The Hunter Valley is recognised as the world’s leader in dry white wines made from Semillon. Semillon is at its delicate best when young, it is deliciously crisp with abundant citrus aromas. With age Hunter Valley Semillon develops unique complex toast, vanilla and honey flavours, giving it depth and richness. This collection will take you on a journey featuring 3 bottles each from 4 renowned Hunter Valley producers.

The StarDozen consists of the following:

3 bottles        Audrey Wilkinson Hunter Valley Semillon 2022
3 bottles        De Iuliis Hunter Valley Semillon 2022
3 bottles        Kaesler Old Vine Semillon 2021
3 bottles        Parched Crow Hunter Valley Semillon 2019

Audrey Wilkinson Hunter Valley Semillon 2022
This leaps out of the blocks like an Olympic sprinter at the start of a 100m race. Lemons (green and Meyer) and Granny Smith apple are lashed by razor sharp acidity. Drink tonight or in 30 years time. Date: Nov 2022; Drink to: 2053; Price: $25.00; Alcohol: 12%; Rating: 95 Points & Top 100 Wines for 2022; James Halliday Wine Companion

De Iuliis Hunter Valley Semillon 2022
It's the entry point semillon for De Iuliis, but it's far from disgraced. The vintage had numerous challenges, but such is life in the Hunter Valley. This wine has two halves: the first is little to see, smell or taste, the second half an explosion of lemon, lime and acidity. Drink to: 2024; Price: $25.00; Date Tasted: August 2022; Alcohol: 11.5%; Rating: 93 Points & Special Value Star; James Halliday; Wine Companion

Kaesler Old Vine Semillon 2021
From a patch of semillon vines, planted in 1961, on the Kaesler estate on the southern edge of Nuriootpa. A tautly stretched and precise Barossa semillon with pristine fruit characters of lemon and crunchy green apple along with hints of almond meal, lanolin, soft spice, dried herbs and white flowers. There's a dot of clotted cream on the palate which is finely formed and possesses a wonderfully pure, stony, citrus-flecked finish. Drink gleefully or cellar. Drink to: 2035; Price: $25.00; Date Tasted: Dec 2021; Alcohol: 11.5%; Rating: 94 Points; Dave Brookes; James Halliday Wine Companion

Parched Crow Hunter Valley Semillon 2019
The Hunter has enjoyed some fabulous vintages in recent years and this is one of them. From the MacDonalds Flat Vineyard, planted in 1995 (if the world’s tiniest font has not misled me), this is very much in the modern style of Hunter Sem where there is flavour from the very first sip and yet the ability to age is not compromised. Very pale yellow, there is some freshly cut grass, plus stonefruit, white peaches, citrus and florals, lemon blossoms especially – delicious. The flavours are more forward than we see from old-fashioned Sems and all the better for it. Nicely balanced and with a lingering finish too. Drink for six to eight years and no doubt more. Tasted: Apr 2023; Drink: 2023-2031; Price: $30.00; Rating: 93 Points; Ken Gargett; Wine Pilot