Semillon

WhiteVinifera white

Bordeaux and the Hunter Valley

Lanolin, lemon and beeswax, waxy in youth and toasty after a decade. The classic partner for Sauvignon Blanc and the base of Sauternes.

At harvest

Each bar drawn against the full range of all 54 varieties

Sugar

21-24 Brix

21 - 24

Titratable acidity

5.5-7.5 g/L

5.5 - 7.5

3.1-3.5

3.1 - 3.5

Juice yield

0.68 L/kg

free run plus a gentle press

Sugar per kilogram

167 g

at 22.5 Brix, the midpoint

Fruit for 23 litres

34 kg

before racking losses

Potential alcohol

12.4-13.5%

from 1.094 fermented dry. A range, because conversion varies by strain

What it punishes

Botrytis, which you either want completely or not at all. A partially infected pick makes a muddled wine.

Made into

Bordeaux white
Dry white
Late harvest

Sulphite at this pH

At pH 3.30, protecting a white wine to 0.8 mg/L molecular SO2 takes 26 mg/L of free SO2. Work it out for your own reading.

More vinifera white

21-24 Brix

Chardonnay

Burgundy, and every wine country since

20-23 Brix

Sauvignon Blanc

Loire and Marlborough

19-24 Brix

Riesling

Mosel and Rheingau

21-24 Brix

Pinot Gris

Alsace and northern Italy

21-26 Brix

Muscat

Everywhere around the Mediterranean

22-26 Brix

Gewurztraminer

Alsace

23-26 Brix

Viognier

Condrieu

20-25 Brix

Chenin Blanc

Loire and South Africa