A Tour of Wine Grapes: Semillon

Sémillon 🥂

Photo by Alison Parks-Whitfield on Wikimedia Commons

Sémillon (seh-mee-yohn) is a yellow-skinned grape native to Bordeaux, France, where it has been grown for hundreds of years.

The name likely comes from the local pronunciation of Saint-Émilion (san-tay meel-yohn). By the 1800s, the grape traveled to South Africa and Australia, where it quickly became a major crop.

France remains the top producer. Australia’s Hunter Valley is another major region, famous for crisp, single-variety Semillon. You can also find this grape in Chile, South Africa, Argentina, Canada, and the United States, mostly in California and Washington.

Sémillon wine has aromas and flavors of lemon, lime, green apple, and pear. Sweeter versions, or those from warmer climates, taste like honey, apricot, peach, and mango. If aged in oak barrels, the wine takes on flavors of vanilla and toasted bread.

Sémillon is also used in creating sweet dessert wines through a helpful fungus called noble rot. This fungus dries the grapes on the vine, concentrating the natural sugars.

While typically consumed fresh, high-quality Sémillon can age in a bottle for 10 to 20 years or longer. As it sits, the fresh fruit flavors fade, and the wine develops deep flavors of toasted nuts, honey, and beeswax. The color also changes from a pale yellow to a rich gold.

Serve Sémillon at 45°F to 50°F (7°C to 10°C) in a standard white wine glass.

Behind the Cork™ - Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc

2025 Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc ($27.99)

Established in 1998 by the Peabody family, Craggy Range is a family-owned estate that revolutionized New Zealand wine by matching specific grapes to unique terroirs. While their main winery is located in Hawke's Bay, their Te Muna Road property in Martinborough has become a landmark site for crafting high-quality white wines.

This 2025 Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc is indeed from the Te Muna Vineyard in Martinborough. The name Te Muna translates to "secret place" in the local Māori language.

This wine was made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes that are grown on a stony lower terrace formed by an ancient riverbed. The grapes are partially picked by hand and most are removed from their stems before pressing. Fermentation mostly takes place in stainless steel tanks with a small portion being fermented in French and Austrian oak barrels. The wine then was left on-lees for three to five months before bottling.

This 2025 Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc is a medium straw color with bold tropical aromas as well as the scent of freshly cut grass. On the palate, this medium-bodied wine has highly refreshing acidity, with flavors of lime, grapefruit and green apple. It finishes bright and smooth.

This Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc is just perfect for a warm evening - with a meal or just by the glass. That makes it a perfect fit as this week's Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Craggy Range Winery via Kobrand Wine and Spirits

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc (Part 2)

Sauvignon Blanc 🥂

Photo: Geolina163 & 1971markus on Wikimedia Commons

Last time we looked at Sauvignon Blanc - its history, aromas and flavors. Now, let’s take a look at two different growing regions for Sauvignon Blanc: California and New Zealand.

Sauvignon Blanc is a white wine made from the same grape variety, but the wines produced in California and New Zealand are different because of their climates.

California Sauvignon Blanc generally comes from a warmer climate, which alters how the grapes ripen on the vine. The warm weather causes the grapes to develop higher sugar levels and lower natural sharpness, or acidity. As a result, the final wine usually features dominant flavors of ripe fruits like melon, peach, and citrus. The texture of the wine tends to be smoother and less sharp on the tongue.

In contrast, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is mostly grown in the Marlborough region, which has a much cooler ocean climate combined with high levels of sunlight. The cool nights keep the natural acidity levels high, giving the wine very sharp, crisp, and refreshing flavors. New Zealand versions have aromas and flavors of grapefruit, lime, passion fruit, fresh-cut grass, and green bell pepper.

In summary, when comparing the two side-by-side, the differences come down to acidity and flavor profiles. California versions are less tart, have a heavier or smoother texture, and lean toward sweeter fruit flavors. New Zealand versions are highly tart, feel lighter in the mouth, and lean toward green herbs and citrus flavors.

Behind the Cork™ - Bezel Sauvignon Blanc

2025 Bezel Sauvignon Blanc ($25.99)

Bezel Wines is a fresh wine adventure from the well-known Cakebread Family of wines.

Since 1973, they’ve been making wine in Napa Valley at Cakebread Cellars in Rutherford, California. But with Bezel, they’re venturing out of Napa to discover the hidden treasures of California wine country on the Central Coast.

In this case, the Bezel Sauvignon Blanc was crafted in Paso Robles using 98% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Chardonnay. All the wine making was done in stainless steel to retain the bright fruit flavors.

This Bezel Sauvignon Blanc is a pale straw color with aromas of citrus and tropical fruits. On the palate, this medium-light wine has bright flavors of citrus and grapefruit, and refreshing high acidity. It finishes very smooth and easy with just a hint of the citrus tartness. [ABV: 12.5%, pH: 3.25, TA: 6.7 g/l, Residual Sugar: 0.11 g/L]

This 2025 Bezel Sauvignon Blanc is a refreshing wine that will pair well with most foods. But, it’s also great all by itself! And, at this price, it’s a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Bezel via Kobrand Wine and Spirits

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc (Part 1)

Sauvignon Blanc 🥂

Photo by Nathan on Wikimedia Commons

The name originates from the French words sauvage ("wild") and vigne ("vine"). Native to western France, written records document its cultivation in the Loire Valley and Bordeaux by the 18th century.

It is a natural cross between Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc grapes.

Today, winemakers grow it throughout the world. France produces lean, high-acid styles, while New Zealand's Marlborough region focuses on highly aromatic, pungent styles. California produces both crisp styles and barrel-aged varieties, while Chile, South Africa, and South Australia also maintain significant commercial production.

Sauvignon Blanc wines have notes of green grass, lime, and green bell pepper. Warmer climates yield tropical fruit profiles like passion fruit and peach. On the palate, it is a dry wine with a light body and bright acidity.

Winemakers use two main methods: unoaked (fermented in stainless steel to preserve fruit and acidity) and oaked (aged in barrels to add a creamy texture and vanilla notes). In California, the oaked style is labeled Fumé Blanc.

Sauvignon Blanc should be consumed within one to three years of the vintage date. Serve it chilled between 45°F and 50°F (7°C to 10°C) in a white wine glass with a narrow bowl to direct aromas upward.