(Mission Valley News, San Diego, CA) – Summer has arrived! With the warm weather rolling in, one needs a perfect sipping wine to enjoy on the long, sunny days and a great wine to pair with the fresh, light cuisine of summer. Loved for its freshness and vibrancy, Semillon is the perfect choice. And when one thinks of Semillon from the United States, Washington State is the first place that comes to mind and is one of the best new world growing regions.
Bordeaux, France is considered the home of Semillon, where it is the most widely planted white grape varietal. Here it is most commonly blended with Sauvignon Blanc to create the classic dry wines labeled Bordeaux Blanc or the sweet wines of Sauternes. Semillon is exceptionally popular in Australia and often blended with Sauvignon Blanc as well. While Semillon is an important grape varietal, it never seems to attract attention in the same way other popular whites like Chardonnay or Riesling do. It is usually considered second rate by its tendency to be blended rather than marketed as a single varietal but Washington is giving this unsung grape variety some much-deserved attention at last.
Washington has a diverse growing climate, offering warmer appellations for Bordeaux and Rhone red varietals in areas such as Walla Walla and cooler appellations for cool climate whites in Columbia Valley. The combination of Columbia Valley’s sunny, dry climate and glacial soils rich in complex minerals produce some truly remarkable white wines. Among Washington’s other white wine varietals, Semillon stands out as something uniquely expressive and Columbia Valley produces some the world’s best Semillon. In its youth, Washington Semillon offers a broad spectrum of flavors, ranging from crisp citrus to melon and fig to fresh pears. Or with time, can age beautifully into rich, honeyed, nutty wines.
These days, L’Ecole No 41 is acknowledged as the leading producer of Washington Semillon, offering multiple bottlings in a variety of styles. Many other wineries choose to blend their Semillon with Sauvignon Blanc and produce sweet dessert wines for traditional Bordeaux blends. And while L’Ecole No 41 produces such styles, it also makes a single varietal Semillon showing the true potential of this grape. The 2011 Columbia Valley Semillon is a benchmark for young, fresh Washington Semillon. It is summer in a glass with its striking nose of citrus blossom, melon and floral aromas, great fruit intensity and honeyed nuance on the palate and a balanced citrus finish.
Few Semillons show their richness and complexity as those produced in Washington. The wonderful growing conditions of Columbia Valley help to ensure crisp natural acidity, making this an impressive food pairing wine. This fantastic Semillon is ideal with oysters, shellfish and summer citrus salads. The L’Ecole No 41 Columbia Valley Semillon 2011 can be found at Bacchus Wine Market downtown, Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido and The Wine Connection in Del Mar. Other great producers of Washington Semillon worth mentioning are Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Crest Winery. Whichever producer you choose to enjoy, Semillon is definitely an exceptional wine worth a taste!
Karen Irizarry is a certified sommelier who has worked vintages in Australia and Germany and is currently working vintage in New Zealand. She developed a passion for wine while working under advanced sommelier and wine director Brian Donegan at San Diego’s Market Restaurant and Bar. Irizarry’s passion for food and wine is reflected in her blog, .
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