Sémillon in France

Sémillon is a golden-skinned wine grape from France.

The grape is used to make both dry and sweet white wines.

In France, the Sémillon grape is grown mostly in Bordeaux where it is blended with Sauvignon Blanc to produce a dry white wine referred to as Bordeaux Blanc.

The thin skin of the grape is easily affected by botrytis (noble root), which make it dominante in the sweet wine region of Sauternes.

Sémillon in Australia

Sémillon is also widely grown in Australia, particularly in the Hunter Valley north of Sydney.

In Australia, Sémillon was long known as "Hunter River Riesling".

Different styles of Sémillon wines are made there:

• Light dry style. Often blended with Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.
• Complex, mineral, dry style. Often bottle-aged.
• Sweet style. Copy of French Sauternes.

Barossa and Clare Valley region offer rich and structured Sémillon.

Sémillon in South Africa

Sémillon was one of the first grapes to be planted on the Cape, as early as in the 17th century, and it accounted for more than 90% of plantings in the first half of the 19th century.

in South Africa, Sémillon is often used to add volume to Sauvignon Blancs, like in Bordaux Blanc.

In South Africa, Sémillon was long known as Groendruif ("Green Grape").