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Read moreHunter Valley Semillon is one of Australia's most distinctive wine styles, but not all Semillon is created equal. While the region is famous for its crisp, age-worthy classic style, a new wave of winemakers is challenging tradition with skin contact white wine techniques and minimal intervention approaches. At Usher Tinkler Wines, we produce both styles: our Big Bad Bill Semillon represents premium old vine semillon in the classic Hunter tradition, while Death by Semillon pushes boundaries as one of the region's most progressive natural wine Australia examples.
Understanding the difference between these two approaches reveals not just different winemaking philosophies, but entirely different expressions of what Hunter Valley Semillon can be. This is the story of tradition meeting disruption, and why both deserve a place in your glass.
The Classic Hunter Valley Semillon Tradition
The pairing of Hunter Valley and Semillon is one of the most distinct in the world of wine. A delicate and crisp wine in its youth, Hunter Valley Semillon matures into a soft, richly flavoured wine that is almost unrecognizable in its evolution. The Tinkler family's history in the Hunter Valley means Usher Tinkler Wines owns, farms, and produces wines bearing some premium parcels of old vine Semillon. These old vines produce a Hunter Valley Semillon with even more intensity and potential for bottle age.
The warm, maritime climate of the Hunter Valley means fruit grown here ripens earlier than many other Australian regions, often by 2 to 4 weeks. According to Wine Australia, this distinct climate allows the fruit to be picked at a lower baume (what will often be between 10-11% alcohol) while still achieving a balanced and ripe wine. The classic style of producing Hunter Valley Semillon involves gentle handling with minimal skin contact, before cold fermentation in stainless steel and a quick bottling.
This traditional approach creates wines with electric acidity, citrus-driven flavours, and remarkable aging potential. After 5 to 20 years in the bottle, these wines develop honeyed, toasty characteristics with preserved lemon and waxy textures. It's a style that has defined the region for nearly two centuries and continues to earn global recognition for premium Australian wine.
What is Death by Semillon? The Natural Wine Revolution
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We're often asked: what is Death by Semillon, and what's the point of the rabbit on the label?
The name and the rabbit imagery tell a deeper story about risk, family history, and winemaking philosophy. When Usher's grandfather returned after serving in Papua New Guinea during World War II, the family survived by selling rabbit skins to Akubra, the iconic Australian hat company. That resourcefulness and willingness to do what others wouldn't became part of the family's DNA.
For Usher, making Death by Semillon carries similar risk. Fermenting Hunter Valley Semillon on skins, aging it in barrel, pushing it through malolactic fermentation with high pH, and bottling without filtration goes against every convention of the region. It's winemaking that could be called suicidal in such a traditional wine region, hence the name and the rabbit as a symbol of survival through unconventional means.
When Usher first started making this skin contact white wine, perhaps only one other Hunter Valley producer was attempting anything similar. Now there are a dozen or more. The trend reflects a broader shift happening across Australian natural wine production, where winemakers are moving away from the singular classic style and exploring more progressive, textural, and artistic expressions of Semillon.
Classic Hunter Valley Semillon remains exceptional and deeply appreciated. But Death by Semillon represents where innovation is happening: more skin contact, richer and more developed in youth, ready to drink earlier, and wildly creative in its expression. This is orange wine Hunter Valley style, pushing the boundaries of what this historic grape can become.
Understanding the Winemaking: Classic vs Skin Contact
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Classic Hunter Valley Semillon (Big Bad Bill) | Death by Semillon (Skin Contact Natural Style): |
Grapes are gently pressed with minimal skin contact | Grapes are destemmed and fermented on skins with wild yeast. Extended skin contact extracts tannins, colour, and texture |
Fermentation happens in stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures | Pressed into old oak barrels for aging |
Fermentation happens in stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures | Pressed into old oak barrels for aging |
No oak aging, no malolactic fermentation | Full malolactic fermentation softens acidity, adds complexity |
Bottled young to preserve freshness and aging potential | Bottled without fining or filtration |
Results: crisp, citrus-driven, high acid, light body, ages beautifully | Results: textural, juicy, fuller-bodied, drink earlier, more immediately expressive |
According to natural wine educators at Wine Folly, skin contact white wines (often called orange wines) have been made for thousands of years but are experiencing a modern renaissance. The technique adds phenolic structure, deeper flavours, and a completely different texture compared to conventional white winemaking.
For old vine Semillon like what we farm at Usher Tinkler Wines, both approaches showcase the fruit's intensity and concentration, just through radically different lenses.
