Opening a bottle of his Braemore Semillon 2023 and you have to give it to winemaker Andrew Thomas. To my mind he’s the guy who introduced texture to Hunter semillon, while perfecting the variety’s uncanny ability to deliver flavour, length and balance without either oak or what would usually be called ripeness since the traditional examples hardly go much past 11% alcohol. Like most from this maker, the 2023 Braemore is irresistible while young but those bottles that survive to their eventual maturity will handsomely reward anyone with the smarts to have kept them. Hunter semillon, one of the few truly indigenous Australian wine styles, is a perfect candidate for the Australia Day lunch.