Home Have a look at the Meerea Park photo gallery Read the latest Meerea Park news View our range of red wines View our range of white wines Read recent reviews View frequently asked questions View cellar door sales information View our list of distributors Join the mailing list Contact Us
Back to winesView a PDF of this page

2008 'Hell Hole' Semillon Wine Notes

2008 'Hell Hole' Semillon

Wine Notes

Region: Hunter Valley
Alcohol: 10.5%

Background: The name Pokolbin as legend has it, is derived from the early Hungarian migrant settlers to the area and means ’hot as hell’ or ’hell hole’, referring to the hot, dry and  sometimes inhospitable summers that regularly top 45º C.

Fruit Source: The wine is made from fruit harvested off a mature Semillon block on the low yielding, ’Leonard’ Estate vineyard in Pokolbin.

Fermentation & Maturation: Handpicked fruit was fermented in stainless steel tanks and bottled under screwcap in April 2008.

Winemakers Comments: The 2008 vintage was very cool and wet, the perfect conditions to make long aging Semillon. Pokolbin had received over 200mm of rainfall in the first 6 weeks of 2008, also making it one of the wettest vintages for quite a while.

Very pale in colour with vibrant, zesty lemon on the nose.  The lemon carries onto the palate with a hint of tropical fruit as well. The palate has great line and length that screams Semillon. The real feature of this wine is its acid structure that will see it improve for many years to come. It is said all too frequently, but this is Classic Hunter Semillon

Cellaring: Long term. 10 years.


What the experts say

“Here we are in May 2008 and the odd 2008 wine is already rolling in for review - and when they are as good as this, there are no complaints from me. The 2008 Hunter season was shockingly cold and wet, and for some perverse reason that often means that the semillon turns out excellent. I believe this has. This is very acidic and lemony but it is long and pristine too, with the odd flash of white flowers floating through the wine's aromatics. It's is very young, but very good”. Drink: 2010-2018. 94 points.

Campbell Mattinson - The Wine front - 28th May 2008

" A pristine lemon and grass expression here, relly bright and effusive savoury citrus notes. The palate brings some crisp green lemon and faint tropical fruits in the background, fine acidity, super fresh and tidy through the finish. Score 91.

Nick Stock - 2009 Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide

"Typical young semillon, the bouquet locked up, but the wine springs to life on the palate, with grainy, zesty lemon-accented fruit. The future is assured". Screwcap.
10.5º alc. Rating 93.

James Halliday - Australian Wine Companion July 2008

Other vintages:   2009    2007    2006  

Latest News

2010 Hunter Valley Wine Show

20 Aug 2010

Meerea Park has had another successful Hunter Valley Wine Show winning 3 Gold, 2 Silver and 8 Bronze medals. 2010 is the 8th year in a row that we have won at least one Gold medal in this Wine Show. 

Below are the medal winning wines.

2004 'Alexander Munro' Semillon - Gold - Class 15
2007 'Alexander Munro' Semillon - Gold - Class 27
2006 'Alexander Munro' Semillon - Gold - Class 32
1999 'Alexander Munro' Semillon - Silver - Class 22
2009 'Alexander Munro' Semillon - Silver - Class 32
2010 Verdelho - Bronze - Class 6
2009 'XYZ' Semillon - Bronze - Class 10
2009 'XYZ' Chardonnay - Bronze - Class 11
2006 'Howard Vineyard' Shiraz - Bronze - Class 13
2005 'Terracotta' Semillon - Bronze - Class 15
2006 'Alexander Munro' Shiraz - Bronze - Class 31
2008 'Alexander Munro' Semillon - Bronze - Class 32
2009 'Alexander Munro' Chardonnay - Bronze - Class 33

2011 Australian Wine Companion

29 Jul 2010

The 2011 edition of James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion was released yesterday with Meerea Park again being very highly awarded. Below is a summary of the ratings with the full reviews available at each individual wine's page.

2005 'Terracotta' Semillon - 96
2007 'Alexander Munro' Shiraz - 96
2008 'XYZ' Shiraz - 95
2009 'Hell Hole' Semillon - 94
2005 'Alexander Munro' Semillon - 94
2007 'Hell Hole' Shiraz - 94
2007 'Terracotta' Shiraz - 94
1999 'Alexander Munro' Shiraz - 94
2007 'The Aunts' Shiraz - 93
2008 Shiraz - 93
2009 'Alexander Munro' Chardonnay - 93
2009 'XYZ' Chardonnay - 93
2009 'XYZ' Semillon - 90

View all the recent news

Latest Releases

2010 Verdelho

2010 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

2009 Shiraz

2005 'Alexander Munro' Semillon

2005 'Terracotta' Semillon

2008 'XYZ' Shiraz

View more recent releases

Latest Reviews

"Today, Meerea Park's wines are some of the finest in the region, in fact the whites are some of the best of their type in the country".

Tim White - Australian Financial Review - 14th August 2009


"Delicious green-gold colour. Perfect mix of primary and secondary flavours. Hay, lanolin, lemon zest and lime. Great complexity. Great freshness. Length is good. The marvel of good Hunter Valley semillon? This is an example."Rated : 93 Points

Campbell Mattinson - The Winefront - 3rd September 2010

2002 'Alexander Munro' Semillon


View more recent reviews

Wines & Tasing Notes

Red Wine

White Wine