Mendel Semillon 2023

Mendel Wines

On the nose it shows typical notes of white flowers and honey, also some herbal notes and tropical fruits. The oak ageing makes the wines more complex, lending coconut and hints of smoke, as well big volume and softness in the mouth. Mendel Semillon is a complex, elegant and agreeable wine.

Perfectly paired with shellfish. Try it with scallops, grilled lobster or prawns.

Upon arrival at the winery, the grapes are immediately cooled to preserve aromas and flavours. They aregently pressed in whole bunches in the pneumatic press, ensuring a soft extraction. 85% of the must is fermented in stainless steel tanks to preserve its vibrant fruit character, while the remaining 15% is kept in new French oak barrels for 6 months.

Joanna Simon, The Festive White and Orange Wine Guide 2025: "Mouthwatering lime curd fruit with olive-oil and lanolin texture flattered by subtle oak toast, a whisper of acacia honey and vibrant acidity. Semillon is a greatly underrated variety, especially for dry wines from old vines, as here in Argentina. Particularly good with shellfish, but also lemony roast chicken." Decanter Panel Tasting, September 2025, 94 points: “Waxy richness and vibrant citrus. Juicy, chalky and velvety, balanced by bright acidity. Grassy, wet stone notes. Energetic and youthful.” The Observer, May 2025, 'Wines of the week: fresh white wines that sing of spring': "The flavours of good sauvignon blanc are so in tune with spring that the style becomes close to irresistible at this time of year. At its best, it’s so full of a kind of frisky sap-rising green energy, of elderflower, cut-grass, gooseberry and stony riverbed coolness... But there are plenty of contenders jostling for attention, not least the superb wines being made in many locations from sauvignon’s traditional blending partner in Bordeaux, sémillon. That includes very fine bottles such as Mendel’s lemon and camomile-scented, subtly honeyed version, made from old vines across the Andes from Chile in Argentina."