2023 Tallawanta Vineyard Semillon

NEW RELEASE

The original Tallawanta Vineyard was planted to Shiraz in 1920. The Semillon block was planted in the mid-90s and is located behind Harrigan’s Hotel. Generally speaking, the finest Semillon vineyards are on alluvial flats, but this block is one exception that proves the rule, as it is planted on a west-facing slope in red clay. This is the third single-vineyard Semillon from Brokenwood under the famous Tallawanta Vineyard label. Our third consecutive wet year, La Nina continued to make herself known through the first three quarters of the year, with widespread floods again experienced across South-Eastern Australia. Up to the 31st of December 2022, we received 1365.5mm of rain, with a total of 97 rainy days at Brokenwood. Pokolbin reached its annual rainfall by the end of June, with 2022 being the wettest year that we have had on record. The start of the growing season was particularly challenging with vineyard access and Downy Mildew pressure a constant issue. Thankfully, the weather cleared up in late October, with relatively benign conditions taking us through the year’s final two months and into January. Fruit condition and canopy were excellent despite the cool summer. This resulted in a late harvest in the Hunter, with Semillon not being picked until February, and the last coming off the vines on the 18th of February, under cool, clear skies.