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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2015 and 2021 (based on 6 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.8 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 7 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by melvinyeowq on 8/13/2022 & rated 89 points: Got this one completely wrong unfortunately. Excellent ringer for a Burgundy, thought this was a 06/08 Gevrey or Pommard. Lots of earthy and forest floor aromas, oak regiment similar to an old-school Burgundy producer. A muscular and dark-fruited wine, quite tertiary surprisingly for a screwcap. (754 views) | | | Tasted by tanduybui on 2/7/2022 & rated 87 points: I struggled with this wine - for a Savaterre, it seems to be too eager to please but in the end, it went nowhere.
Quite earthy and dark, it had more of a forest feel to it rather than fruit. Slightly hot, the fruits were there but somehow never integrated with anything. Quite oaky that was quite dominant. It would appear the sum of component parts added up to less than the parts. Pleasant enough drinking but not one to please or excite.
Drink now or 3+ years. (565 views) | | | Tasted by Milliontown on 4/22/2021 & rated 93 points: I like the personality of this, it’s very earthy and perfumed with some secondary mushroomy / toasted nuts aromas going on, a little oak in the background. I seem to have caught this at a good place in its development as it’s still holding on to some fragrant primary fruit too. Lovely balance on the palate, really holding together well. There’s a nice presence of fine sandy tannins on the back palate. Delicious, complex and super easy to drink. (854 views) | | | Tasted by chatters on 5/28/2018: Pinot Noir at Moncur (Bistro Moncur, Sydney): Slightly spirituous, toasty oak, ripe cherry, a little worked on the nose…and so it proves on the palate. It's all a bit too much but without much balance. Nah. (1508 views) | | | Tasted by Drinking Trees on 8/26/2014: The nose is young and tight, but there's a lot to it: strong elements of fruit, spice, and oak. Notes include red cherry, strawberry, clove, cinnamon, rhubarb, roasted red capsicum, and bresaola. Palate shows flavours of red cherry, blackberry, silverbeet, and pink grapefruit. Nice smooth entry, but the finish is too acidic. (2137 views) | | | Tasted by startinoz on 6/10/2014 & rated 91 points: Stalky nose. Red fruit palate. (1768 views) |
| Savaterre Producer website
Savaterre -Wines of Terroir
Nestled in the mountains of northeastern Victoria, just outside the picturesque town of Beechworth, lays the Savaterre vineyard.
The site was “discovered“ in 1996 by Keppell Smith, owner and winemaker, after an expansive search through Australia’s quality wine regions. The mild summer days, cool climate elevation combined with the rolling foothills of the Victorian Alps was the magic “terroir” combination sought by Keppell.
Intensely focused on the creation of outstanding, individualistic wines far removed from the mainstream , Keppell looks more to the wines, winemaking and viticulture of the Old World as his inspiration. Ranging from vineyard aspect through to the use of natural yeasts and French barriques, he combines the art and the science of winemaking in his drive to produce the finest of wines.
The region itself is blessed with beautiful views, fantastic local produce, outstanding dining and of course the historic town of Beechworth. It has a growing wine presence and has recently been recognised as an independent wine region.
Our Wine -Sound Advice
My mother gave me some sound advice when I was young - ” Be patient!”
Being patient translates now to minimal intervention in the winemaking process. Minimal intervention and long, slow elevage in cool dark cellars are the cornerstones of our winemaking philosophy.
If we are truly to represent our wines’ origins, then winemaking influences must be reduced to the very minimum.
This dictates -
Fermentation using only indigenous yeasts, organisms from our own vineyard.... not super yeasts, lab bred, pumped up on steroids, all the way from California yeast. Indigenous yeasts can be more difficult and more risky, they are slower to ferment than the turbo commercial yeasts but I am unequivocally convinced of their importance in creating wines that are unique, intense, textural and complex
The very best tight grain French oak barriques, of which approximately 50% are new each year, are employed to subtly enhance the wine without being overbearing as well as providing the wines a perfect vessel for their 19 months of development or elevage.
Natural malolactic fermentation (bacterial conversion of the hard malic acid to softer lactic acid) also occurs naturally. We do not add any commercial bacteria. This can take up to a year. No matter, our wines are powerful, require patience and we don’t rush our wine to the market.
