Sauternes - the famous sweet wine produced in the homonymous Bordelais city - is considered by connoisseurs among the best sweet and botrytized wines of the world, however not anyone know that behind this famous wine is “concealed” Sémillon - a white berried grape not very common in the world - and which is responsible for a good part not only for Sauternes, but also for other similar wines of this area. Barsac and Monbazillac are just two examples of great sweet and botrytized wines produced with Sémillon, however - to tell the truth - the fame of these products is also because of the quality of Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle, frequently blended with Sémillon for the production of these wines. Despite Sémillon is the main component of the most renowned sweet wines of the world, its spreading in other countries has never been wide, and only in few other areas of the world acquired a certain importance in local viticulture, such as in case of Hunter Valley, Australia.

 Sémillon - usually written as Semillon in non Francophone countries - originated from the south-western area of France where until the end of 1960's represented the most cultivated white berried grape of the region. The territory in which this grape is currently most common is Bordeaux, in particular the areas of Graves, Sauternes, Barsac and Entre-Deux-Mers. In these areas Sémillon is frequently used for the production of wines together with Sauvignon Blanc, such as in case of Sauternes wines. This blend - which is not simply forced by the ampelographic conditions of the area - represents an ideal condition in order to have a good balance in these white wines. Sémillon does not have rich aromatic qualities and its acidity is pretty low, however it gives full bodied white wines with intense colors. In this sense Sauvignon Blanc seems to be its ideal and complementary companion, as it has a strong aromatic quality as well as a high acidity and generally gives light bodied wines. The result of the blending of these two grapes usually gives pretty interesting wines.

	A Bunch of Sémillon Grape

 The qualities of Sémillon can be considered according to many aspects because of the use made in enology for the production of different wine styles. Besides the exception represented by the wines produced in the Hunter Valley - Australia - the use of Sémillon for the production of mono varietal wines gives products with pretty anonymous and light aromas. The use of cask - that Sémillon seems to accept pretty well - adds the classic tertiary aromas while giving the wine a longer life in the aging in bottle. In the production of dry table wines, the most interesting result is the one obtained by the blending with Sauvignon Blanc, a very frequent combination especially in the Bordeaux area and adopted in other countries as well. What makes Sémillon a prestigious nectar is its high sensitivity to the effects of Botrytis Cinerea - the famous noble rot - as its thin skin facilitates the penetration of this mushroom inside the berry. The result is magisterially represented by the best examples of the wines from Sauternes, Barsac and Monbazillac, styles of botrytized wines which are usually imitated in many parts of the world.

 According to a viticultural point of view, Sémillon is a grape which easily tends to overproduction, a characteristic which requires a scrupulous pruning and that however ensures copious harvests for the production of mediocre quality wines. Mature Sémillon berries generally have a deep golden yellow color which turns into an almost pink color when overripe, a quality which is responsible for the intense colors in its wines. Sémillon is a pretty simple grape to cultivate and it generally adapts itself in many types of soils, however the best results are obtained in clay and limestone as well as in marl and gravelly soils. Sémillon is particularly sensitive to the effects of Botrytis Cinerea, which can also represent a serious danger - in particular in the areas with unfavorable climate and meteorological conditions - as it easily tends to get rotten, however it is very resistant to all the other vine diseases.

 Sémillon is a grape with a modest content in acid and the alcohol level of its wines can be considered as medium-high. This characteristic is mainly found in warm climate areas in which is also added an appreciable structure. For this reason very good quality wines produced with plain Sémillon are pretty rare while justifying the typical use of this grape together with Sauvignon Blanc. The best examples of use of plain Sémillon are the ones from the Hunter Valley - Australia - as well as some sweet wines produced in the area of Sauternes, even though in most of the cases the composition of these renowned wines includes Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. Wines produced with Sémillon grape certainly express their best qualities after a proper aging in bottle and - as opposed to the majority of white wines - it can also reach more than ten years, such as in case of Sémillon wines produced in the Hunter Valley. It is always advisable to allow quality table wines produced with Sémillon to age in bottle for at least four years. Longevity of sweet wines produced with this grape - such as Sauternes and Barsac - benefits from the higher quantity of sugar and therefore can also reach many tens of years.

