Save the Semillon!

Until recently it’s been a clandestine, loosely connected bunch. Most of them didn’t even know each other, too ashamed to voice their preference.

But now a few of these people are boldly emerging from self-imposed exile, prepared to accept that society will look upon them with bewilderment. They are: The People Who Prefer Semillon to Chardonnay.

Semillon, a grape with even less public recognition than Thurman Thomas, is prized in France for its ability to make agreeable, fairly complex white table wine as well as extraordinary dessert wines, such as the fabulously expensive Chateau d’Yquem. In this country, where Chardonnay holds the spotlight and all other white wines take a back seat, many people view Semillon as third rate.

Semillon lovers believe that liking Semillon is easy once you try it. They say most Chardonnays are oafish and dull, that California’s various attempts to duplicate white Burgundy have been largely unsuccessful, that the Chardonnay market these days is a confusing mess. Ah, but Semillon is sublime; it offers a panoply of subtle fruit flavors and grand texture--generally derived from fruit, not oak.

Now more and more winemakers are making Semillon, and more consumers are discovering its attractions. I suspect there are two reasons for this: A) It’s lower in alcohol and oak than Chardonnay, so it matches with food better; and B) It’s cheap. Rarely will a bottle of Semillon cost you even half as much as a decent Chardonnay.

Moreover, Semillons age beautifully. Semillons grow lush and creamy in time, making their subtle flavors more complex and complete. Only very few modern Chardonnays age well.

Every year I stage a blind tasting of the latest Semillons. The judges are people who love this variety. (We may be the only Semillon freaks in America. One year we didn’t do this tasting and the national consumption of the wine dropped 42%.)

At one time it was hard to get more than half a dozen Semillons, but renewed interest by wineries allowed me to find two dozen this year, and I missed a few. (The resurgence of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc has become so apparent that the Washington Wine Commission recently selected those two grape varieties to be the focus of its third World Vinifera Conference, to be held in 1993.)

The regular judges (authors Bob and Harolyn Thompson, consultant Michael Rubin and wine educator John Thoreen) were joined by Krimo Souilah, winemaker for Clos du Val, which makes one of the best Semillons around.

1. 1990 Chateau Ste. Michelle Semillon ($7): The Columbia Valley in Washington is one of the greatest Semillon regions in the world, and this wine is a stunning example: an outrageously floral and compact wine with nuances of fig and hay that will grow as it ages. Winemaker Mike Januik has fashioned a most appealing wine with a gloriously complex aroma of pear, pine and juniper, totally dry with a creamy undertone and a stylish softness. Match it with seafood. Ste. Michelle makes a slightly sweeter version of this wine, called Semillon Blanc, also appealing, but made more as an aperitif. (See below.)

2. 1990 Simi ($7): Simi Semillon always finishes at or near the top of every Semillon tasting we do, though it is available only at Simi’s tasting room. (Call (707) 433-6981 to order by mail.) Another fresh pear- and herb-scented wine with a creaminess and a superb finish. Just 200 cases available.

3. 1989 Joli Val ($10): Clos du Val always makes great Semillon and this one (to be released this summer) fits the mold. It is more Bordeaux-like than many others--a slight chalky, earthy aroma is combined with hay and green herbs. A lovely wine built to be aged for at least a year or two.

4. 1989 Vichon Chevrignon ($7.50): A 50/50 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, this wine offers the aroma of both grapes--fresh hay and melons--and a texture so complete it is virtually guaranteed to age well for at least five years.

5. 1990 Kendall-Jackson “Lakewood” ($15): OK, Chardonnay lovers, this is your wine. The flavors of Semillon are classic here, but you also get a jolt of oak and a creamy, honey-and-butter note with a trace of residual sugar. Though it scored well, I preferred the Benziger (below) in a similar style. A bit pricey.

6. 1990 Columbia Winery Chevrier “Sur Lie” (Columbia Valley) ($6): Another huge, chewy style of wine that aims for the nutty aroma and creamy texture of some Chardonnays. Nicely made with loads of flavor. “A little exaggerated,” said one taster.

7. Tie--1989 Gustav Niebaum Chevrier ($10) and 1990 Washington Hills (Columbia Valley) ($7): Niebaum--Peach, pear, honeyed fig and a minty quality made this one of the most complex wines of the tasting. Washington Hills--Controversial; some tasters liked the green-pea components more than others.

9. 1989 Benziger Tribute ($17): I rated this wine third in the tasting; two tasters downgraded it for being too soft. If you prefer richer-styled wines, this one delivers: rich fruit with hay, green chiles and faint gravelly notes. Quite complex. A blend of 60% Semillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc. Excellent but pricey.

10. 1989 Hogue (Washington State) ($7): Superb wine with faint herb, resin and honey notes, if a trace too much grass. I loved this wine a year ago and it’s aging nicely for those who prefer more herbal-scented wines.

11. Tie--1990 Spottswoode (Napa Valley) (unavailable), 1989 Clos Pegase (Napa Valley) ($9.50), 1989 Rosemount (Hunter Valley Australia) ($8.50): Clos Pegase--Bold oak flavors and green onion aroma; creamy and soft; a populist wine. Rosemount--Strong herbal components and noticeable buttery-oak flavors dominate. A Chardonnay look-alike with Semillon flavors.

14. 1990 Barnard Griffin (Washington State) ($9): Controversial; lemon-herbal notes blend with wonderful spice, but it lacks a very varietal nose. I liked the wine a lot; two judges ranked it low.

Other wines evaluated and worth trying: 1990 Chateau Ste. Michelle Semillon Blanc (off-dry) ($7); 1990 Columbia Crest (Washington) ($6); 1990 Vichon Chevrignon ($7.50); 1990 Cline “Barrel Fermented” ($9); 1990 Alderbrook ($9).

Others tasted: 1989 Seaborne, Santa Monica (Chile); 1989 Berlin (Sonoma Mountain); 1990 Dourthe Freres (Bordeaux) (bottle may have been corked).

Judges scored the wines on the UC Davis 20-point scoring system, and in this tasting the wines scored higher as a group than any other variety I have ever judged. The top wine, the ’90 Chateau Ste. Michelle, averaged 17, the highest average of any wine in the history of my judgings. The 14th-place wine here averaged 15.

We also rated very highly (equal to second in the group) a 1989 wine from Joseph Phelps that won’t be released for six months. The wine, a 60/40 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, as yet has no name.

Wine of the Week

1991 Beaujolais-Villages, Georges Duboeuf ($8)-- The 1991 Beaujolais Nouveau wines that came in last November were so pricey (mostly $8 to $11) that I chose to ignore them. Sure, a lot of them were very good, but Beaujolais Nouveau is supposed to be a five-buck quaff, not a $10 “experience.” Within the next week or two, “standard” (i.e., non-Nouveau) Beaujolais will be hitting shelves, and this one from Georges Duboeuf is a genuine classic, a prototype of what great Beaujolais is all about. The amazingly floral and raspberry-like aroma is mimicked in the rich taste, absolutely lush and rewarding. This wine is like peanuts--I dare you to have just one sip--and proof again that Duboeuf is the master of Beaujolais.

Incidentally, some of those 1991 Nouveau-style Beaujolais may still be around, and they are still excellent. The wines were so concentrated that many of them have not yet lost their wonderful fragrance and deep flavors. If you find any at $5.50 or so, they are probably worth a try.