The Top Wines
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2021 Municipal Flor Savagnin, Strathbogie Ranges $50 RRP
Selected as a top-six wine by Cooper, Bird, Strickland, Lafitte, Hewitt and Ponsford, this was the most intensely oxidative expression of the lineup – and one of the most distinctive. “There’s some intense flor character here… curry leaf, cumin, cardamom and nigella seed dropped in ghee,” said Cooper, who described the wine’s richness and spice as “bound up in smoke and rising out of the pan.” Bird called it “sherry-like,” noting its bone-dry nature with flavours of “fleur de sel, green olive, oyster juice, dried hay and chamomile” – a wine she said could pair with “anything from lemony fish to smoked almonds.” Strickland admired the golden hue and “grilled nuts, pastry, fresh dough, baked apple and light caramel,” all refreshed by “zippy saline minerality.” Lafitte called it a “classic expression aged under flor,” likening it to vin jaune with its “walnut, hazelnut, honeycomb and fresh morels,” while suggesting it for “carrot cake or creamy poultry dishes.” Hewitt found it “powerful and rich, but fresh,” with “ginger, stewed green apples and cinnamon,” and Ponsford compared it to “great fino,” praising its acid line and wild personality. A show-stopper of a wine that pushes the boundaries of Australian savagnin with confidence and flair.
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2022 Borachio Savagnin, Fleurieu Peninsula $43 RRP
Selected as a top wine of the tasting by Hewitt and Lafitte, this was a standout for its balance of delicacy and savoury drive. “Wine of the day for me,” said Hewitt, praising its “silky richness perfectly in balance with its savoury notes of roasted nuts,” as well as its tight acid line, white peach character, and “lovely oyster-shell minerality.” He noted that, blind, he could have mistaken it for a Jura savagnin. Lafitte was equally taken: “Pure and precise, bright and electric – those are the four words I’d use to describe it.” She found crunchy green apple, lemon zest, and unripe quince, all delivered with a saline backbone and natural tension that suggested minimal intervention. “It seduces you instantly,” she said, calling it a beautiful aperitif wine, ideal with anchovies, fresh cheese or delicate white fish with beurre blanc. A wine that slowly unfolds with poise, precision, and compelling energy.
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NV Soumah ‘Wild Savagnin № 4’, Yarra Valley $110 RRP
Froude and Ponsford both highlighted this wine’s balance of freshness and savoury nuance, with Froude noting its “delicate aromas of white plum blossom” and a palate layered with citrus, light texture, and a “delicate-yet-zippy mouthfeel.” He called it an easy choice for sunny-day refreshment. Ponsford found it more contemplative – salty and fresh on the nose with manzanilla-like character and a “nervy” aromatic mix of blanched almond, preserved lemon, sourdough mother, and citrussy curry leaf. He described the palate as driven and linear, with Williams pear and creamy starfruit shaped by bright acidity and finishing long with fennel seed and sea salt. He admired its harmony: “Balancing the acid, the alcohol, and the density of the variety is tricky, but this wine holds everything together quite well.” An accomplished and expressive take on savagnin’s more exaggerated traits, all handled with a deft touch.
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2024 Glenarty Road ‘Wildlings’ Savagnin, Margaret River $45 RRP
A compelling wine of power and precision, the Glenarty Road Savagnin impressed for its generosity and structure. Lafitte found a deep and energetic nose, brimming with Granny Smith apple, white stone peach, star anise, fennel flower and honeysuckle. “Captivating,” she said, wondering if the aromatic intensity might come from low yields or old vines. Bird was equally taken by the lush fruit – ripe red and yellow apples, nectarine, peach – and a palate that made her immediately reach for another sip. “Complex, delicious,” she said, noting orange blossom water and briny chamomile tea notes, with salted biscuits on the finish. Ponsford praised its density and richness – “savagnin with power,” he called it – noting waxy texture, newer oak influence and a savoury tension akin to lemon peel and red apple skin. Froude, meanwhile, drew comparisons to riesling, with jasmine, lime, and a granitic mineral core that made it “clean and bright” with “lovely texture and weight.” A dynamic, complex and multidimensional wine that pulls you back for more.
