white grape · major international
Sémillon
Bordeaux, France
Say it
say·mee·yon
Final syllable is a nasal 'on'; the double-l yields a soft 'y' — American speakers often over-pronounce it as 'millon'.
On the palate
Body
medium
Acidity
medium plus
Aromatics
medium
lemonlimegreen applebeeswaxlanolinhoney
How you spot it blind: Waxy lanolin texture ages into honeyed toast without a drop of oak
The story
First written down · 1736, Bordeaux, France
DNA analysis confirmed Sémillon is a genetic ancestor of American hybrids Catawba and Concord, while a parent-offspring relationship with Sauvignon Blanc has been specifically excluded by microsatellite testing.
Where it lives
Bordeaux, France · Hunter Valley, Australia · Pessac-Léognan, France · Barossa Valley, Australia · South Africa
Shows up as
still whitesweetSauternesBarsacPessac-LéognanHunter Valley Semillon
If you like this, try
Also answers to Semillion, Semillón.
Shop our Sémillon bottles