2017 Thomas Braemore Semillon Cellar Reserve, Hunter Valley

Light quartz green, due for release September 2023. A seriously delicious semillon, makrut lime to the fore, then polished acidity, balance, line, length and purity.

97 points Special Value James Halliday winecompanion.com.au

Very attractive toasty, gently resiny/grassy developed fruit characters. Very rich on palate, moreso than the 2019. Lots of volume but still within the stylistic boundaries. Delicious wine, quite reserved and just beginning to show some maturity. 27 Jun 2023 Drink –2032

96 points Huon Hooke therealreview.com

Put simply, bottle-aged Hunter Semillon lives in a house of its own, and Andrew Thomas crafts one of this rare style’s beacons. Released after six years of bottle age in a climate-controlled cellar (held at 15°C), the Cellar Reserve Braemore is Thomas’ emblematic wine. Thomas believes his Braemore Semillon really starts to reach its peak expression at 10 years old, but releases this wine at six, when the wine’s youthful citrus and green tones are starting blossom to those iconic flavours of toasted brioche, honeycomb and grilled nuts.
 
Andrew Thomas explains that in most vintages, the Cellar Reserve is exactly the same wine as the regular Braemore Semillon. However, some vintages might see a little more fruit from what he calls his “gun tanks”; those parcels that look particularly impressive