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A Tangy Aussie White
Keith Tulloch Sémillon Hunter Valley 2006
I was dining with my wife, Nancy, and a friend recently at Punch Restaurant, the downstairs dining option attached to Wined Up, a wine bar on Broadway and 21st Street in Manhattan. The menu is mostly a mix of small and medium-sized plates—such as spicy edamame, crab rolls, pastas and more—so we ordered a gamut of stuff.
The weather was a little humid and the air pressure low, difficult conditions for a wine to show well. So I opted for an Australian Sémillon, made by Keith Tulloch in the Hunter Valley, hoping to get something bright and juicy that would be a good foil for the food.
The white was exactly what was needed: bracing, with a tangy mix of tangerine, green apple, persimmon and mineral notes, with a texture that alternated between waxy and lively. It worked with the different dishes we ordered, and wasn't fazed by the bad weather either. At about $40 on the list, it was a nice bargain too. And it's bottled under screw cap. I'd recommend drinking it between now and 2011 and rated it 88 points, non-blind.
WineSpectator.com members: Get scores and tasting notes for more recently rated Australian Sémillons, along with our quick lists of Top Values and Easy Finds among Australian whites.
