2017 Friends of Punch, Semillon, Yarra Valley

James and Claire are the creators of Punch, making a mark since 2005. But before Punch, James was making wines at his family vineyards for over 25 years. The story dates back to 1975 when Catherine and David Lance were looking for a sweet spot in the Yarra Valley where they could plant some vines. They found 20 acres of sloping land in the hamlet of St Andrews, inevitably the soils were poor, thin & riddled with rock. However, with some elevation to perfectly capture sunlight, and the search was over! The family began planting vines in 1976 and from there it was a new beginning when James took over after his parents’ retirement. They have an organic approach, all work in the vineyard is done by hand, including pruning and harvesting, all fermented with natural yeasts, slow elevage in barrel and no fining or filtration. Why do we like it? This Semillon is stunning. It is whole bunch pressed, fermented in French oak barrels, then matured on lees for 10 months and bottled without filtration adding such beautiful texture and mouthfeel. Semillon in youth can be incredibly austere, acidic and simple aromatically… but as it ages, it acquires incredible notes of toasted brioche, fig jam, mango, custard apple and even a sense of toasted grains.   Grape           Semillon Country        Australia                                Region          Yarra Valley                               Vintage         2017