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2024 Coolangatta Estate ‘Harry’s Harvest’ Savagnin, Shoalhaven Coast $35 RRP
Striking a balance between playful charm and serious mineral structure, ‘Harry’s Harvest’ was described by Bird as “just so yummy … in the sweet spot.” She celebrated its zesty energy – yellow kiwi skin, unripe mango, yellow nectarine – all wrapped in an appealing mix of acid, body, and texture, with a nostalgic note of peaches and cream and “a wine which needs no occasion, yet fits all of them.” Cooper called it “succulent and driven,” filled with saline lift – rock salt, oyster shell, and ozone – paired with fleshy stone fruit and a dash of candied lemon peel and smoked panna cotta. Strickland noted a more savoury angle: “smoky jalapeño, mezcal and wood-fired pineapple,” with citrus and pineapple fruit riding a “prickly line of acid” that had her dreaming of ham pizza or chicken tacos. Lafitte described the nose as a slow burn – initially reserved but ultimately revealing layers of stewed apricot, vanilla, cinnamon and rum-and-raisin warmth. On the palate, she found a creamy texture wrapped in peach and apricot, lifted by acacia blossom, buttered pastry and a finishing mineral thread. A generous, sunny expression of savagnin, but one that still hums with freshness and finesse.
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2022 Glandore ‘Caméléon’ Savagnin, Hunter Valley $59 RRP
A bold, unexpected take on savagnin, the ‘Caméléon’ surprised and impressed with its reductive styling. “Savagnin made with reduction – literally the opposite of what everyone expects from the variety – and I’m here for it,” said Ponsford. He described the wine as “flinty as all hell,” with reduction giving it both aromatic tension and creamy weight on the palate, while still delivering hallmark savagnin traits: high acid, elevated alcohol, and a subtle grip that some might confuse for skin contact. “Weighty, but with driving acid that keeps it fresh,” he said. Bird found it “opulent, perhaps excessive,” with notes of roasted nuts – hazelnut, walnut, toasted almond skin – as well as soft spice, parmesan rind, jackfruit and white mushrooms. “It’s a savagnin for chardonnay drinkers,” she added, imagining it paired with chicken and a delicate mushroom velouté. This wine may challenge expectations, but it backs its swagger with style.
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2019 Crittenden ‘Cri de Coeur’ Savagnin Sous Voile, Mornington Peninsula $95 RRP
A benchmark example of Australian oxidative winemaking, the ‘Cri de Coeur’ had Ponsford recognising its class and identity immediately. “Powerful and oxidative, but also restrained,” he said. “The oxidative aromas are deep, caramelised and nutty – think roasted almonds – but with preserved lemon freshness that keeps it from ever feeling heavy.” He praised its balance and drinkability, noting that while it’s “wild,” it’s also “approachable,” making it an ideal starting point for those new to oxidative wines. “It feels like the establishment,” he added. “I would guess this is Crittenden savagnin – and if it’s not, bravo to whoever made it.”
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2023 Defialy ‘Pale Blue Eyes’ Savagnin, King Valley $42 RRP
Flor character can often dominate a wine, but here it’s used with finesse, said Cooper, praising the way savoury spice and pure fruit interlace. He noted aromas of nigella seed, mulato pepper, mesquite and curry leaf wrapped around juicy yellow peach and lemon, with the palate exploding and evolving with every sip. “Pretty special stuff,” he said. “Highly commendable.” Bird found the wine “just bloody delicious” – bursting with aromatic joy. She described notes of peach syrup, honeycomb, beeswax, Meyer lemon, and the faint kiss of leatherwood honey, all underpinned by a mineral core of salt rock and quartz. She saw it as “clear, mineral, but with emergent fruit,” and noted a herbal layer of thyme, tarragon, and preserved lemon. “Simply a delight to drink – anywhere, any time,” she said, calling for goat cheese salad or Mediterranean dishes to match its charm. “So compelling each time… I love it.”
