Savaterre 2019 Chardonnay
Decanter World Wine Awards 2021 - Platinum Medal
"Powerful, concentrated and displaying soaring complexity, with precise clusters of berries, white butterscotch, gingerbread crumbs, glossy ripe peaches and red apples. Long, effortless and with a sensuous finish - 97 Points"
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Ned Goodwin, Hill of Grace Dinner
"Possibly the finest Chardonnay in the country, crafted with minimal impact: ambient yeast, judicious oak and confident ripeness of fruit. A thrust of nashi pear and stone fruit flavours meld with nougatine and truffle, staining the mouth with a compelling parry of mineral and juicy acidity. A wine of stridency and force."
Mike Benny, WineFront
"Winemaker Keppell Smith is at the helm of Savaterre, an outstanding boutique winery located in Beechworth, northern Victoria. The region is renowned for premium wines, with Savaterre at the apex of these producers. The fruit is farmed organically, the wines made with no additives aside a small amount of sulphur. The resulting whites and reds are recognised as cult wines of exceptional pedigree that drink superbly in youth yet mature gracefully in cellars.
This wine shows richness and freshness hand in hand. It opens with scents of nougat, green apple, fresh-cut nectarine and a squeeze of lime. Flavours are similar, generous yet tempered with coolness and bright acidity. It’s long, smooth, supple and utterly delicious. It will be superb with your best roast chicken with trimmings."
Huon Hooke
"Light to mid-yellow colour, bright, with a complex, nutty, toasty, gentle smoky bouquet that leads into a richly layered, full-bodied palate that tracks the bouquet closely. Oak and lees characters play a leading role but aren't overdone. Delicious buttery richness on the palate, the fruit-sweetness splicing with savoury elements and leading into a tremendously long, satisfying finish that's beautifully balanced and appetising. A glorious chardonnay.
Rated : 97 Points"
Gary Walsh - The Wine Front
"I like this ...Slight flinty smoky sulphide top note, McVitie's digestive biscuit, or oatmeal, looking sideways at tropical fruit, ripe lime and flowers, spice and preserved lemon. Tight, intense, chalky grip, lime and honey, flinty and stony, mouth-watering acidity, long and juicy, and slightly toasty and clove-spiced to close. Magic. Flavour and texture - 96 Points"
My Tasting Notes - 2019 Chardonnay
A great vintage subtly improving on the stunning 2018.
Complex, powerful and precise.
Intense aromas of toasted hazelnuts, white nectarine, citrus flower with a powerful minerality. This is a wine that continues to evolve upon pouring.
The palate is intensely concentrated.
Flavours of pear, pink grapefruit, white peach, praline and toasted hazelnuts are highlighted by the core of fine acidity. Saline oyster shell and mineral texture persist through the long finish.
A wine of prodigious aroma, texture, intensity and length.
This has Grand Cru intensity.
Will continue to improve over the next 8 – 15 years.