The wines are unfiltered to retain these unique qualities and may require decanting several hours prior to enjoyment.
This adherence to natural, unhurried winemaking, results in wines with increased intensity of aroma, flavour, texture and length.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay vines bear small, round, greenish-gold fruit. While the vines are extremely adaptable to different growing conditions, they produce the best wines when grown in a cool climate on lean soil. Savaterre's terroir produces excellent Chardonnay: vibrant, bright, aromatic and complex.
Pinot Noir
An ancient varietal with its roots in eastern France, Pinot Noir is a red grape that is highly expressive of its terroir. The long growing season of the Beechworth region allows Pinot Noir grapes to develop slowly and to their fullest, most deliciously intense flavors. Savaterre's has undertones of cherry and plum with depth and velvetiness from maturing in oak.
Our Vineyard -Our Greatest Resource
Our vineyard is elevated at 440m (1440 feet) above sea level and is farmed along organic principles. No pesticides are used.
The soil consists of ancient granitic “buckshot” over decomposed clay. These unique gravels are rich in minerals and provide excellent drainage whilst the clay provides some sustained water to the vines in summer. This ancient, poor soil naturally limits the cropping level to less than 4.5 tons per hectare.
The vines are close planted at 7500 vines per hectare . This allows the vine to carry a smaller crop and direct all its energies to producing intense flavours and wonderful textures - traits that are found primarily in only outstanding vineyards.
This unique combination of soil, climate and viticulture provides Savaterre with intense fruit of the very highest quality. The grapes are hand picked in the cool of the autumn morning and transported to the winery which is next to the vineyard.
Savaterre's vineyard has been named in the top 25 vineyards in Australia.
"On the charts with a bullet – this time next year, once the 2004 chardonnay in particular has been released, the rating could easily move even higher. This, it has to be said, is a spectacular vineyard with spectacular potential, and as the 2002 wines show, that potential is sheeting through with a clarity that is shattering. And it’s the vineyard that is doing it. The south-facing slope that fronts into the teeth of the Victorian Alps, the ancient rocky soils, the high altitude, the warm summers and the cold, cold nights. This is a dramatic landscape and the truth is that the wines are all about that: the vineyard was only planted in 1997, all chardonnay and pinot noir, but the near-cinematic quality of this site is already blindingly obvious. The potential of this place is limitless." Ranked 22 out of 25.
-Australian Sommelier magazine, March 2006
Vintage occurs between mid-March and mid-April depending on the season.
The Savaterre vineyard was established by Keppell Smith, who was heavily influenced by his time working under Phillip Jones at Bass Phillip. He followed Jones’ principles and promptly planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at extremely dense planting of 7.500 vines/Ha, yielding merely 4.5 tons/Ha on skinny soils of buckshot granite over clay. The vineyard sees low input, biodynamic viticulture. Suffice it to say that the vineyard produces concentrated wines robustly expressive of terroir. Upon Tim Kirk’s encouragement, in 2003 Keppell planted Shiraz on a handkerchief of a sandy stretch near the hilltop. Planted at 8,000 vines /Ha and on its own rootstock, this Shiraz vineyard may well be one of the most exciting to follow in the country, particularly after this particularly dignified first release. The Shiraz vineyard is currently yielding about one bottle per vine.
The cellar is home to a continuation of the same minimal intervention philosophy: exclusively indigenous yeasts; natural malo; no fining/filtration. The wines are fermented in large outdoor concrete vats before elevage in new tight grained oak. In discussing the role of new oak in terroir driven wines, Keppell’s comment was a succinct, ‘There is no such thing as an over- oaked wine; only under-fruited.” A funny twist, however the powerful granitic mineral nature of such a marginal site, as with other iconic Beechworth vineyards, produces fruit of such robustness and power that young wood is commonplace amongst terroirists.
One of the great pleasures of following Keppell’s work at Savaterre is to see such vintage variation year upon year while always seeing the character of his site.
Pinot Noir Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.
Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.
Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.
The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.
Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.
Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.Australia Wine Australia (Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation) | Australian Wines (Wikipedia)Victoria Wines of Victoria (Victorian Wine Industry Association) |
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