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Wine geeks love Kermit’s selections because he focuses on smaller production vignerons who make high-quality wine but who may be flying under the radar outside their immediate market. When we learned that none other than Jean-Marie Raveneau, whose Chablis is considered the best of the best, introduced Kermit to Olivier and Francine Savary, the proprietors of Domaine Savary, we couldn’t wait to try this bottling to see if it lived up to the hype.
Domaine Savary was founded in 1984 by Olivier and Francine Savary, who both come from winemaking families. Despite this, however, their entry into making their own wines was not guaranteed. Because while Olivier and Francine both knew their way around a vineyard, in Olivier’s case, the tradition skipped a generation, so the family had no vines of their own. But that didn’t stop Olivier from pursuing his love of the chardonnay grape. He traveled to Dijon, learned the art of winemaking for himself, and returned to Maligny to manage a small vineyard with his wife.
Their small project was quite successful, and the husband and wife team was able to sell all of their grapes to négociants, something they did for several harvests. Propelled by their deep interest and appreciation of Chablis and their growing notoriety in the region, it didn’t take long for Olivier and Francine to make the leap and strike out on their own.
What started out as a small 2.5-acre plot of vines has expanded to almost 50 acres centered in the villages of Maligny and Villy. The brand bottles three styles of Chablis that includes:
Today, Domaine Savary produces around 200,000 bottles of white wine a year. Half of these are exported throughout Europe, the US, South America, Russia, and Australia, where Domaine Savary wines enjoy a large fanbase.
While Olivier and Francine are still involved in the day-to-day running of the family label, they are in the process of transitioning both the vineyard management and the business operations to their two sons, Mathieu and Maxime. It was Maxime who led the Terra Vitis certification process that limits the use of pesticides in vineyards and integrates organic farming practices.
Wine lovers who are newer to French wine may have a few questions about Chablis, so we thought we’d do a quick primer on this style of wine before we jump into the tasting notes for the 2020 Famille Savary Chablis.
First things first. If you do an online search for ‘Chablis’ one of the first questions that appear is: ‘What kind of wine Is Chablis?’
Chablis wine is chardonnay wine from Burgundy’s Chablis region. Chablis is known for being dry, crisp, and for its striking minerality. Many believe Chablis’s distinct minerality comes from the Kimmeridge soil in the region’s vineyards.
The other difference between Chablis and chardonnay from France’s other regions is the way that Chablis is aged. Unlike the chardonnays from Burgundy’s other enclaves, Chablis is fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. The exception here is Premier Cru and Grand Cru Chablis, which may spend a sliver of time in neutral oak.
Premier Cru and Grand Cru Chablis make up a small amount of the region’s production. These wines are known for their richer mouthfeel, overtly lemon and tropical fruit notes, and flinty matchstick minerality. The most readily available Chablis wines are village-level wines from the Chablis AOP. A decent bottle can be had for around $25-$30.
France
Burgundy > Chablis > Petit Chablis
Chardonnay
12.5
49–55°F / 9–12°C
Chardonnay
Not Necessary
Now to 2025
The 2020 Famille Savary Chablis is a blend of grapes from 25-year-old vines in Chablis AOP vineyards. The wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged on fine lees.
In the glass, the wine has a fresh quality, and the nose exhibits what you would expect from a Chablis: the firm crispness of pear, apple, and melon, along with the cold, earthy essence of wet gravel. There’s also a bit of lemon and something softer, perhaps butter. The palate begins with crisp apple and pear and evolves into creamy lemon notes with a touch of sweetness we liken to pineapple.
We found the Famille Savary Chablis to be a good wine but not a great wine. Chablis like this one are generally considered good value wines compared to other Burgundian wines, and they aren’t intended to cellar – unless you have a Grand Cru Chablis.
All in all, a decent bottle and a very good value.
