How many different grape varieties have you tried? Join the Great Australian Varietal Challenge.

Savagnin white wine variety

An accidental success story

Savagnin Vines at Crittenden Estate in The Mornington Peninsula

The big Boo Boo

Until very recently Savagnin was not known to be used commercially in Australia. Since 2009 it has been known that the vineyards in Australia which thought they were planting Albarino were in fact planting Savagnin.

The wines are still excellent, it's just that the wine needs to be marketed under a new name.  

Apparently propagation material from Spain via France labelled as "Albarino" were in fact "Savagnin".  This material was used by vine nurseries to supply all of the vineyards who planted it in the early 2000s. By the end of that decade DNA analysis had revealed the mistake.

Other cases of mistaken Identity

This is not the only time that mistakes have occurred. In the 1990s it was discovered that many vineyards in Chile thought to be Merlot were in fact another Bordeaux variety Carmenere.  Many other vineyards were found to be field blends of the two varieties.  Carmenere is better suited to the drier conditions and is now a major variety in Chile.

Some Western Australian wineries planted a variety called Carnelian when they thought they had Sangiovese.  A few have persisted with the variety, which makes good red and rose wines.

So what is Savagnin?

Savagnin in France

Jura Wine by Wink Lorch

This book, availalbe from Book Depository includes descriptions of the Savagnin variety and Vin Jaune

Savagnin is a very old variety which is believed to have originated somewhere in north east France or in adjacent areas of Germany.  

Despite the similarity of names this variety is a distinct variety to Sauvignon Blanc. 

There is a substantial number of clones some of which are usually regarded as separate varieties.  There are dozens of synonyms, reflecting its age and distribution.

The aromatic Gewurztraminer is a clone of this variety.

The clone that is most commonly grown now is often called Savagnin blanc.  It is particularly known for its role for the production of the rather idiosyncratic vin jaune in the Jura Region of Eastern France.

By Arnaud 25 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Savagnin in Australia

After the mistake was discovered grape growers and wine makers were faced with a choice, whether to persist with Savagnin or to graft their vines over to something else. Fortunately many had already made a couple of vintages and were impressed enough with the wines to continue with Savagnin.

Australian dry white wines from this variety are often excellent, crisp and light bodied, ideal with appetisers or seafood. They are very similar in style at least to the best Albarino wines from north west Spain.

As the wines can't be labelled as "Albarino".  The name Savagnin is similar to Sauvignon and hence causes confusion.  Some winemakers use fantasy names, for example Soumah use Saverro, and Dalfarras use Savinno.

• 919 Wines Riverland
• Allinda Yarra Valley
• Angullong Wines Orange
• Bago Vineyards Hastings River
• Banrock Station Riverland
• Bay of Schoals Kangaroo Island
• BK Wines Adelaide Hills
• BK Wines Riverland
• Box Grove Vineyard Nagambie Lakes
• Brown Brothers King Valley
• Brown Brothers King Valley
• Carn Estate Murray Darling
• Castagna Vineyard Beechworth
• Centennial Vineyards Southern Highlands
• Chalice Bridge Estate Margaret River
• Chalk Hill Winery McLaren Vale
• Chapel Hill McLaren Vale
• Chrismont King Valley
• Cirami Estate Riverland
• Coolangatta Estate Shoalhaven Coast
• Coombe Farm Vineyard Yarra Valley
• Crittenden Estate Mornington Peninsula
• Crooked River Wines Shoalhaven Coast
• Dalfarras Nagambie Lakes
• Dirt Road Vignerons Barossa Valley
• Doc Adams McLaren Vale
• Domlina Geelong
• Drakesbrook Wines Peel
• Feathertop Alpine Valleys
• First Drop Barossa Valley
• G Patritti & Co McLaren Vale
• Gemtree Vineyards McLaren Vale
• Gestalt Wines Adelaide Hills
• Glandore Estate Hunter Valley
• Golden Ball Beechworth
• Golding Adelaide Hills
• Gracebrook Vineyards King Valley
• Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy McLaren Vale
• Heritage Estate Granite Belt
• Hollick Wines Coonawarra
• Homestead Estate Alpine Valleys
• Irvine Eden Valley
• Kangarilla Road McLaren Vale
• La Villa Northern Tasmania
• Landhaus Estate Adelaide Hills
• Langmeil Barossa Valley
• Mad Dog Wines Barossa Valley
• Mimosa South Coast Zone
• Minko Southern Fleurieu
• Mosquito Hill Wines Southern Fleurieu
• Omersown Wines Riverland
• Parri Estate Southern Fleurieu
• Pikes Clare Valley
• Pindarie Wines Barossa Valley
• Quarry Hill Wines Canberra
• Rileys of Eden Valley Eden Valley
• Rob Dolan Wines Yarra Valley
• Rochford Wines Yarra Valley
• Rusticana Langhorne Creek
• Rusty Fig Wines South Coast Zone
• Rutherglen Estates Rutherglen
• Saltram Barossa Valley
• Sassafras Canberra
• Soumah Yarra Valley
• Stockman's Ridge Orange
• Symphonia King Valley
• Tscharke Barossa Valley
• Tuck's Ridge Mornington Peninsula
• Wine by Sam Strathbogie Ranges
• Zonte's Footstep Langhorne Creek

Learn More about Grape varieties

De Long's Wine Grape Varietal Table

Get your copy of
De Long's Wine Grape Varietal Table

Details Here

Wine Grapes by Jancis Robinson, Julia Harding and José Vouillamoz

Order your copy now!

• A physical copy from Vinodiversity's recommended online bookseller
• An iBooks copy for your iPad or iPhone
• A Kindle edition for Kindles and other devices, including Mac and PC desktops and laptops.

An offer from our online shop partner

2 bottles each of some stunning alternative reds.

Nero d'Avola, Touriga, Zweigelt and more. 

Order your Dozen Here