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.

This perfect ripeness was only possible due to the small crop per vine as mandated by our mature, close planted vineyard. Powerful, focused wines of finesse, elegance and precision. The 2024 is a powerful yet seductive wine that will continue to evolve and reveal its multiple facets over many years. It is a serious, cerebral wine of great focus and precision. A harmonious amalgam of aromas, flavour, intensity and length. Keppell Smith

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 to: 2036; Alcohol: 13.5%; Price: $75.00; Rating: 97 Points; James Halliday Wine Companion

Light to mid yellow, bright in the glass, and the bouquet is complex and subtly detailed, not big on reduction this year, but with a controlled flintiness. Minerals and hazelnuts. The palate has a dab of juicy fruit sweetness at the core, and the flavour is profoundly deep and long-lasting. A concentrated, multi-faceted and thoroughly gorgeous chardonnay. Date Tasted: May 2026; Drink: 2026 to 2036; Alcohol: 13.5%; Price: $120.00; Rating: 97 Points; Huon Hooke; The Real Review

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. Date: April 2026; Alcohol: 13.5%; Price: $120.00; Drink: 2027-2036+; Rated: 96+ Points; Gary Walsh; The Wine Front