About Savaterre

The vineyard known as Savaterre is located on Melbourne Road, Beechworth, Victoria. It is a part of the cool-climate region in the foothills of the Victorian Alps and they are makers of wonderful wines.

Savaterre is owned by Keppell Smith who established the property in 1996, after a prolonged search of wine regions all across Australia. The terroir of the Beechworth region was just what Keppell was looking for. It had high elevation on slopes, with cooling breezes and plentiful water supply.

Keppell looks toward making wines that are individual and uses what he terms ‘Old World’ viticultural and winemaking techniques. His aim is to deliver wines to the public that are not just ‘mainstream’, but ones that reflect the subtle nuances of the region, and in particular, the qualities of the Savaterre vineyard.

The vineyard lies at around 440 metres above sea level and has breath-taking views of the surrounding landscape. The historic town of Beechworth is close by and there are many wonderful restaurants and places where the superb fresh local produce can be had. The whole region is a tourist magnet and its reputation as a great wine region is growing fast.

Savaterre uses organic principles in their viticultural practices. They do not use pesticides, the vines are close planted at 7,500 vines a hectare and the yield is around 4.5 tons a hectare. The vineyard has granitic soil over decomposed clay, which gives them good sustained drainage.

The unique terroir at Savaterre assists greatly in Keppell’s ability to produce wines of exceptional quality. They hand-pick the grapes in the morning, when it is coolest, and transport them to the winery next to the vineyard.

The high standards at Savaterre vineyard has seen them named in the top 25 vineyards in Australia. This indeed is a high honour.

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the wines available at their Cellar Door.