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2024 Foreign Friends Savagnin, King Valley $37 RRP
A complex and expressive wine that reveals more with each swirl of the glass. Froude found it initially delicate and light on the nose, with hints of ginger spice, before unfurling into white florals, lime, and creamy barrel-ferment characters. He praised its “excellent mouthfeel” and “lovely light, creamy finish that belies the high acidity.” Cooper was equally taken, calling it “opulent and very exotic,” with ripe stone fruit, melon and jasmine florals leaping from the glass. As it opened, he noted “little whispers of smoked cream” emerging beneath the glossy fruit. “The purity and intensity just keep building,” he said, describing its amplitude as “wild.” He imagined it alongside fish and chips, where the wine’s acidity and richness would play beautifully with both batter and fish.
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2011 Box Grove Savagnin, Nagambie Lakes $24 RRP
A wine with remarkable energy and savoury complexity, even at over a decade old. Strickland was immediately drawn in by aromas of curry leaf and fresh celery, followed by a palate that was “fresh and bright,” yet underpinned by savoury nuance and balance. She highlighted its “prickly minerality,” whole raw almonds, exotic brown spices, Meyer lemon, kaffir lime and green apple, all carried by a hit of salinity that “makes you salivate.” This is a wine, she said, that begs for food – “perhaps a nice warming dhal.”
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2020 La Villa Savagnin, Tasmania $34 RRP
A more restrained take on savagnin, this wine charmed with subtlety and finesse. Bird described it as “less intense, more subtle” than some in the lineup, but still “so good.” She admired its soft fruit spectrum – white nectarine, white peach, and delicate apple flesh – with a silky texture that held through to the finish. Though the finish carried a hint of pithiness, it stopped short of bitterness, rounding out a wine that is quietly compelling and immensely drinkable.
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2023 Stoney Rise ‘Tradition’, Tasmania $63 RRP
With layers of complexity and texture (complemented by some chardonnay in the ferment), the ‘Tradition’ is a wine that rewards thoughtful drinking. Froude was struck by its expressive barrel fermentation notes, from “flinty sulphites” and matchstick to slatey mineral tones, set against a familiar core of lime and green apple. “Complex on the palate with excellent length and weight,” he said, adding that the creamy finish and overall textural depth make it a wine suited to “quiet contemplation.”
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2023 Entropy ‘Willow Grove’ Savagnin, Gippsland $55 RRP
Pure, precise and evocative, Entropy’s savagnin transported Hewitt with its clarity of expression. “Lovely lifted aroma of lemon blossoms leap from the glass,” he said, noting a “real sense of fruit purity” with flavours of green apple and a vivid, pithy lemon acidity that made him salivate. “Another wine that has me dreaming of the Jura,” he added, imagining it alongside roast chicken and morels – a pairing to match the wine’s elegant power.
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2024 Stoney Rise Savagnin, Tasmania $42 RRP
A beautifully-balanced and compellingly energetic take on the variety. Ponsford described this as a “really balanced expression of savagnin,” noting its golden hue and signature grip – a subtle, skin-contact-like texture that carries a rush of bright, freshly squeezed lemon juice. Cooper was struck by the interplay of “sexy reduction” – creamy, smoky and slightly funky – layered over ripe stone fruits and white chocolate. He found the palate “taut, racy and hyper energetic,” with a “killer line of salty, mineral-laced goodness.” He suggested it as a savvy alternative for lovers of chardonnay, pointing to the shared charm both varieties exhibit in Jura and in this wine. Strickland was equally impressed, highlighting the wine’s toasted oak, grilled nuts and florals on the nose, with a mouthfeel that was “rich yet restrained,” lifted by “lively acidity” and finishing “tightly focused, a little salty, and with great length.” Her pairing pick: wood-fired sardines on rye.