 Wines produced with Sémillon - of any style - always show very intense and deep colors. When Sémillon grape reaches its optimal ripeness, the color of its skin gets deep golden hues, which will turn into evident pink nuances when overripe, just like for Gewürztraminer. The intense color is evident in white table wines and in particular in sweet wines which can also get dark and deep amber yellow colors with time. The colors of Sémillon wines can also get deeper hues in case they have been aged in cask, a pretty common practice as this grape is particularly well suited to this enological technique. Even the aging in bottle for table wines contributes to accentuate the golden yellow colors which can get - in some cases - amber nuances.

 Sémillon is a grape with low aromatic qualities, a characteristic which is mainly evident in mono varietal young wines. The secret for a good appreciation of Sémillon's aromas is represented by the time factor, as its light and almost anonymous aromas greatly change and get transformed into a complex and interesting wine. In wines produced with Sémillon cultivated in cool climate areas, or with not perfectly ripe grapes, can be perceived aromas directly resembling herbaceous qualities - such as mown grass, asparagus, pea and nettle - as well as aromatic qualities resembling lemon and gooseberry. In wines produced in warm climate areas, or with ripe grapes, will be perceived a more fruity character in which will be found aromas of apple, grapefruit and peach, as well as aromas of lanolin and wax, typical in Sémillon.

 The aging in cask - in Sémillon as well as in any other grape - will give to the wines the typical aromas of vanilla and toasted wood, while enriching - as a matter of fact and in the right balance - their aromatic personality. The best aromatic experience for Sémillon is the one offered by its sweet and botrytized wines, such as Sauternes, Barsac and Monbazillac. In these wines it will be possible to perceive aromas of wax, honey, toasted wood, raisin, dried apricot, yellow and white berried fruit jams, melon, citrus fruits, caramel and dried fruit in general, as well as the pleasing and characteristic aroma of Botrytis Cinerea. The aging of these wines will give with time - and in the best cases - very complex aromas such as musk and chocolate.

 Sémillon is a grape with a low acidity and a good content of sugar, therefore its wines will be characterized by a low acidity and an alcoholic percentage which can be defined as medium-high. Quality wines produced with this grape are also characterized by a full body, a quality which is usually and positively used in blending with Sauvignon Blanc - its most renowned and reliable companion - which in turn will efficiently contribute to increase acidity and to enrich the aromatic qualities. The structure of Sémillon wines is also increased by any possible aging in cask which contributes to make them smoother. Sweet wines produced with this grape are usually characterized by a full structure, almost viscous and thick, a quality which tends to accentuate with time.

 The area in which Sémillon is mainly cultivated and used for the production of wines is the area of Bordeaux and in particular Sauternes and Barsac. The most classic interpretation of the wines from this area is represented by the renowned sweet wines produced with grapes affected by Botrytis Cinerea, in which the high sweetness must always be balanced with a proper acidity. For this reason, to Sauternes wines is added a certain quantity of Sauvignon Blanc, which also contributes to enrich the aromatic qualities together with Muscadelle. In the Bordelais area the production of dry table wines with Sémillon is particularly appreciable in the Graves area, although it should be observed in the blending of the best wines the percentage of Sauvignon Blanc is pretty high. Moreover, in the Bordeaux area are also produced sweet wines from Sémillon grape in the areas of Cérons, Loupiac, Ste-Croix-du-Mont and Cadillac.

 Another interesting French area for the production of Sémillon wines is found in the south-western area, and in particular in the appellations of Monbazillac and Saussignac. Sémillon is also present in modest quantities in Italy, and in particular in the Montecarlo DOC area, in Tuscany. Outside the European borders, the best results are the ones obtained in Australia and in particular in the Hunter Valley. The wines from this area are produced with plain Sémillon and they probably are to be considered as the best examples of dry table wines. Wines from Hunter Valley generally requires ten years of aging in order to express their best organoleptic qualities. In Australia the Sémillon is also cultivated in the Barossa Valley and in Western Australia. Sémillon is also found - in modest quantities - in New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, Chile, Canada and California.