2017 Boekenhoutskloof Semillon
Buying options
Tasting notes
1902 vineyard fruit bought since 1997. 1936 and 1942 own-rooted, bush-vine vineyards added later. 40% Sémillon Gris. 80% fermented in barriques, 20% in concrete eggs. 14 months’ maturation at low temperatures to inhibit MLF. TA 5 g/l, pH 3.4, RS 2.2 g/l. 2,000–3,000 bottles. No longer in an NHB! Pale lemon. Complex nose already, with varietal ripe lemon and wax notes coupled with nutty, creamy oak and some pepper spice likely from the Gris component. Bright acidity lifts the rich, ripe lemon and brown-spice palate. Long and textured, slightly saline, finish. (TJ)
Critic scores
Average Score
Tim Jackson MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Sémillon, which has a 3% splash of Muscat of Alexandria, is made with an oxidative winemaking approach. It has a neutral nose, one where I would have liked more Sémillon character to poke through even at this early stage. The palate shows much more potential, presenting lovely lemon curd, toffee apple and white chocolate notes. The acidity is nicely judged, although that toffee note makes me wonder exactly how this will age. A second bottle showed less conspicuous toffee-ish notes and was much more in line with how I expect the wine to show. My score is based on this bottle.
The nose of the 2017 Semillon has a soft mineral edge to the citrus blossom and hints of pineapple, and it's leesy and pleasurable, with complex aromatics of cheese rind, blanched almonds and pineapple blossoms. The palate has a rich texture with a firm mouthfeel, while the oak and concrete egg fermenters add to the depth and complexity of the wine. The medium to long finish is bright and zippy, leaving the palate clean and showing a focused structure that is in balance. 12,000 bottles were made to tell the story of the old vines of the Franschhoek Valley.
Well-balanced, attractive fruity nose without the aggressive green streak of many other South African Semillons. Sweet and creamy with no rough edges but real structure and ageability. One of the world’s best Semillons? (JR)