Mount Pleasant was founded in 1921 by legendary winemaker Maurice O’Shea, widely recognised as a pioneer of the industry and the father of modern Australian winemaking. Over the estate’s illustrious 100 year history, there have been only five chief winemakers, with Adrian Sparks at the helm since 2018. Adrian has stayed faithful to O’Shea’s legacy in creating elegant, balanced and expressive wines, which celebrate the land in Australia’s oldest wine region.

The Hunter Valley, located in New South Wales, is one of Australia’s most renowned and historic wine regions, celebrated for its distinctive climate, soils and wine styles. The climate is warm with high humidity, influenced by coastal breezes that temper the heat, while summer rainfall presents challenges that skilled viticulturists manage carefully. These conditions, though demanding, contribute to the region’s unique wine character.

Soils vary across the valley, with rich volcanic basalts and free-draining sandy loams supporting different grape varieties. The red volcanic soils of the Pokolbin area are particularly prized for growing Shiraz, while lighter sandy soils are well suited to Semillon.

Semillon is the Hunter’s flagship white, harvested early with naturally low alcohol and high acidity. Young examples are crisp, citrus-driven and delicate, while with age they evolve into complex wines with toasty, honeyed, lanolin notes. Chardonnay is also widely planted, often displaying stone fruit flavours with subtle oak influence.

Shiraz is the standout red, typically medium-bodied rather than heavy, offering savoury, earthy flavours with bright red fruits, spice and supple tannins. The Hunter Valley’s combination of challenging climate, diverse soils and skilled winemaking produces wines of remarkable longevity, elegance and individuality, making it a benchmark region in Australia.

Semillon is a versatile white grape variety originating in the Bordeaux region of France, where it has long played a central role in both dry and sweet wine production. Its thin skin and susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea (noble rot) make it especially valued in the production of the world-famous sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac. Viticulturally, Semillon is relatively easy to grow, with a tendency towards high yields, though careful vineyard management is required to maintain concentration and quality. The grape thrives in warm to moderate climates, producing wines with good body and ageing potential, but is more prone to disease pressure in cooler, wetter regions.

Today, Semillon is planted in several key wine regions beyond Bordeaux. It is particularly successful in Australia, where the Hunter Valley produces dry, unoaked styles noted for their remarkable ability to age, developing from zesty lemon and grass notes into complex flavours of toast, honey and lanolin. South Africa, Chile and Argentina also cultivate Semillon, often blending it with Sauvignon Blanc to add texture and depth.

In terms of style, Semillon ranges from fresh, citrus-driven dry wines to lusciously sweet botrytised examples. Flavours commonly include lemon, apple, stone fruit, honey and nutty, waxy characters, with aged expressions gaining rich, layered complexity.