forefront for sure. It had similar characteristics on the palate where it was really smooth but with depth of flavour and elegance with a pretty good finish. If you are an aged Semillon fan, this also has great structure that will see it cellar easily for as long as your patience can hold out.