Mount Horrocks Semillon 2019
“…Toole is comfortably among the very finest producers of the variety anywhere in the world…”
Clare Valley semillon could ask for no better ally and advocate than Stephanie Toole. Semillon sits front and centre in the exceptionally strong line-up of wines Toole makes under the Mount Horrocks label; its production, while small (only 150 cases), is equal to that of her much vaunted riesling.
Toole says careful site selection and a controlling hand on vineyard yield are key to getting the best results, as well as close attention through fermentation and maturation in topflight French oak. The result is a wine of wax and pith, and hints of flint, showing some fine fleshiness upfront before compressing beautifully through a tight, talcy finish. This current release suggests, and tasting an incredibly consistent and engaging line-up of her semillons back to 2000 proves, Toole is comfortably among the very finest producers of the variety anywhere in the world.
By Nick Ryan
The Australian
14th September 2020
