Sunday, April 21, 2013

Grape Varietal- Semillion 




The Semillion Grape













A new type of grape varietal that I wanted to look into is known as Semillion. I ended up coming across it by just casually looking up expensive wine bottles. Not that I place my appeal for a wine solely on its cost. When I finally came across Semillion, I knew it would be an interesting grape varietal to research. And that is precisely what I did.
Semillion appears like every other grape on a vine. The only difference that I spotted between Semillion and many other varietals is that when it is growing on the vine. The vines grow slightly more elevated off the ground, in almost the shape of a small tree. The grapes themselves grow in the form of purple spotted, light green to almost gold colored, oval. But from time to time some of the grapes will come in purple. A lot of the descriptions of the grape dp mention how the outer layer of Semillion grapes is noticeably thin.
Semillion grapes are used to make white wines of all varieties. Semillion is often turned into a dry white wine. And it is known for its quality, that is why Semillion is used in Château d'Yquem. Bottles of that wine go for sale for hundreds of dollars. Its because people put so much effort into making that wine perfectly with the best ingredients.
Semillion primarily grows in the world in three places. These are France, obviously, Australia, and Chile. The grape is described as having a sweet taste and somewhat oily texture. Many vineyards intentionally expose the grapes to a fungus. It usually appears as a grey fuzzy coating on the grape. THe fungus is used because it takes away water from the grape and makes it sweeter in taste because the sugars inside is more concentrated. This effect is is often sought out by producers of Semillion grapes. I personally think I would prefer a more juicy grape then one that is almost deliberately dried out. But until I try the taste of Semillion I cannot disregard it, without giving it a chance.
One aspect of Semillion that can cause trouble for producers of the grape is that it has been slowly losing its popularity in many places. Semillion use to cover almost 90% of South African vineyards and 75% of vineyards in Chile. But these are now numbers of the past. Semillion no longer is grown in the same amount as it use to. Apparently the flavor of Semillion by itself is not particularly like by many. Many descriptions of wines show that Semillion is often mixed with another grape varietal to enhance flavor. Although some people do not like the taste of Semillion, there is still enough of a demand in the world that vineyards still grow the grape to this day.


Semillion did not just one day go into a decline. Because Semillion grows very quickly and begins to take over land set for up, many producers began to regulate how much they planted and where. This definitely would have led to a lowering of Semillion’s popularity because people probably just stopped seeing the same amount being sold. I would have never thought that someone growing a grape varietal would be able to complain about how fast it could grow. But as I found out, Semillion can grow sometimes too fast for some to handle. This probably is the most important factor that owners of vineyards need to think about before growing Semillion grapes.   
I wanted to know what were some possible reasons that made Semillion grow so fast so I looked into how the grape grew in vineyards. The grape does its best in higher areas and near coastal areas because of the minerals in the ground. But it will still grow in different environments. The grape varietal is not the strongest compared to other grapes because it does have a thin outer layer.Semillion is easily damaged by fungi and many insects. It almost appeared that Semillion grapes struggle to grow. But even with these weaknesses, Semillion still grows strong, because in warmer areas it grows very rapidly. If Semillion did not grow as fast as it does, I really do not think that the grape would have a chance at being able to produce a lot of itself. And it does grow very strong in the places around the world that are able to handle the grape.

Semillion is a unique type of grape varietal. It does struggle to begin growing. But as soon as it does begin to grow, if it is not controlled Semillion could easily take over someone’s vineyard. Being known as the main ingredients in one of the world’s most expensive wine is definitely a positive title. But even with this I am not 100% convinced to go out and get a bottle made with Semillion. And its because most wines I see are not pure Semillion, but are mixed with some other grape varietal. Although I most likely am not gonna go out shopping for Semillion, I will give it a chance if I happen to walk buy a glass at a wine tasting or at a friend’s dinner table.



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