Savitas Wines Álainn Fion Chardonnay 2018

To put this and other wines made by Matt O’Leary under the Savitas Wines umbrella into perspective, we need to look to his long career as winemaker at Wolf Blass. It’s pretty safe to say it laid the basis of his winemaking, during which he won award after award for his chardonnay, including World’s Best Chardonnay at the Hong Kong International Wine Challenge. Not something to sniff at.

So, back to Álainn Fion . . . The winemaker starts with a quality base, fruit from the Piccadilly Valley sub-region of the Adelaide Hills. He then proceeds to let said quality express itself beautifully, deliciously in the glass. This is a multi-layered wine, fully integrated but the more you taste the more layers are revealed: of white peach, nectarine and cumquat, then a splash of citrus brightens and lifts before you enter into a textural beauty which explores gentle spice and soft, underlying oak. It’s tied together firmly by bright, clean acidity that pops and smacks the lips. I’m a fan. And Álainn Fion? It’s Gaelic for “beautiful wine.” Fitting.