The Massena Cellar Selection Semillon 2021 is a dry, textural white from the Barossa Valley, built around lemon and lanolin rather than tropical fruit. Massena draws its Cellar Selection Semillon from old Barossa vines, and the wine carries the quiet concentration that comes with them.

Lemon zest, green pear and beeswax lead the aromatics, with a faint hint of dried straw and crushed river stone underneath. The palate is dry and gently waxy, with grapefruit pith and preserved lemon carrying through the middle.

Acidity is the frame here, fine and persistent rather than sharp, drawing the fruit into a long chalky finish. The 2021 vintage in the Barossa Valley was a cool, unhurried season, and that shows as clarity and tension in the glass instead of weight. Texture builds with air, so give it a decent glass rather than serving it too cold.

Pair it with grilled whiting, salt and pepper squid, chicken poached with ginger and shallots, or a plate of oysters with lemon. It also handles fresh goat's cheese and a green salad better than most whites of this weight.

Drinking well now, though Barossa Semillon of this style rewards patience. Expect it to hold and slowly build toast and honeyed depth through to around 2031.