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2023 Limestone Cowboy Savagnin, Limestone Coast $50 RRP
Complex and characterful, this wine captivated with its interplay of freshness and subtle oxidative detail. Strickland admired its “lovely rich, nutty, complex nose,” and a palate that carried the same layered complexity, with grilled nuts, ginger spice, fresh citrus and green apple. She found it structured yet fresh, with a long, mineral finish, and recommended pairing it with hibachi quail or mushrooms. Lafitte described it as “truly intriguing,” opening with vibrant green apple and sour lemon before revealing a savoury spectrum of walnut, roasted almond and dried dates, all underpinned by a saline, subtly oxidative edge. Lifted by hints of honey, floral spice and a leesy texture, she found it versatile at the table – but a standout aperitif in its own right.
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2022 Municipal Savagnin, Strathbogie Ranges $45 RRP
A harmonious and gently oxidative expression, this wine balanced poise with generosity. Strickland noted aromas of “grilled nuts, a little honey, fresh white blossoms and honeysuckle,” supported by stony minerality and oak spice. Walnut and citrus elements deepened the profile, with lemon peel, lemon curd, and a creamy complexity wrapped in briny minerality. She praised its “great balance and length,” calling it a wine of “tension and poise,” perfect with roast poultry or hard cheeses.
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2024 Soumah ‘Hexham Vineyard’ Savarro, Yarra Valley $34 RRP
A proudly Australian take on savagnin, bottled under the obscure synonym ‘savarro’, showing both clarity and character. Hewitt found it “a wine style I’ve come to recognise as a great Australian version,” praising its high acidity, warming mouthfeel and balance. Bright notes of “lemony acidity, ripe green apples and jasmine blossom” led to a long, lingering finish. Simple pleasures were in mind with his pairing recommendation: “Drink this with fish and chips on the beach.”
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2023 Golding ‘La Francesa’ Savagnin, Adelaide Hills $26 RRP
Opulent and tightly wound, this wine impressed with its combination of fruit richness and structure. Cooper highlighted “ripe peaches, lashings of cream and marzipan,” joined by almond blossom and a whiff of sea spray. He described a wine that remained fruit-forward – “peachy, with yellow nectarine emerging” – yet underpinned by “a long and salty acid line,” reminiscent of Jura’s finest. A compelling wine of energy and texture.
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2023 Héritage Estate ‘Reserve’ Savagnin, Granite Belt $33 RRP
A vibrant and aromatic expression that Lafitte described as “bursting with intense aromatics,” with an almost perfumed lift of “ripe peaches, white tea, jasmine and candied ginger.” She found the palate equally engaging, led by zesty acidity and flavours of “sour candied green apples and lemon sherbet,” grounded by apricot custard tart richness. A touch of sweetness rounded the wine beautifully, making it, in her words, “a joyful, youthful expression full of energy and personality.” She saw this as a perfect aperitif and a brilliant match for spicy, fragrant curries.
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2023 Cooke Brothers Savagnin, Langhorne Creek $30 RRP
A richly textured and intricately layered wine, praised for its complexity and savoury appeal. Froude described “delicate apricot blossom aromas, peach, mineral notes and a creamy leesy character with hints of smoky oak.” On the palate, he found “richness, roundness and plenty of texture,” with stone fruit, mineral drive, and a long finish. “The rounded acidity, creamy notes, and slight funk demonstrate some lees work,” he said, suggesting this wine would shine alongside strongly flavoured dishes like a parmesan-laden risotto.
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2024 BK Wines ‘Skin n’ Bones’ Savagnin, Adelaide Hills $42 RRP
This modern Australian take on the variety stood out for its balance of oxidative lift and freshness. Hewitt noted “a gentle aroma of roasted almonds” suggesting subtle oxidative handling, alongside “lemon pith and zest, white peach, and lemon blossom.” Unfiltered and textural, he praised its leesy mouthfeel and “saline acidity bringing refreshment and a sense of minerality.” A compelling and contemporary expression.
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2011 Kangarilla ‘The Veil’ Savagnin, Adelaide Hills
A wine that evolved beautifully in the glass, revealing layers of funk, fruit and savoury nuance. Froude found it “a touch subdued on the nose initially,” but said it opened up into “a complex blend of funky reduction, limestone minerality, and ripe yellow peach,” with top notes of white balsamic. The palate was “full bodied and rich with good length and mouthfeel,” concluding with “an unusual but compelling finish.” Not a wine for all, he noted, “but one that will be loved by its fans.”
