Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Tyrrell’s — Vat 1 Semillon 2018
Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia 🇦🇺

Overview
A benchmark, 100% Semillon from one of Australia’s most historic producers, crafted from old vines in the Hunter Valley, a region globally revered for producing age-worthy, low-alcohol, high-acid Semillon of extraordinary precision and longevity. This cuvée captures purity, tension, and evolution in perfect balance, expressing both site transparency and classic Tyrrell’s restraint.

Aromas & Flavors
Lifted citrus blossom, lemon curd, kaffir lime, and delicate white florals lead the aromatics. Subtle layers of green apple skin, preserved lemon, and faint tropical notes emerge with air. Underneath, a gentle mineral thread, wet stone and crushed river rock, adds depth and quiet complexity without overpowering the fruit.

Mouthfeel
Silky, finely textured, and beautifully tension-driven. Creamy without weight, with linear acidity carrying the wine effortlessly across the palate. The structure feels energetic and precise, offering freshness, elegance, and remarkable drinkability without richness or heaviness.

Food Pairings
Oysters with citrus mignonette. Grilled prawns with lemon butter. Poached halibut with herbs. Sushi and sashimi. Fresh chèvre or lightly aged goat cheese.

Verdict
An exceptional example of New World Semillon executed with Old World discipline. Elegant, mineral-driven, and quietly powerful, this wine delivers layered complexity while remaining feather-light on its feet. A timeless style that continues to reward both immediate pleasure and long-term cellaring.

Did You Know?
Hunter Valley Semillon is famous for being bottled young at low alcohol and evolving dramatically with age, developing toast, honey, and lanolin complexity over decades while maintaining razor-sharp acidity. Tyrrell’s Vat Semillon wines have been among Australia’s most collectible and ageworthy whites for generations.

🍷 Personal Pick
Pure nostalgia in a glass. This wine reconnects me with the region that sparked my early love for Australian whites, refined, disciplined, expressive, and endlessly drinkable. A masterclass in tension, restraint, and terroir clarity. This is Semillon at its highest form. — 5 months ago

Austin Hohnke

9.7

Smooth and effortless with no hard edges, even in a warm year. Seductively savory with currant, strawberry, leather, tobacco, coffee bean, and bone marrow. There’s an incredible gamey streak here. Oak is impeccably balanced. Just tip toeing into some bricking.
The pedigree is clear. Counting myself lucky.
My #1 tonight. — 9 months ago

Tom Garland

9.1

1 hour decant. A striking dark magenta color. On the nose: subtle notes of dark cherry, smoke, pencil shavings, earth, and hints of leather/tobacco. Taste: dark cherry/plum, earth, oak, bitter chocolate, with a slightly astringent tobacco and dried herbs finish. — a year ago

with Brenda

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.1

1995 vintage. Decanted and tasted after 1 hour. Still, big nose and frontal palate. Dwindles somewhat in the closing chapters. Fairly harmonious and alive for the majority of another decade. Feel there could be some bottle variation here so wouldn’t surprise me if someone posted a 9.2-9.4 tomorrow. S’life. 9.20.23. — 3 years ago

Tee nic

10

Smooth, Dry. — 4 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.3

Kicking the festivities off with some 1990 Champagne. This is medium gold with active bubble stream. Brioche toast nose. Also notes of citrus, apple juice and stones. Pleasant in the mouth but not overpowering. Decent showing but I expected (and wanted) more energy and mousse. (Bday 1 of 13) — 6 years ago

Nathan Renfro

9.9

Absolutely smoking PNP! Wow, will be fun to see this one develop over the next couple hours. But simply wonderful now. Very very dark in the glass. Blackberry preserves, camphor, wet graphite. Incredible mouthfeel, silky yet grippy tannins. Perfectly in tune now. Just a fantastically enjoyable wine! — 5 months ago

Joe Flo

9.5

Wine Spectator # 1 wine dinner. Surprisingly very good. 👍 — 9 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

See previous Delectable note in December 2024. Amazingly pale for a 14 year old white. Aromatics of lemon, lanolin and wet straw. It hasn’t yet developed the toasty characters I was expecting, indicating still a long life ahead. Overall this is delicate on a light bodied leanish palate. Only 11% ABV. Lovers of big buttery Chardonnay may not appreciate this wine. 3 bottles left - I will try and have the next one in 12 to 18 months. — 10 months ago

Eric K

9.5

Direct follow up to 2020 vintage. Much more earthy terroir taste than the 2020 fruit bomb. Very enjoyable with more complex hints of flavor — a year ago

Ted

8.9

Another good locations wine. — 3 years ago

with Jeni

Z. R.G.

8.9

Good on its own — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

A blend of 50% Malbec, 22% Merlot, 22% Cab Sauv & 6% Cab Franc, aged in French oak 50/50 new & 1 year old, combining fruit from Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley. Deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruit, earthy and floral spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry and tart cherry flavors, with vanilla, licorice, citrus and herb spice. Fine tannins, well balanced long finish ending with tart fruit and a sweet earthy mineral character. Nice! A Fav! — 5 years ago

Joe Gillies

9.5

Wow! Drinking beautifully and significant fruit forward notes in a good and balanced way. Drank for 15 yr anniversary and unfortunately is my last bottle of this vintage 😪 — 7 months ago

Joe Flo

9.6

Wine Spectator Number #1 wine dinner. — 9 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

1990 vintage. Last tasted 12.11.22 (9.6) and 8.20.16 (9.2-slightly off bottle). Tasted side by side with the 1989 (9.4) version of this wine. Ridiculous 1-2 heavyweight punch. Opened but not decanted. Tasted at the conclusion of lunch after an hour open. Not much in the nose but bringing it in the flavors. Still heavy bits of ripe plum and cherry with a substantial mid-palate. Larger format of this wine likely clocks in as a 9.6/9.7 but this was a 750ml. In the 750ml format, not improving and it's drink now and until 2028. Still, most likely, the best wine this producer has ever made. The 1989 has a case as well. Like the Lebowski rug, this one just tied the late-80's/early-90's BDX room together. 10.10.25. — 9 months ago

Vinny Brooklyn

9.0

The American counterpoint to an Irish whisky at the Embassy of Ireland in Japan (the recently opened Ireland House). USA a clear winner, even in the highball format. — 10 months ago

David Peifer

9.2

As a nod to Karen (who some will remembered worked at Louis M. Martini decades ago—and is the nicest and best person to ever work in the wine industry) we opened this for my birthday. Paired it with a Tri Tip. It was a nice pairing. Good cab. It was better a couple years ago but still nice to drink for a special occasion. — a year ago

Jeremy Pollard

9.0

Past its best and the sweeter American oak notes distract a little, but still a decent drink. — 4 years ago

David White

9.3

This took seven hours to really open up and the wait was well worth it
Clear dark ruby colour with sleight brickish edge about 1/2 inch sludge left in bottle.
Palate was clean with rich berries to the fore
Nice fruit acidity balance with long aftertaste
Ethereal in sense that time in the decanter completely transformed the experience
35 year old wines require patience and careful treatment

— 5 years ago