Tyrrell's, Semillon, "Vat 1" Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia, 2018

Overview of the Wine
New World? Tyrrell's Wines produced their first vintage in 1864.

Located well in the heart of the Hunter Valley, the winery is better known today for continuing to produce arguably the region's best Semillon.

In 1858, Edward Tyrrell planted his first vines in the Hunter Valley. In 1959, Murray Tyrrell took control of the winery and started producing Tyrrell’s wines under their own labels. Tyrrell’s pioneered Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in Australia and quickly received international recognition. While remaining a family company, Tyrrell’s has reached out to larger wine markets: in recent years, it has expanded its traditional Hunter Valley vineyard base to other famous vineyard areas in Australia.

Winemaker
Chris Tyrrell

Grape / Blend
Semillon

Origin
New South Wales, Australia

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Delicate citrus aromas lead on the nose, while the palate reveals impressive depth and density—hallmarks of Vat 1’s exceptional vineyard sources. The robust fruit profile is balanced by fine texture and a soft acid line, offering immediate approachability while retaining the structure and finesse to age gracefully for decades.

97 Points - James Suckling
A very complete aged semillon with sliced lemon, heather, green mango, and crushed stone aromas that follow through to a full body with a crunchy palate and cement and marble notes. Tight at the end. Lightly nutty. Plenty of flavor. The vines were planted in 1923. Drink now. Screw cap.

97 Points - Australian Wine Companion
At 6 years of age, the wine is beginning to bloom, displaying attractive ripe lemon, citrus curd and honeysuckle aromas. These characters are in the riper spectrum for this wine. The palate is on the generous side, but it still has the clarity and style one expects from Vat 1. There is no hiding the fact that '18 was a hot year. Consequently, this will be an earlier-drinking Vat 1, but no less enjoyable. That is the thing about iconic wines; the season may change, but their inherent qualities remain constant. 

94 Points - Wine Enthusiast
A classic wine from a historic producer, this vintage offers a lovely, delicate perfume of honeyed citrus and waxy florals. There's an equally waxy texture to the mid-weight palate; a honeyed richness creeping in to mellow out the acidity (not as racy as other vintages). It's a lovely combo, an expression of place, time and variety that's showing nice bottle age.

92 Points - Wine Spectator
This white's mouthwatering, savory mix starts with bright lemon sherbet, candied citrus peel and straw flavors, with notes of lemongrass, Himalayan sea salt and litsea oil, all on a supple, rich frame. Crisp acidity keeps the flavors in focus.

Product size: 750ml