Savaterre 2009 New Release
Nestled in the mountains of northeastern Victoria, just outside the picturesque town of Beechworth, lays the Savaterre vineyard. In its beginnings many would enhance Savaterre's reputation by mentioning one of its great neighbours, Giaconda, in the same sentence. But Savaterre can now stand alone as its own benchmark for excellence.
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, biodynamic viticulture, natural yeasts and French barriques, he combines the art, passion and the science of winemaking in his drive to produce the finest of wines.
SAVATERRE CHARDONNAY 2009 $69.99 each
The nose has winemaker Keppell Smith’s style written all over it: ripe yet minerale chardonnay fruit with mealy Burgundian notes behind the still-taut French oak. The tightrope balance of taught acidity, generous fruit & oak & very fine fruit tannin immediately brings Corton to mind. In a true victory for terroir, this wine tastes simply like only Savaterre Chardonnay tastes – so distinct is this site. Double-decant 2 hours prior to service if you plan to enjoy within 5 years. This is a big wine with a lot of complexity to display.
SAVATERRE PINOT NOIR 2009 $69.99 each
Dense, structural Pinot Noir, this, the result of an ultra low-yielding year, shows bright concentration of fruit, dense fine tannin & long natural acidity. Very fine Pinot Noir indeed. This is as much a terroir wine as a varietal wine. Somehow the nose & palate of bright violets & fresh strawberries mingled with bitumen & star anise, in combination with dense yet fine tannins allows one's mind to wander off to the Italian hills of Barbaresco more so than those of Burgundy. Very fine, snappy Pinot where structure & ripe fruit are the champions. Low glycerol levels & minimal intervention in the winery result in a vintage of depth, masculinity & power. Decant for two hours prior to service.
These wines are available with the choice of quality natural cork or screwcap. You have the opportunity to order your choice of closure. This is a great opportunity for your own experimentation in your cellar, why not mix up an order and make up your own mind & enter the debate about how these wines initially present and evolve over time with these different seals.
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SAVATERRE CHARDONNAY 2009 $69.99 each (Natural Cork)
SAVATERRE CHARDONNAY 2009 $69.99 each (Screwcap)
SAVATERRE PINOT NOIR 2009 $69.99 each (Natural Cork)
SAVATERRE PINOT NOIR 2009 $69.99 each (Screwcap)
SAVATERRE'S VINTAGE & RELEASE NOTES ARE BELOW.
Our 2009 vintage at Savaterre commenced with a beautiful cool wet spring enabling a prolific canopy of healthy leaves on the vines. This proved fortuitous as later in the season we needed a thick canopy to shield the grapes from 3 days of over 37 degrees! Fortunately, the combination of deep root systems and a healthy canopy means we didn't suffer from the sunburn and grape loss many vignerons in southern Australia suffered. The late summer warmth and mild breezes through the surrounding Victorian Alps ensured steady ripening and exceptional fruit.
2009 Savaterre Chardonnay
The 2009 Chardonnay was picked with 3 passes through the vineyard to ensure only those bunches which were perfectly ripe were picked on that day. This resulted in pristine fruit for each day’s pressing with beautiful natural acidity and lively elegant flavours. The grapes travelled 200m from the vineyard to the winery in the early morning still cold from the overnight alpine air. They were then whole bunch pressed in an old fashioned basket press. The juice was run straight to barrel of which approximately 40% was new French barriques. Nothing was added to the juice.
From this point the wine making proceeded in a slow, unhurried pace in the tradition of the great wines of Europe.
Natural indigenous yeasts eventually start the fermentation about a week after pressing. Slowly and surely a progression of different yeast strains start fermenting then expire as alcohol levels rise and favour a more alcohol resistant yeast. This natural process results in each strain conferring its own characteristics on the fermentation and producing a wine with more character and complexity well as more texture and oak integration. I cannot imagine doing it any other way.
After approximately 18 months in oak, in our cool dark cellars, each barrel was tasted and the best barrels assembled for the finished wine. The wine was then left to naturally settle and in most cases bottled without any filtration.
From here the 2009 integrated in bottle for a further 9 months. It will continue to evolve and improve for many years to come due to its powerful structure and ripe fruit.
Tasting Notes:
Colour - Pale straw with a tinge of chartreuse. Brilliantly clear.
The aroma is initially very tight and closed. This wine needs to breathe!
Intensely mineral, lithe and focused. It continuously evolves in the glass. Quince, grapefruit, white peach, pear, honeysuckle, lycee, nutmeg, grilled nuts and a little funkiness.
On the palate you are struck by the structure and texture of this wine. A wine of terrific line and length! Wonderful natural acidity that forms a piercing core that all the flavours revolve around. Grapefruit, pear, white peach, brioche, lemon curd with hazelnuts and almond flavours on the finish.
Complex and complete. This is a tightly wound wine and will repay cellaring for 10-15 years.
Available in natural cork and screw cap.
2009 Savaterre Pinot Noir
A very low yielding year, slow ripening finish and a long, gentle whole bunch fermentation produced an incredibly structured wine.
Abundant fine tannins and amazing acidity are the hallmarks of the 2009 Savaterre Pinot Noir. This is a wine that really needs decanting for several hours if you insist on drinking it young!
Commenced picking in late March 2009 with 4 passes, over several days, through the vineyard. Picked clone by clone to ensure full phenolic ripeness but avoiding overripe fruit which can transform pinot noir into a dull wine.
The grapes were picked in the early morning and placed in small open fermenters without crushing or de-stemming. Nothing was added and it was fermented by indigenous yeasts. The whole bunches add a dimension that can make the wines less approachable whilst young but ensure great structure and aroma as they evolve.
Tasting Notes:
A brilliant clear wine with a beautiful ruby colour.
The aroma is initially very tight and closed. This wine needs to breathe!
Aromas of violet, red currant, rose petal, sour cherry, smoked bacon, coffee and cloves.
On the palate you are again struck by the vibrant acidity. Closed at first but eventually flavours of red currant, morello cherries, forest floor, mushrooms. smokey oolong tea with a complex but subtle allspice, clove flavour emerge. Powerful fine tannins are highlighted become less obvious as the wine evolves and ensures a long life.
These wines demand food!