Dear *|FNAME|*,

Duncan Savage’s new vintages make for one of the most anticipated releases of the year. The wines reflect Duncan and his team’s focus on vineyard improvement and their continued pursuit of purity and vinosity. In short, these releases are inspiring.

His signature Savage Red 2020 and Savage White 2021 have never been better. The Savage Red 2020 is an exceptional Syrah, possessing typical Polkadraai elegance with added depth and power in this vintage. It’s Christian Eedes highest rated red from this release (96/100!) and, at only R330, it comfortably competes with Syrahs double this price. The white is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon and is all energy and personality. Its alluring aromatics of lemon, jasmine, tangerine, crushed stone, and spice follow through to the palate with white stone fruit and a dry, long finish.

The Savage wines offer brilliant value considering their rarity, rock-star credibility and quality. They continue to have a deserved following and we expect them to sell out quickly, as they do every year.

Follow The Line 2021 Cinsault has a palate that is ‘seemingly almost weightless… with fresh acidity and fine tannins,’ enthuses Christian. ‘Possessing arresting fruit purity, this is very elegant.’

There are beautiful aromatics and definition in the Grenache-based 2021 Thief In The Night. The fruit comes from the same Piekenierskloof Grenache vineyard as Eben’s Soldaat. The 2021 is broad-textured, salty and bone dry – ‘just very harmonious’, opines Christian.

The Savage releases below have been sold on allocation. To be added to the allocation list for future releases, please email lauren@winecellar.co.za.

Never Been Asked To Dance 2021 is a testament to the meticulous work Duncan is doing in the vineyards. The wine is exquisitely balanced with concentrated stone fruit, focused salinity, zesty acidity, and a pithy, textured finish.

The Are We There Yet 2021 is ‘the most improved wine in the range’, according to Christian. It offers weight and power without losing clarity of fruit and detail. From vineyards in Malgas, it’s a 50/50 blend of Touriga Naçional and Syrah.

The Girl Next Door 2021, from a 0.38ha vineyard in Fish Hoek, offers incredible intensity, brightness, length, and a bone-dry, savoury palate. Another Syrah with a cult following in South Africa.

Lastly, the Not Tonight Josephine 2021 is a unique representation of straw wine, boasting dried apricot, marmalade and naartjie notes entwined with hay, salinity, and dried thyme. Super scarce and allocated.

Reply to this email or visit our website to place your order online.

Vinous regards,

Tasting notes

Savage, White Blend 2021

‘69% Sauvginon Blanc and 31% Semillon. Matured for 10 months in 500-litre barrels, 20% new. Subtle aromatics of peach, nectarine and blackcurrant plus a little vanilla and spice. The palate shows excellent fruit concentration with a creamy texture and well-integrated acidity. Polished, rich and round.’ – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za (94/100)

Savage, Red 2020

‘From a Stellenbosch vineyard on decomposed granite. 50% whole-bunch fermentation while maturation lasts 12 months in old 500-litre barrels before a further 10 months in foudre. Heady aromatics with top notes of musk and violets before red and black berries plus pepper. The palate shows great fruit density, fresh acidity and fine tannins. A refined, seamless wine – very good structure without being too weighty or forceful’ – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za (96/100)

Savage, Never Been Asked To Dance 2021

‘Chenin Blanc from a Paarl vineyard planted in 1956. Hay, dried herbs, lime, white peach and some struck-match reduction on the nose while the palate is precise and focused – great fruit purity and snappy acidity before a pithy finish.’ – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za (94/100)

Savage, Follow The Line 2021

‘93% Darling Cinsault and 7% Syrah. 50% whole-bunch fermented. Cherry and cranberry plus hints of rose and white pepper on the nose. The palate is seemingly almost weightless (alcohol is 13.1%) with fresh acidity and fine tannins. Possessing arresting fruit purity, this is very elegant.’ – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za (93/100)

Savage, Thief In The Night 2021

‘86% Grenache, 9% Cinsault and 5% Syrah, grapes from Piekenierskloof. 20% whole-bunch fermentation. Understated notes of cherry, plum, pomegranate plus earth, spice and a little reduction on the nose. The palate shows good fruit density, fresh acidity and powdery tannins. Relatively broad (alcohol is 13.6%) but hardly opulent, just very harmonious.’ – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za (93/100)

Savage, Are We There Yet 2021

‘A 50:50 blend of Touriga Nacional and Syrah from Malgas. 10% whole-bunch fermentation. Some flinty reduction before red and black berries, lavender, fresh herbs and pepper on the nose while the palate has great structure and balance – a dense core of fruit matched by driving acidity and tannins that are firm in the best sense. The most improved wine in the range.’ – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za (95/100)

Savage, Girl Next Door Syrah 2021

‘From a 0.38ha vineyard in Fish Hoek. 50% whole-bunch fermentation before maturation lasting 10 months in foudre. Expressive aromatics of dark berries, some floral perfume, fresh herbs and black pepper on the nose while the palate shows good clarity of fruit, bright acidity and nicely grippy tannins, the finish super-savoury. Currently tight and austere, this needs at least two or three years in bottle.’ – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za (95/100)

Savage, Not tonight Josephine 2021

‘From Piekenierskloof Chenin Blanc, the grapes dried for three weeks to make a straw wine. Despite an alcohol of just 7.5g/l, this is quite the most opulent wine. Naartjie, peach, apricot, pineapple, hay and honey on the nose while the palate is arresting if nothing else – a dizzying amount of sweetness plays off against fierce acidity.’ – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za (92/100)

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