In North America, Semillon is finding a place as a varietally-labelled wine in Washington State and southern Oregon. Although in California its popularity rises and falls, it is rarely used without Sauvignon Blanc, with which it makes generic, blended white wines. This thick-skinned grape is the base -- combined with varying percentages of Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle -- of some of the world’s most luxurious dessert wines. Most notably, the legendary wines of Sauternes and Barsac rely on this grape for weight and nutty complexity.

Overripe Semillon grapes, when matched with some unique climactic conditions, have a tendency to be affected by the noble fungal disease ‘Botrytis’. As a varietal in the production of dry whites, Semillon rarely makes exciting wine outside of Australia. In Australia’s Hunter Valley, Semillon can produce age worthy whites, developing rich, toasty, buttery wines of impressive complexity.

Throughout the wine world, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc continue their relationship, historically nurtured in Bordeaux. Together, Semillon and Sauvignon are common blends of value-priced wines, in which Sauvignon Blanc’s natural acidity is used to coax Semillon’s fuller flavors to life. Curiously, Semillon is the second-most planted white variety in Chile.