…iconic luxury

The ‘Noble One’ Botrytis Semillon is a flagship wine for the De Bortoli family. Not bad for a sweet wine that many believed could never be made, let alone have a market. Darren after graduating from Roseworthy quickly recognised the potential to make a premium quality dessert wine from grapes affected by ‘botrytis’ or ‘noble rot’ in the Riverina area - with the first being made in 1982.
De Bortoli ‘Noble One’ - is one of the most awarded wines in history - and remains the benchmark for Australian ‘botrytis’ dessert winemaking. The fruit for this wine is sourced from their own vineyards plus another vineyard they have a long standing supply of botrytis Semillon.
2019 was a challenging growing season, as it wasn’t until some late rain in March that brought on botrytis that kicked things off. Near the end of April a huge amount of rain stalled harvest until there was an increase in botrytis to levels high enough to concentrate the sugar and flavours and to allow harvest to begin. Harvest started in the middle of May and lasted for 2 weeks.
This vintage has an incredible depth and richness. This vintage was matured for 12 months in a mix of new French oak barriques, along with one and two year old barriques with a small portion left in tank to add freshness to the blend. Even though this wine is the creation of Darren and he is closely involved. The winemaker for this wine is Julie Mortlock, who has assisted with this iconic wine since 2000.

★ On the engaging nose you are hypnotised by grilled peaches, ripe nectarines and French nougat aromas, along with a subtle hint of honey and a note of citrus marmalade. The palate is no less engaging, showcasing a rich, complex, opulent nature which has become the signature of ‘Noble One’. All of the generously ripe stone fruits, nougat popcorn and infused vanilla cream flavours, and a glossy viscous texture are balanced by a deft touch of natural fruit acidity giving the wine a luxurious elegance and vibrant finish.

This 2019 De Bortoli ‘Noble One’ Botrytis Semillon has 10% Alc./vol. Crafted with 230g/L residual sugar. Chill gently and serve in an appropriate aromatic wine glass at 9°- 11°C. *(375ml) NZ$38.00

CELLARING POTENTIAL: *(Review 11/3/23)
Drinking perfectly well this season; plus will age well for another 12 - 15 years.

FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
Perfect wine pairing with passionfruit cheesecake with a thick biscuit base, a classic peach, apricot or apple pastry tart served with vanilla cream, along with aged blue cheeses with figs & dried fruits - enjoy.