Sip on Semillon this summer

By Mary Malik

Mimi’s resident wine expert, Jim Sperk of the Northern Ohio Wine Guild, just returned from a vacation visiting the western United States and brought us back a new recommendation for a summer wine.

“I visited the Colorado town of Palisade,” Jim says. “Palisade has an interesting microclimate conducive to growing peaches, grapes, cherries and other fruits. There are 30-40 wineries in the Palisade area, many of which excel at growing Bordeaux-type grapes. One fine example that I enjoyed tasting was the Semillon wine. Semillon is a white wine produced from the grape of the same name.”

Pronounced “say-mee-ON” in France, Jim says the wine got its name from the local pronunciation of its town of origin, St. Emilion.

The Semillon grape is the fourth-most planted white grape in France. In Australia, where the grape is pronounced “SEH-muh-luhn,” there is also a vast Semillon grape planting. Jim says the grape is often misnamed in Australia as Hunter Valley Riesling.

“The Semillon grape produces delicious wines all on its own,” Jim says. “And in this country, especially in Washington, Texas and Colorado, the grape is often produced as a single varietal.”

Jim says this is for good reason since in these climates, the grape can attain enough acid to complement the full body of the wine.

In France, Semillon is generally blended with Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. Semillon is also the grape used in Sauternes. But what about the aroma and the taste of Semillon?

“In cooler climates, these wines display more citrus notes of lemon and grapefruit,” says Jim. “In warmer regions, honey and papaya themes are more evident. My experience with the Colorado Semillon was somewhere in the middle with a body similar to a Chardonnay and the aroma of honeysuckle. The taste was pear, yellow peach with a touch of mango.”

A wide range of Semillon wines are a good value, and many are available for under $25. Jim recommends that Semillon be enjoyed in the summer and fall seasons with a variety of foods, especially fish and cheeses.

For information about the Northern Ohio Wine Guild, contact Jim Sperk at tinymoonwines@usa.net.