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Wines like Sémillon

A thin-skinned, botrytis-prone variety essential to Sauternes and to a unique long-lived dry style in the Hunter Valley. Below: what to try next, grouped by the direction you want to travel.

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What do you like about Sémillon?

Optional — the results below already work without it. But “I like Malbec” is at least four different preferences wearing one name, and saying which one you mean changes the answer substantially. Only qualities this wine actually has are offered.

I like…

The creamy, rounded texture

But it’s a bit…

too sharp or lemony too light or thin too buttery or thick too oaky or woody too savoury or funky too sweet

Clear all

What these words mean

The citrus and orchard fruit: Lemon, lime, green apple, pear. The signature of a cool-climate white — quieter and less perfumed than tropical fruit, and a different thing from the acidity it usually travels with.
How light it is: A wine you can drink without it feeling like a commitment. Usually lower in alcohol as well as lighter in the mouth.
The creamy, rounded texture: A soft, almost dairy-like roundness. In white wine it usually comes from malolactic fermentation or from time on the lees, not from the grape.
The vanilla and oak: Vanilla, toast, coconut, sweet spice, sometimes smoke. It comes from the barrel rather than the grape, which is why the same grape can taste completely different with and without it.
The savoury, meaty side: Leather, olive, cured meat, dried herbs, tobacco. It is what people mean by calling a wine "serious" rather than "fruity", and it comes with age as well as with place.
The touch of sweetness: Actual sugar left in the wine, which is a different thing from tasting fruity. A wine can smell of ripe peach and be completely dry.

Looking for something keeping the creamy, rounded mouthfeel, while moving away from too savoury or funky and too buttery or thick.

You said you like the creamy, rounded mouthfeel and that it is too buttery or thick. Both are about texture, so they pull the same axis in opposite directions — the dislike is applied and the like is set aside.
You said you like the creamy, rounded mouthfeel and that it is too buttery or thick. Both are about acidity, so they pull the same axis in opposite directions — the dislike is applied and the like is set aside.

Based on what you said

Ranked against the qualities you named rather than against the wine as a whole. The directions below are refined the same way.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Has some of the creamy, rounded mouthfeel, though less of it.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
Substantially less buttery or thick.

Gros Manseng

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Has some of the creamy, rounded mouthfeel, though less of it.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
Substantially less buttery or thick.

Petite Arvine

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Has some of the creamy, rounded mouthfeel, though less of it.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
Substantially less buttery or thick.

Spätlese

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Has some of the creamy, rounded mouthfeel, though less of it.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
Substantially less buttery or thick.

Loureiro

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Has some of the creamy, rounded mouthfeel, though less of it.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
Substantially less buttery or thick.

Kerner

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Has some of the creamy, rounded mouthfeel, though less of it.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
A little less buttery or thick.

Scheurebe

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Has some of the creamy, rounded mouthfeel, though less of it.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
A little less buttery or thick.

Avesso

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Has some of the creamy, rounded mouthfeel, though less of it.
Substantially less savoury or funky.
A little less buttery or thick.

Closest overall

Nearest neighbours, no change of direction.

Closest matches

The nearest overall neighbours across structure and flavour, with no deliberate change of direction.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and more floral.

Gros Manseng

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more aromatic.

Petite Arvine

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more aromatic.

Spätlese

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and less oaky.

Different grape, similar feel

Deliberately excludes the variety you already know, to find a genuinely new wine that fills the same role.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and more floral.

Gros Manseng

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more aromatic.

Petite Arvine

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more aromatic.

Spätlese

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and less oaky.

Change the structure

Same idea, different weight, grip or freshness.

Similar but lighter

Keeps the character but reduces weight, alcohol and density in the mouth.

Loureiro

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more floral.

Colombard

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and drier.

Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and less oaky.

Kabinett

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Similar but lower in alcohol

Holds the character and the weight where it can, and moves specifically on strength. Note that below about 11% the choices narrow sharply, and below 5% they are mostly a different category rather than a lighter version of the same one.

Spätlese

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and less oaky.

Loureiro

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more floral.

Kabinett

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and lighter.

Colombard

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and drier.

Similar but fuller

Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.

Petit Manseng

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and fruitier.

Vidal

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and softer and rounder.

Wachau Grüner Veltliner

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and softer and rounder.

Furmint

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and more savoury.

Similar but less tannic

For readers who find firm reds drying. Reduces tannic grip while holding flavour and weight roughly steady.

Nothing in WineHQ's catalogue makes this move meaningfully from here. These are the closest wines otherwise, but do not expect them to deliver what you asked for — the honest answer is that this style does not have a good neighbour in that direction.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and more floral.

Gros Manseng

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more aromatic.

Petite Arvine

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more aromatic.

Petit Manseng

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and fruitier.

Similar but more structured

More tannic architecture, for food or for ageing.

Mtsvane Kakhuri

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and drier.

Albana

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and more restrained in fruit.

Malvazija Istarska

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and more restrained in fruit.

Brda Rebula

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more restrained in fruit.

Similar but fresher

Raises acidity and overall lift, usually by moving to a cooler-climate expression.

Gros Manseng

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more aromatic.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and drier.

Petite Arvine

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more aromatic.

Spätlese

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and less oaky.

Similar but softer

Lowers acidity and sharpness in favour of a broader, gentler feel.

