The 2021 Savaterre Chardonnay is a stunning representation of cool-climate Australian winemaking at its finest. This single-vineyard wine is made from hand-harvested grapes grown in the Beechworth region of Victoria, where the rocky, granitic soils and high altitude produce wines of exceptional complexity and finesse. The wine is beautifully balanced, with a bright acidity that brings freshness and vibrancy to the finish. This is a truly exceptional Chardonnay that showcases the incredible potential of this region and the talent of its winemakers.
The fruit is a field blend of clones in the vineyard (8,000 vines per hectare, planted in 1996) and is handpicked, whole-bunch pressed and fermented with wild yeast, then the wine matures in French oak for 18 months. The wine is frisky (of course, at this early stage) and shows its oak at this stage, but it is already flowing in a cascade of almond meal, crushed nuts, briny acidity and salted peach. Through the finish, the phenolics tighten up and pull the fruit into line, dragging it out to a long finish. It is lovely, complex and tense and will soften in time.