This Wills Domain Block 2 Margaret River Semillon has been sourced from the same block of vines—planted in 1992—since 2001 when they first made a straight Semillon.
The fruit is handpicked allowing for whole bunch pressing, and the fermented juice then sees about 12% of the wine then put into 2nd-year French oak barriques for only about 4 weeks. For the Block 2 Semillon, at harvest, the team seeks lean fruit around 11.5-12 Baume where high natural acidity makes it ideal to make a wine to put in the cellar. Examples from the early 2000s show very well (still fresh) with 15+ years of bottle age.
Among the best Semillons made in the area, it is very different in style and flavour to that of the Hunter. An interesting wine, with texture and abundance of flavour, Margaret River Semillon is worth the time.
Margaret River
Located three hours south of Perth, Margaret River is Western Australia’s most prestigious wine-growing region. Serious vineyard development began only in the late 1960’s following the publication of a report by John Gladstones in 1965 stating that the area had a similar climate to Pomerol or St Emilion, with low frost risk, plenty of sunshine and equable temperatures within the growing season promoting even ripening. Margaret River’s climate is warm and maritime, with some cooling influence provided by southeast trade winds. The soils derive from granitic and a gneissic rock over which laterite has formed. The region can be divided in three sub-regions: the cooler south between Yallingup and Karridale with predominantly lateritic gravelly loamy sands and sandy loams; the warm and sunnier Willyabrup in the centre with predominantly gravelly loams, but some gritty sandy loams and granitic gravels; and Margaret River in the north with similar soils, but slightly cooler temperatures. This is entirely consistent with style; the wines from Willyabrup being more generous than the highly structured wines of the north and the elegant styles of the south. Margaret River is best known for high quality Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blends and top notch Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux blends. Over the years, the region has established an astonishing reputation illustrating a consistency in quality and a strongly focused winemaking culture.
