Savaterre, Chardonnay, Beechworth

2010 Vintage. Dark straw colour in the glass. Notes of cream, melon, grapefruit just an epic nose drawing me in. Palate is wide, mellow, oily without being flabby, lovely integration of oak. Long creamy finish. Noticing wide variation in tasting several of this vintage. Under screwcap.

Badly Oxidised

The 2010 Savaterre Chardonnay presents a deep yellow hue, indicative of its age. Boy that cork was as tight as a sailor's knot on shore leave and appeared to be doing a good job of keep the air out. Aromatically, the wine offers notes of lemon, oak, and green apples. On the palate, the dominant flavors of oak, butter & cream with subtle hints of baked pastry that intermingle harmoniously, delivering a rich and satisfying tasting experience that showcases the …

It’s always great when you cellar a bottle and it rewards you for doing so. This was tremendous. Even my partner was taken aback. Quite stone fruity on the nose - even apricot - though mainly peach/nectarine, but the full bodied palate was more citrusy, with honey, vanilla, spice, and a savoury, almost charcuterie backdrop. It’s not the most balanced or linear Chardonnay but length, complexity and deliciousness all outstanding. This and the Bindi Block 5 made for a good …

Butter and toasted oak over tropical fruit. More of the same on the palate. Fleshy rather than juicy. Medium length. Hmm

Popped and poured. Pale yellow gold in colour. A little darker than I expected, and this was accompanied by some mustiness, which I experienced with the '08, even under stelvin, the bottle variation is pronounced. Nectarine, white peach nose. Unripe white stone fruits, spicy oak, lime rind, lemon, woody, medium minus acidity, medium lemony finish. Austere and not all together enjoyable from this showing. Bottle variation is stark within each vintage of Savaterre. 90

Decanted 30 minutes. Golden yellow in colour. Fresh cut flowers, lemon, pear, fine spiced oak. Silken mouthfeel, medium/ full body, medium minus fruit, seamless integration, mild acidity towards the lingering finish. Guava, white pepper, tangerine, hint of honeyed sweetness, a distraction of lime, complex without being fruit forward, a melange of interest without the drive to the finish of the best 2010s.