2023 Domaine Naturaliste Sauvage Sauvignon Blanc, Margaret River

It offers the best of the variety, albeit in rather restrained and classy way with winemaking (wild fermentation, on lees for 10 months in French puncheons, one-third new and regular lees stirring) that brings out texture, savouriness and more. Some pine-lime Splice ice-cream, lemon juice and zest, smokin’ moreish sulphides and fine acidity throughout. It’s up there as a great example of a fumé style.

95 points Special Value Jane Faulkner winecompanion.com.au

Domaine Naturaliste Sauvage Sauvignon Blanc from Margaret River is a bold, wild-fermented white that redefines what Sauvignon Blanc can be. This is not your typical grassy, tropical style—instead, it’s layered, textural, and driven by place and precision. Crafted by acclaimed winemaker Bruce Dukes, Sauvage (French for wild) is all about letting the fruit and vineyard speak for themselves through minimal intervention and natural ferment.

The fruit is sourced from the cooler southern end of Margaret River, where ocean breezes and ancient gravel loam soils create ideal conditions for crisp acidity and aromatic intensity. Hand-harvested at optimal ripeness, the grapes are whole-bunch pressed to French oak barrels for wild fermentation and extended lees ageing. No fining, minimal sulphur, and no filtration mean what you taste in the glass is as pure and unadorned as possible.

On the nose, the wine opens with complex aromas of white grapefruit, lemon curd, sea spray, and subtle herbal notes. The palate is textured and savoury, with flavours of preserved citrus, fennel, and a hint of almond meal, all wrapped in a vibrant acid line and flinty minerality. It’s dry, serious, and incredibly food-friendly—more reminiscent of top Loire or Bordeaux Blanc than classic Aussie Savvy.

Domaine Naturaliste Sauvage is for drinkers looking for depth, texture, and wild character in their white wines. It shines with shellfish, roast chicken, or creamy vegetable dishes.

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