Margan 'Fordwich Hill' Semillon 2023
Primary flavours

Green Apple

Lime

Honey

Toast
Details
Fordwich Hill is the name of the Margan family's original, now fifty-year-old vineyard at Broke Fordwich in the Hunter Valley. This Semillon is a cracking example of a superstar Hunter Semillon too - low in alcohol, and deliberately released with extra ageing to add more complexity, it tastes of lemon and green apple with a little welcome hint of honey toast. Delicious!
From their home vineyard at Broke Fordwich in the Lower Hunter Valley, Andrew & Lisa Margan first set out in 1996 to showcase the sort of fruit intensity that the famously fertile, weathered red volcanic clay soils of their plot could deliver. From the start, those Margan Wines releases were such generous things! But what's even more interesting is what happened next: an onsite restaurant (with a famous kitchen garden) that has become one of the absolute best in the Hunter, complemented by an orchard, an olive grove, and a working farm that sells lambs, free-range chickens, and honey. We're not even touching on the cellar door, which has won all the awards around! More recently, Ollie Margan has increasingly taken over the business, bringing a sharp focus on modern styles and a different approach. Grapes are picked earlier, wines are made with minimal intervention, and some curious concrete fermenters are used to capture optimum freshness, with the whole Margan range now looking better than ever.
From their home vineyard at Broke Fordwich in the Lower Hunter Valley, Andrew & Lisa Margan first set out in 1996 to showcase the sort of fruit intensity that the famously fertile, weathered red volcanic clay soils of their plot could deliver. From the start, those Margan Wines releases were such generous things! But what's even more interesting is what happened next: an onsite restaurant (with a famous kitchen garden) that has become one of the absolute best in the Hunter, complemented by an orchard, an olive grove, and a working farm that sells lambs, free-range chickens, and honey. We're not even touching on the cellar door, which has won all the awards around! More recently, Ollie Margan has increasingly taken over the business, bringing a sharp focus on modern styles and a different approach. Grapes are picked earlier, wines are made with minimal intervention, and some curious concrete fermenters are used to capture optimum freshness, with the whole Margan range now looking better than ever.
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Taste Profile
This wine’s tasting notes.
Sweetness
nonesomelots
Body
lightmediumfull
Fruitiness
lowmediumhigh
Tannins
lowmediumhigh
Acidity
lowmediumhigh
Oak
nonesomelots
Alcohol
low
(under 12%)medium
(12-14%)high
(14%+)
Taste Summary
This wine’s tasting notes are leaning towards medium bodied, low sweetness, with high acidity, some fruitiness, low tannins, medium alcohol and no oak.
Specs
Region
Hunter Valley
country
Australia
Grape type
Semillon
Wine Maker
Margan
Alcohol
12.5%
Vintage
2023
Cellar period
10-20 years
Closure
Screw Cap
Production method
Sustainably Made
Temperature
Cold 5°C-8°C
State
NSW
collection
Pairing guide
Aged Semillon like this Margan release makes for such wonderful drinks, at once gently fruity and generous yet with this superstar line of toasty acidity and real freshness. It's an all-time perfect food wine (go on, throw anything at it, this'll pair well!), but let's go for a few classics. The Margan team suggest that this pairs best with 'kingfish sashimi with coriander, finger lime and preserved lemon', and we can only nod in agreement. Fresh and cooked fish, shellfish, more delicate fish dishes (especially baked or steamed), crab and other shellfish, salads with a little cheesy element and your fave brunch eggs will work so well here. Go nuts!
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Food

Fish

Sashimi

Green Vegetables
Tastes

Crisp

Tangy

Light
Moods

Contemplative

Bored

Mood for something different
Seasons

Autumn

Spring
Recipe Matches
Wine region

Hunter Valley, Australia
The Hunter Valley is located in New South Wales, Australia. It is situated approximately 150km northwest of Sydney and is known for producing world-class Semillon and formidable Chardonnay, Verdelho, Sauvignon Blanc, and Shiraz.
The region has a long history of winemaking, with the first vines planted in the 1830s. Today, the Hunter Valley is home to more than 150 wineries, ranging from small, family-owned operations to larger, internationally recognized producers such as Tyrell’s Wines, Mount Pleasant Wines and Brokenwood Wines.
Hunter Valley comprises the following sub-regions: Upper Hunter Valley, Broke Fordwich, and Pokolbin. The region's climate is warm and humid, relying on rain, humidity, cloud cover and sea breeze to mitigate the warmth. Soil types vary across the region. Generally, Semillon performs well on the sandy alluvial flats, whereas Shiraz prefers the red loamy soil types.
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