2024 Savaterre Chardonnay

Keppell Smith's vision for Savaterre found its perfect home in 1996 when he planted vines on the golden-granite slopes of Beechworth. Since then, Savaterre has earned its place among Australia's elite for Chardonnay, thanks to that decomposed granitic loam soil and the altitude-driven climate of the Victorian Alps.

The 2024 vintage proved to be an exceptional, classic Beechworth season: long warm days and cool nights allowed for slow, even ripening. This perfect maturity was aided by a small crop per vine from the mature, close-planted vineyard, delivering a wine of incredible focus, precision, and finesse. Fermentation and maturation in French oak barrels seamlessly integrated depth and complexity into its structure, resulting in a tightly coiled, seductive Chardonnay built to beautifully evolve.

Other Reviews...
Here is the art of winemaker laid bare, in all of its beauty as well as mystery. It's a slow reveal, all the better to take in a wine both plush in fruit and fine in structure, citrusy fresh and oak defined, savoury influenced and varietally pure. Complex, tangy fresh aromas arrive Beechworth-bright before leading into a tightly packed, concentrated palate of lemon citrus, grapefruit, stone fruits and toasted almonds creamily textured with honeysuckle aromatics. A suitable ending with saline cut and grip on the long finish. Drink 2026-2036.
97 points
Jeni Port - James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion

This is a richer iteration of Savaterre Chardonnay with not much in the way of struck match (though, granted, that can sometimes vary between bottles in my experience). It’s glossy and creamy but has firm cut of grapefruit acidity, there’s fine powdery grip to texture, a savoury nutty element and something of a sour yoghourt flavour, honey nougat, spicy oak, a mix of nectarine, pear, lime and melon with a tangy and savoury finish of outstanding length. Drink 2027-2036+.
96 points
Gary Walsh - The Wine Front