| Grape variety |
Semillon |
| Synonyms |
colombar, malaga, chevrier, mouscadelle, sauvignon. |
| Grape colour |
White grape |
| Aromas |
Aromatised |
| Vigour |
Good |
| Ripening |
End of September. |
| Productivity |
Pretty good and constant. |
| Areas of cultivation |
It is still uncommon in Italy, although it is present in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Tuscany, Puglia, Calabria and Sardinia. It is cultivated mainly in France, in Bordeaux, where it enters the production of the famous Sauternes wines. It is also popular in Australia where it is purified in Hunter Valley, and in South America, especially Chile and Argentina. We find it also in North America, especially in the West Coast states, as well as in New Zealand, Israel, Eastern Europe and South Africa, where in the nineteenth century it was even the most widespread variety in the country. |
| History |
In Italy it came directly from Bordeaux, probably following the Napoleonic troops, and spread to leopard spots in some areas both in the north and in the center-south of the country. |
| Ampelographic features |
Leaf: medium or larger, slightly rhinoplasty, trilobata and sometimes pentalobata, lower lateral lateral mid-depth; Upper side thighs just mentioned; Usually open U-shaped petiole (with flap lying often becomes lyrical); Corner at the top of the upper right lobe; Lobes marked, wavy; Wavy flap, often; Top intense green, somewhat bushy, opaque; Lower light green page with fiocchi pubescence; Rare hairs, rosy at the base for a long stretch; Mucronated teeth with convex edges, on average marked.
Bunch: medium size (12-13 cm long); Conical, a little bit tight, a little tight, with a wing; Peduncle visible, woody to insert, thin; Mid-length, thin, green; Unclear, smooth, green; Small, green-yellow brush.
Acino: medium (15-16 mm), spherical or slightly crushed; Golden yellow peel, thick but not very consistent, pruinose, persistent navel; Slightly fleshy flesh, a bit special flavor. |
| Characteristics of the wine obtained from this grape variety |
The wine obtained from the Semillon grape is of straw yellow color with golden reflections. On the palate it is sapid, floral, fruity, fresh. |
| Notes |
Resistance to diseases and other adversities: a little sensitive to rotten grapes. |