Cirillo '1850' Ancestor Vine Semillon 2021

Stuart McCloskey, tasted 29 July 2026 “What an extraordinary lesson in restraint. This is not a wine that seeks to impress through power or generosity. Instead, it captivates through precision and purity. Delicate aromas of preserved lemon, kaffir lime, white grapefruit and green apple drift effortlessly from the glass, accompanied by hints of white blossom, wet stone and the faintest whisper of beeswax. Much more to come with extended cellaring.

The palate is breathtakingly lean, chiselled and wonderfully graceful. Every flavour seems etched with remarkable precision, gliding across the palate with feather-light texture and crystalline acidity. Citrus, orchard fruits and subtle mineral notes unfold with effortless poise, while an almost saline freshness carries the wine to an exceptionally long, refined finish. There is no excess here - only remarkable balance, elegance and composure.

What impresses most is the wine's incredible sense of understatement. Marco's philosophy of patience and restraint allows this remarkable vineyard to express itself with complete clarity, producing a Semillon of rare finesse and timeless beauty. Enjoy it today for its youthful vitality and exhilarating precision, but don't be fooled by its delicacy. As Marco suggests, this wine has another 20 years of evolution ahead of it. Those with the patience to wait will undoubtedly be rewarded. Personally, open one bottle to quell your curiosity and squirrel the rest away for at least a further 5-years.”

Few wines anywhere in the world can claim an origin quite like this. The 2021 1850 Ancestor Vine Semillon is produced exclusively from a single vineyard planted in 1848 at Light Pass in the Barossa Valley, believed to be the oldest surviving Semillon (Madeira clone) vineyard on Earth. While the vines are of the historic Madeira clone, Marco releases the wine under the Semillon name, providing clarity while recognising its place within the Barossa's remarkable viticultural history.

The fruit is handpicked early to preserve vibrant natural acidity before being basket pressed and fermented entirely in stainless steel. No oak is used at any stage. Instead, the wine spends five years quietly maturing in bottle before release, allowing youthful citrus and orchard fruit to evolve into something far more complex and textured without ever sacrificing its precision. The result is a wonderfully pure expression of ancient vines - refined, energetic and quietly profound. It is difficult to imagine / find another Semillon anywhere in the world offering such a direct connection to nineteenth-century viticulture.