Pošip

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and rounder and creamier in texture.

Malvasia

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and rounder and creamier in texture.

Alsace Pinot Gris

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and softer and rounder.

Malagousia

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and rounder and creamier in texture.

The sparkling version

Moves to a sparkling expression while holding the flavour and weight as close as possible.

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and less oaky.

Austrian Sekt

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more sparkling.

Sekt

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more sparkling.

Crémant

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more restrained in fruit.

Similar but drier

Reduces perceptible sugar while keeping aromatic character.

Loureiro

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more floral.

Avesso

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and drier.

Colombard

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and drier.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and more floral.

Similar but sweeter

Adds perceptible sweetness, which also softens acidity and chilli heat.

Moscato d’Asti

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

Auslese

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and fruitier.

Sauternes

Both are made from sémillon, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and fruitier.

Coteaux du Layon

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and rounder and creamier in texture.

Change the flavour

Same shape, different aromatic character.

Similar but less oaky

One of the commonest requests in wine. Strips oak influence while holding grape character and weight.

Gros Manseng

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and fresher.

Petite Arvine

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and fresher.

Spätlese

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more aromatic.

Loureiro

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more floral.

Similar but more oaky

Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.

California Chardonnay

California Chardonnay scores closest to Sémillon across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and softer and rounder.

Chenin Blanc

curated

Both are waxy, high-acid, ageworthy varieties made dry and sweet.

Expect: Higher acidity and a quince-and-honey rather than lanolin character.

Furmint

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and more savoury.

Dry Furmint

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and more savoury.

Similar but more aromatic

More to smell before you taste — floral, fruity or spiced aromatics.

Spätlese

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and less oaky.

Loureiro

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more floral.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and drier.

Kerner

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and less oaky.

Similar but more restrained

For readers who find intensely aromatic wines tiring over a whole glass. Keeps the structure, turns the volume down.

Cortese

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and drier.

Pinot Blanc

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and softer and rounder.

Seyval Blanc

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and softer and rounder.

Jacquère

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and lighter.

Similar but more floral

Pushes specifically towards rose, violet, blossom and elderflower character.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and drier.

Spätlese

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and less oaky.

Loureiro

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more floral, and drier.

Kerner

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and less oaky.

Similar but more savoury

Moves away from primary fruit towards earth, herb, meat and umami character.

Hunter Valley Semillon

Both are made from sémillon.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more restrained in fruit.

Savennières

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and rounder and creamier in texture.

Chablis

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more restrained in fruit.

Muscadet

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more restrained in fruit.

Similar but fruitier

More obvious, generous fruit flavour, usually from a warmer climate.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and more floral.

Gros Manseng

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more aromatic.

Petite Arvine

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more aromatic.

Spätlese

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and less oaky.

Change the place

Keep the grape, move it somewhere else.

Same grape, somewhere else

Holds the variety constant and changes the place, which is often a bigger change than swapping the grape.

South African Sauvignon Blanc

Both are made from sémillon, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and drier.

Hunter Valley Semillon

Both are made from sémillon, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more restrained in fruit.

Same grape, cooler climate

Typically fresher, lighter and more herbal, with lower alcohol.

South African Sauvignon Blanc

Both are made from sémillon, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and drier.

Hunter Valley Semillon

Both are made from sémillon, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more restrained in fruit.

White Bordeaux

Both are made from sémillon, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and rounder and creamier in texture.

Same grape, warmer climate

Typically riper, fuller and more generous in fruit, with higher alcohol.

South African Sauvignon Blanc

Both are made from sémillon, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and drier.

White Bordeaux

Both are made from sémillon, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and rounder and creamier in texture.

Hunter Valley Semillon

Both are made from sémillon, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more restrained in fruit.

Change the mood

Safer, stranger, cheaper or more serious.

A safe next step

Well-known wines that are widely available and unlikely to surprise anyone.

Riesling

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and less oaky.

Sauvignon Blanc

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more aromatic.

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and fruitier.

English Bacchus

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and softer and rounder.

Something more adventurous

Less familiar wines that occupy similar territory — the interesting end of the shelf.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and more floral.

Gros Manseng

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more aromatic.

Petite Arvine

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more aromatic.

Spätlese

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and less oaky.

A better-value alternative

Wines that occupy similar sensory territory from regions carrying less price premium. WineHQ does not hold live prices, so this reasons from regional reputation and demand rather than from a price feed — treat it as a lead, not a quote.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and more floral.

Gros Manseng

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more aromatic.

Petite Arvine

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and more aromatic.

Spätlese

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and less oaky.

A step up

The benchmark expressions of the same territory, usually with more concentration, structure and ageing potential.

South African Chenin Blanc

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and rounder and creamier in texture.

Chardonnay

curated

A comparably low-aromatic, textural white that rewards oak, lees and time.

Expect: Rounder and more overtly fruity, and far more widely available.

Australian Chardonnay

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and rounder and creamier in texture.

White Burgundy

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and rounder and creamier in texture.

How these are chosen

Each suggestion is scored across sixteen taste dimensions, weighted so that structure matters more than flavour, and adjusted for whether the wine actually moves in the direction you asked for. Curated links from an editor carry extra weight — but only when the editor tagged them for this direction. Nothing here is a black box; see the taste model for the full method.