Picked early, fermented dry and bottled without any oak, the 2024 Dalwood Estate Sémillon is a classic expression of Hunter Valley Sémillon made to develop entirely on its own over time.

Right now it's tightly wound, with lemon, green apple and a faint lanolin edge on the nose rather than anything broad or expressive. The palate is lean and citrusy, built around fruit purity rather than richness, and there's a faint chalky minerality running underneath the fruit.

Acidity is high, the wine feels lighter than its modest alcohol suggests, and the finish is long, dry and slightly austere, all hallmarks of young Hunter Sémillon before it's had time to soften.

Drink it now with oysters, sashimi or a simple grilled fish, where its acid and restraint are an asset rather than a limitation.

Hunter Sémillon is famous for developing toasty, honeyed complexity with bottle age, and there's no reason this one won't do the same; it can be left for five to ten years and will likely reward the wait.