Food Pairing: Classic Semillon vs Death by Semillon
Pairing wine with food is about matching weight, acidity, and flavours. Both Semillon styles excel here, but they shine with different dishes.
Our Big Bad Bill Semillon is a premium example of classic Hunter Valley Semillon. Produced through vines planted by Usher 'Bill' Tinkler (Usher's father) in 1980, the wine shows ripe zesty lime citrus with some tropical fruit and passionfruit characteristics. Clean, pure flavours and a true premium expression of old vine concentration. The vibrant fresh acidity means it pairs best with:
- Fresh oysters and seafood
- Grilled fish with lemon and herbs
- Fresh salads with citrus vinaigrette
- Buche de Chèvre goat cheese
- Sushi and sashimi
Our Death by Semillon is far richer and more developed in youth than a classic style Hunter Valley Semillon. Destemmed and fermented with wild yeast on skins, pressed into old oak and undergoing full malolactic fermentation, then bottled without fining or filtration, the final wine is textural and juicy. Yellow flowers, candied orange, and dehydrated pineapple flavours all show themselves. This fuller body means it will stand up to heartier dishes with bolder flavours and spices:
- Cured meats and salumi
- Italian Taleggio or strong blue cheese
- Fermented or pickled vegetables
- Indian or Thai curries
- Roast chicken
- Creamy mushroom pasta
Our cellar door at Usher Tinkler Wines pairs wines with salumi and cheese to demonstrate these in real time. We have a selection of local and imported salumi and cheese for you to enjoy alongside your tasting, as well as a range of house-made pickles and jams, and estate-grown fruit.
Death by Semillon or Big Bad Bill: Which Should You Choose?
If you're new to Usher Tinkler Wines, or wine in general, and trying to decide between these two distinct styles of Semillon, here's a simple guide:
Choose Big Bad Bill Semillon if:
- You love crisp, high-acid white wines
- You appreciate classic Hunter Valley style
- You're pairing with seafood or lighter dishes
- You want to cellar wine and watch it evolve over years
- You prefer clean, pure fruit expression
Choose Death by Semillon if:
- You're curious about natural wine Australia
- You enjoy textural, fuller-bodied whites
- You're pairing with richer, spicier foods
- You want something to drink now (not cellar)
- You love adventurous, boundary-pushing wines
Honestly, the best approach is to taste both. Consider starting with a bottle of each through our online shop, serving them side by side with different foods, and noting what you enjoy about each. There's no wrong choice, just different expressions of what Hunter Valley does best.
Both wines showcase our commitment to sustainable, estate-grown winemaking and the philosophy that true winemaking includes growing the grapes yourself. The difference is how we handle them after harvest.
Taste Both Styles at Usher Tinkler Wines
Reading about wine only gets you so far. Real learning happens when you taste, compare, and ask questions in a setting designed for exploration.
Usher Tinkler Wines offers guided tastings where you can experience both styles of Semillon side by side. Our cellar door staff walk you through the differences in style, the winemaking approach, and how each wine pairs with our selection of premium salumi and cheese.
Tasting at the source gives you context you can't get anywhere else. You'll learn why estate-grown fruit matters, how minimal intervention winemaking works, and what makes Hunter Valley whites so distinctive. You'll also understand why skin contact white wine production is creating such excitement in the Australian natural wine scene.
The cellar door operates seven days a week, and bookings are recommended, especially on weekends. Wine tastings run alongside food experiences that highlight how these wines interact with different flavours and textures.
If you can't visit in person, you can still explore both Death by Semillon and Big Bad Bill Semillon through our online shop, with detailed tasting notes to guide your selections. For specific questions or recommendations, the team is available via our contact page.
Two Wines, One Philosophy
Classic Hunter Valley Semillon and Death by Semillon represent two sides of the same coin. One honours centuries of tradition with minimal intervention and maximum aging potential. The other disrupts convention with skin contact, wild fermentation, and immediate drinkability.
Both are authentically Hunter Valley. Both showcase old vine fruit intensity. Both reflect a commitment to estate-grown, sustainably farmed grapes. And both prove that Semillon is one of Australia's most versatile and exciting white grapes.
The choice between them depends on your mood, your meal, and your willingness to explore. But the real answer? You don't have to choose. Experience both and discover what premium Australian wine can be when tradition and innovation meet in the glass.
Explore our Semillon collection or book a tasting to experience the difference yourself.
