Sémillon: taste, styles and the dishes that match
17 styles and 314 dish scores from our sommelier database
What does Sémillon taste like, and what should you serve with it? In our database this white grape is linked to dozens of styles and hundreds of dish scores from ten years of sommelier work. The essence: match the taste profile to the plate — as with Carp in vinegar.
Taste profile (Wine DNA)
Averaged across the styles in our database, Sémillon shows fresh acidity, is medium-bodied and exuberantly fruity, with barely any tannin.
Well-known Sémillon styles
- Semillon New World Late Harvest · New World — medium-bodied, pronounced freshness, off-dry to sweet
Door hoog restzoet en groene-meloenfruit gedomineerde witte wijn, veelal vrij eenvoudig maar smaakrijk. - Bordeaux and Bergerac Blanc · Bordeaux — light-bodied, pronounced freshness
Bergerac and (Côtes de Bergerac), Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur, Bordeaux Côtes de Franc, Ste-Foy-Bordeaux, Côtes de Bourg and Blaye blanc, Entre-Deux-Mers, Montravel,… - Bordeaux and Bergerac blanc with wood ageing · Southwest — medium-bodied, pronounced freshness
Bordeaux (Supérieur), (Côtes de) Bergerac. - Semillon-Sauvignon · New World — medium-bodied, pronounced freshness
Fruity, ripe, well-rounded white wine that is a blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon grape varieties. - Bordeaux blanc · Bordeaux — full-bodied, fresh acidity, soft tannins, subtle oak notes
Tight, intense and powerful wines with wood ageing that will age very well. - Muscat sweet · Southern Europe — medium-bodied, fresh acidity, off-dry to sweet
Onversterkt type zoete wijn van de muskaatdruif en vergelijkbare soorten. - Sauternes and Monbazillac · Southwest — full-bodied, fresh acidity, generous oak ageing, off-dry to sweet
Sauternes, Barsac, St. - Sweet white Europe · Europe — full-bodied, fresh acidity, off-dry to sweet
Sweet white wines from Europe that do not fit in further specified categories.
Price-wise Sémillon covers the full range: of the 17 styles in our database, 35% sit in the entry segment, 59% mid-range and 6% at the top end. You will find both a weekday bottle and a cellar-worthy wine in this grape.
The best-scoring dishes with Sémillon
The dishes below come from our expert scoring: every combination was scored by sommeliers using the Wine DNA of both dish and wine. These are the strongest matches for Sémillon styles, from classic to surprising.
- Carp in vinegar — best style: Graves and Pessac-Léognan blanc
- Cabrales — best style: Sauternes and Monbazillac
- Stilton — best style: Sauternes and Monbazillac
- Bleu d'auvergne — best style: Sauternes and Monbazillac
- Roquefort — best style: Sauternes and Monbazillac
- Goose liver terrine with sauternes jelly — best style: Sauternes and Monbazillac
- Dor Blu — best style: Sauternes and Monbazillac
- Bleu de laqueuille — best style: Sauternes and Monbazillac
- Blue Stilton PDO — best style: Sauternes and Monbazillac
- Bleu des causses — best style: Sauternes and Monbazillac
- Fourme d'Ambert AOP — best style: Sauternes and Monbazillac
- Maytag blue — best style: Sauternes and Monbazillac
Want to know if a specific bottle of Sémillon matches your dish? Scan the label in the SommelierX app and see the match instantly.
Open the app →Frequently asked questions
- What does Sémillon taste like?
- Averaged across the styles in our database, Sémillon shows fresh acidity, is medium-bodied and exuberantly fruity, with barely any tannin. It varies by style: see the overview above.
- What food goes with Sémillon?
- The highest scores in our sommelier work: Carp in vinegar, Cabrales, Stilton. The full list is above.
- Is Sémillon a white wine?
- In our database Sémillon is mostly made as a white wine (17 linked styles); regional exceptions exist.