![Logo The Wine Collective [Not Live]](http://twc-pre-launch.myshopify.com/cdn/shop/files/TWC_logo_lockup_horizontal_colour_white.svg?956){kind=logo}
2011 Brokenwood ILR Reserve Semillon
Recommendations
Initially Meyer lemon and lemongrass rode on a chariot of acidity that wept all before it. Now, as notes of honey and toast emerge, the pace of development is slowing, allowing time for all the flavours and textural complexity to take centre stage.'
97 Points - James Halliday
Top 100 Wines of 2018
Expert Reviews
A truly captivating wine with admirable depth and presence. There is a gentle thread of lemon butter wound around a citrus core. Ripe lime aromatics plus a hint of preserved lemon and a breath of buttery toast. It is at a perfect stage of its evolution and is an exemplary example of Hunter Valley semillon. It looks perfect from the first pour though do take care not to over-chill.
Already tasted several times on its path towards maturity. Initially Meyer lemon and lemongrass rode on a chariot of acidity that wept all before it. Now, as notes of honey and toast emerge, the pace of development is slowing, allowing time for all the flavours and textural complexity to take centre stage.
Light, bright yellow colour, with nicely developed toast and bright brown-lime aromas, the palate intense and crisp, delicate and fresh, but also showing good aged complexity. Delicate and fine, lots of lemon - juice, pith and peel - nuances. Generous and refined at the same moment.
No 2010 ILR was produced. Scintillating wine here. The questionable 2011 vintage did no harm in Hunter, or so the story goes. Pretty perfume with verity of gently maturing semillon in lemon, a hint of brown lime, faint suggestion of honeycomb on toast, touch of pretty sea spray character and sniff of talc-like mineral charm. Juicy in the palate yet still squeaky and firm in its acidity. Quietly powerful wine showing inward intensity yet delicacy with limey tang, wildly mineraly feel, bristling with intent. Needle-like thrust of wine yet still approachable (and so fresh), despite the sense of toastiness that abounds. Fantastic release.
Lovely development showing here with notes of straw, creme brulee, nougat, dried pineapple, some petrol and candied citrus. Full-bodied with loads of tropical fruit on the palate, but it’s well-integrated across a bed of mouthwatering acidity. A long finish. Drink now. Screw cap.
From acclaimed Aussie winemaker Ian Riggs in one of Australia's most historic wine regions, this seven-year-old wine is a lovely example of the age worthy Semillon. Rich, waxy lemon and honey notes give way to a herbal and flinty streak. The palate is seriously focused and tightly wound around a line of zesty, crunchy acidity and a waxy texture. You could happily enjoy this now, but leave it in the cellar for another five to 10 years and watch it evolve to a whole new level of complexity.
Tech stuff
How was it made?
Contrary to most thinking, the Hunter Valley had a perfect lead up to the 2011 vintage. The 2010 calendar year ended at just over 900mm, up on the average of 720mm, with the wettest month being November at 156mm. Then the Valley had a mild and dry December and early January 2011 followed suit with only one day above 40C on the 2nd January. Further hot weather struck around Australia Day resulting in some leaf burn. In a bizarre twist, the Hunter Valley was irrigating madly while most of Australia was under water.
Who made it?
Located in the foothills of the Hunter Valley’s Brokenback Ranges, Brokenwood was originally zoned as a cricket ground for the local community before being acquired by three self-professed weekend winemakers in 1970. Tony Albert, John Beeston and James Halliday were Sydney-based solicitors looking for somewhere to pursue a wine hobby when they established Brokenwood, the first vintage of which was picked in 1973. The famed ‘Graveyard Vineyard’ was the vacant lot next door, named so because council planners originally designated it (but never utilised it), as a cemetery. So it too was acquired by Brokenwood in 1978 and remains the sole source of grapes for the label’s flagship Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz. In 1982 Brokenwood expanded into white wine which coincided with the arrival of Chief Winemaker Iain Riggs. To this day, white wine continues to be a large part of Brokenwood's total production. From its humble beginnings, Brokenwood has grown to be an internationally recognised wine brand, with the flagship wines - Graveyard Shiraz and the ILR Semillon - being highly sought after each vintage. They have also expanded their vineyard holdings, with sites in Beechworth and McLaren Vale, as well as their traditional Hunter vineyards.
Convenience and Advice
Taking the ‘hard work’
out of buying wine
Personalisation
Personalised wine offers to
guarantee customer satisfaction
Absolute Value
Exceptional value,
everytime
Member Benefits
More than just another
wine retailer