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2015 Mosquito Hill Savagnin, Fleurieu Peninsula $25 RRP
A graceful and gently oxidative expression, showing finesse and drinkability. Hewitt found “roasted almonds and jasmine blossom” on the nose, with “light oxidative handling” suggested in both aroma and feel. “Unfiltered, with that leesy textural mouthfeel,” he said, praising its balance of “green apples, sea spray, and lemony acidity bringing freshness.” A wine, he concluded, “it would be easy to finish the bottle” of.
The panel
Ryan Ponsford’s Entropy label is the result of him being diverted from a successful artistic career to making wine in Gippsland’s Baw Baw Shire. With a focus on organic growing and minimal-intervention winemaking, learnt working alongside Bill Downie, Ponsford has resurrected a derelict vineyard and rejuvenated another in parlous health. He was the Young Gun of Wine Award winner in 2020.
Hélène Lafitte grew up in Marseille and moved to Australia in her teens to study agriculture, eventually specialising in wine. With hands-on experience in French wine regions including Languedoc, Chablis, and Jura, she developed a deep passion for biodynamic farming and telling its story through wine. After a decade in Melbourne’s wine scene – working in sales and purchasing for importers and restaurant groups – she now represents leading Australian wine distributor Imbibo. She spends her time celebrating the origins, land, and labour behind every bottle of wine.
Matt Froude is so passionate about wine and sake it’s hard to imagine him doing anything else. However, he has had multiple vocations from environmental engineer and tour guide to managing English schools in Asia – all of which have influenced his taste and winemaking philosophy. In 2009, after almost ten years of living in Asia, Matt returned to Australia to study winemaking and follow his passion for wine. Matt currently makes the Municipal wine range in the picturesque Strathbogie Ranges, and produces two Municipal sakes at Matsuse Sake Brewery in Shiga, Japan.
Angela Strickland has been working in the hospitality industry for 25 years, starting her career in Hobart before moving to Melbourne in 1999. With experiences gained at some of Melbourne’s most respected wine bars, Walter’s Wine Bar and Punch Lane, she later moved into retail during the heyday of Randall the Wine Merchant in Albert Park. Strickland opened here own store, Independent Wine Store, a decade ago in Rye, Mornington Peninsula. Recently she opened Banksia Wine Room in McCrae as a co-owner. She was a judge for the 19th annual Young Gun of Wine Awards.
James Cooper got his start at a neighbourhood Vintage Cellars, before making his bones at Cru Bar & Cellar in Brisbane, where he was on the buying team for four years. He moved to Melbourne, working stints at City Wine Shop before becoming Assistant Head Sommelier at Society under the mentorship of Yuki Hirose, MS. After some travel, he took on the opportunity from Mount Erica Hotel to become that venue’s wine buyer, and develop the wine program there into what he thinks might just redefine what a pub wine list can be.
Clementine Bird is a Melbourne-based wine professional, writer, and educator with a background in wine buying, sommelier roles, and content creation. A WSET Diploma candidate and Certified Sommelier, she currently works as a senior sommelier at Reine & La Rue and runs Wine with Clementine, a digital platform focused on accessible wine storytelling. With experience spanning Domaine Chandon to editorial roles, Bird combines deep industry knowledge with a flair for communication. Her writing explores everything from producer profiles to trade insights, and she remains actively involved in the wine community through projects like Women and Revolution and Rootlings.
Micah Hewitt is the mastermind behind the Defialy label – an acronym for “Don’t ever forget I’ll always love you”. When a winemaker is so acutely aware of how lucky they are to be in such a position, absolutely nothing is taken for granted. His is a story of hard work and perseverance – thankfully, it’s paying off. He describes his wines as handmade, no-tech, and minimal fuckery. The idea is to start with great fruit and let it take centre stage in an honest representation of time and place.
