2021 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon Half Bottle 375ml, Riverina

Fresh Kensington mango cheek, lemon verbena and yellow wattle blooming in abundance. Candied pineapple and fresh apricot. Tangerine skin, lemon curd and yuzu. Lusciously sweet and supremely well balanced by nougatine oak and almond shell. Orange blossom honey sweetness with lovely, grainy, pithy grip and a dried apple flesh. A school toffee nostalgia coupled with the wisdom that this wine will live for decades. An icon. 375ml.

96 points Special Value Shanteh Wale winecompanion.com.au

De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon is one of Australia’s great wine icons, a benchmark dessert wine that has defined the country’s sweet wine style since its first vintage in 1982 under the visionary winemaker Darren De Bortoli. The fruit is sourced from selected Riverina vineyards where morning mists and warm afternoons create the perfect conditions for botrytis cinerea, the noble rot that shrivels grapes, concentrating sugars, flavours and natural acidity. These vineyards sit on sandy loam and clay soils that help retain moisture, allowing botrytis to develop evenly across the Semillon bunches. Noble One has become a legend because of the estate’s meticulous bunch selection and their ability to coax purity, richness and balance from a grape variety that handles botrytis beautifully.

Winemaking is painstaking. Only the most beautifully botrytised berries are hand picked across multiple passes, each harvest targeting specific levels of concentration. The must is viscous and intensely flavoured, requiring slow, cool fermentation. The wine is then matured in French oak barriques to build complexity, texture and subtle spice. This careful approach results in a dessert wine that is both luxurious and refined, layered with depth yet lifted by Semillon’s natural acidity.

In the glass Noble One glows a deep gold with amber hues. The nose is decadent and complex with aromas of apricot jam, orange blossom honey, peach compote and dried mango interwoven with crème brûlée, vanilla bean, toasted nuts and a hint of marmalade. Beneath the opulence sits a gentle citrus brightness and a touch of botrytis spice. As it opens, notes of fig, ginger, caramel and warm pastry emerge, creating a bouquet that feels almost dessert like in itself.

The palate is rich, silky and beautifully balanced. Waves of apricot, baked apple, nectarine, honeycomb and candied citrus glide across the tongue with velvety texture. The sweetness is intense yet perfectly countered by fresh, cleansing acidity that keeps the wine vibrant rather than heavy. Subtle oak tones of vanilla, almond and spice add complexity. The finish is long, glossy and warming with lingering honeyed fruit and gentle citrus lift. Thanks to its concentration and impeccable balance, Noble One can age for decades, deepening into caramel, dried fruit and nutty layers over time.

This wine pairs wonderfully with blue cheese, foie gras, tarte tatin, crème brûlée, lemon tart, panna cotta, ripe stone fruits, ginger desserts or even simply poured over vanilla ice cream. It is also superb as a contemplative after dinner wine enjoyed on its own.