Decanter magazine has named McGuigan Shortlisted Semillon 2007 as one of its Top 10 Exciting Buys of 2016.
The magazine asked its in-house tasting team, regular contributors and Decanter World Wine Awards Regional Chairs which five bottles, under £55, they enjoyed most over the past 12 months.
There were 195 nominations, with Sarah Jane Evans MW and Andy Howard MW joining Decanter staff to whittle the selection down to the Top 10.
This year, Decanter wanted to pay particular attention to wines with ‘wow factor’. As Evans summed up: ‘We were looking for the most complete wines, the most individual, fascinating and the most genuinely enjoyable. They did not have to be classically perfect wines, just memorable.’
When it came to McGuigan 2007 Shortlist Semillon – which came in at No. 8 – the judges said: “Glorious! This is what Australian Semillon is all about. It is amazingly fresh considering its age, with a jab of lime juice and beeswax on the nose.
“The piercing acidity, elegance and lower alcohol is a classic example of the unique characters of the Hunter Valley region. There are delicate apple characters with gunflint too. Still young at nine years old.”
Here’s the full list:
1. Descendientes de Palacios, Villa de Corullón, Bierzo, Spain 2012
2. Domaine Agapé, Riesling, Grand Cru Rosacker, Alsace, France 2013
3. Albert Boxler, Riesling, Grand Cru Sommerberg, Alsace, France 2014
4. De Martino, Viejas Tinajas Muscat, Itata Valley, Chile 2015
5. Famille Hugel, Riesling Grossi Laüe, Alsace, France 2010
6. Jean Foillard, Côte du Py, Morgon, Beaujolais, France 2013
7. Zuccardi, Emma Zuccardi Bonarda, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina 2013
8. McGuigan, Shortlist Semillon, Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia 2007
9. Zorzal, Eggo Tinto de Tiza 2014
10. Domaine Cazes, Hommage, Côtes du Roussillon, France 2014
