“Wine is about fun…It’s such an emotional industry. Everyone says emotion and business shouldn’t be together. But here, this is all emotion.”
Duncan matriculated at Rondebosch Boys’ High in 1995. After a few years of surfing more and studying less, Duncan finally found his niche. Once the wine bug bit there was no turning back and Duncan headed off to Elsenburg.
Elsenburg was followed by 14 incredible years at Cape Point Vineyards before Duncan embarked on his own venture in 2016 and Savage Wines was set up in the heart of Cape Town in Salt River. Vineyards are leased and grapes sourced from around the Western Cape, maritime in nature where possible. Granitic soil is the focus, allowing for wines of purity and finesse, the hallmark of Savage Wines.
100% Syrah
Wine of Origin Coastal
This wine embodies elegance and purity, reflecting its origin from granitic soil in a maritime climate. The grapes are processed using whole bunch fermentation techniques. It is crafted in Duncan’s Salt River winery, showcasing his distinct winemaking approach.
Tasting Notes:
Classically styled Cape Syrah reflecting purity and elegance. Red fruits, spice and floral notes along with seamless texture.
Ready for drinking now and over the next 10 years.
Winemaker: Duncan Savage
100% Syrah
Wine of Origin Coastal
Elegant, perfumed and classic in style. Granitic soil grown with a strong maritime influence.
Tasting Notes: Plums, violets, white pepper, charcuterie and black olives.
Drink now and over the next 10 years.
Winemaker: Duncan Savage
100% Syrah
Granitic soil-grown Syrah fermented in open top fermenters, 50% as whole clusters. The wine spent two years in old 225 litre French oak barrels, followed by 5 months in bottle prior to the auction.
Tasting Notes: Lifted floral notes, white pepper, black olive and fynbos.
Ready for drinking now and over the next 10 years.
Winemaker: Duncan Savage
100% Syrah
Grapes were hand-sorted into a 1.5 ton open top fermenter. 50% whole cluster, manual punch-downs four times per day with regular aeration. Aged for 10 months in a clay amphora before bottling. The wine spent 18 months in bottle prior to the auction.
Tasting Notes: Red and dark fruit, fynbos, grilled herbs and black olive along with a fine line of spice. Tannins are fine-grained but robust, a wine worthy of a few years in the bottle.
Ready to drink now or over the next 10 years.
Winemaker: Duncan Savage
The Love Boat wines are ‘gut feel’ wines, there is no blending or planning involved. Duncan doesn’t know what Adi did and Adi doesn’t know what Duncan did but together the wines just work.
Winemaker: Duncan Savage
The Love Boat wines are ‘gut feel’ wines, there is no blending or planning involved. Duncan doesn’t know what Adi did and Adi doesn’t know what Duncan did but together the wines just work.
Winemaker: Adi Badenhorst
The Love Boat wines are ‘gut feel’ wines, there is no blending or planning involved. Duncan doesn’t know what Adi did and Adi doesn’t know what Duncan did but together the wines just work.
Winemaker: Duncan Savage
The grapes are meticulously sourced from a number of altitude and maritime vineyards from around the Western Cape, farmed by passionate South Africans. The small, handselected parcels receive much love and attention through the growing season, with each vineyard’s unique terroir contributing in its own special way to the blend.
In the cellar, minimal intervention, local clay amphora and old large format French Oak are combined to ensure that the essence of South African terroir is captured in the wines.
Winemaker: Duncan Savage
The grapes for the Auction White were picked from the Isliedh and Semillon Vineyards on the Cape Point Vineyards property, from extremely weak vines yielding only 4 tons per hectare. The fruit was whole bunch pressed in an oxidative manner and put to barrel without settling. Spontaneous fermentation took place in older 600 litre barrels with the blend compiled directly after ferment. The wine then spent 10 months in barrel with regular battonage before being bottled in January 2015.
Winemaker: Duncan Savage
The grapes for the Auction White were picked from the Isliedh and Semillon Vineyards on the Cape Point Vineyards property, from extremely weak vines yielding only 4 tons per hectare. The fruit was whole bunch pressed in an oxidative manner and put to barrel without settling. Spontaneous fermentation took place in older 600 litre barrels with the blend compiled directly after ferment. The wine then spent 10 months in barrel with regular battonage before being bottled in January 2015.
Winemaker: Duncan Savage
The grapes for the Reserve White were picked from the Isliedh and Semillon Vineyards on the Cape Point Vineyards property, from extremely weak vines yielding only 3 tons per hectare. The fruit was whole bunch pressed in an oxidative manner and put to barrel without settling. Spontaneous fermentation took place in older 600 litre barrels with the blend compiled directly after ferment. The wine then spent 15 months in barrel with regular battonage before being bottled in June 2014. Tasting Notes: Classic Cape Peninsula maritime freshness and minerality form the backbone of the blend. Citrus, floral elements, spice and lanolin come together on the nose and palate to complement a long, textured finish.
Winemaker: Duncan Savage
The grapes for the wine were picked from the Semillon and Isliedh vineyards on the Noordhoek property, from extremely weak vines yielding only 3 tons/hectare. The grapes were whole bunch pressed in an oxidative manner and put to barrel (Sauvignon Blanc) and clay amphora (Semillon) without settling. Spontaneous fermentation took place in barrel and amphora where the wines spent 3 months on primary lees. Both wines were then racked and blended with the blend spending a further 10 months in old French Oak before being bottled without fining and filtration. Tasting Notes: Floral elements, stone fruit and citrus dominate the nose and palate. The wine is rich and textured with Semillon taking the lead, very youthful at this stage with the potential to age gracefully over the next 5 ? 10 years.
Winemaker: Duncan Savage
The grapes for the wine were picked from the Isliedh and Semillon Vineyards on the Noordhoek property, from extremely weak vines yielding only 2 tons/hectare. The grapes were whole bunch pressed in an oxidative manner and put to barrel without settling. Spontaneous and inoculated fermentations took place in 20% new and 80% second fill (and older) barrels with the blend compiled directly after ferment. The wine then spent 13.5 months in barrel with regular battonage before being bottled in May 2012. Tasting Notes: Limes, grapefruit and floral elements dominate the nose with subtle oak. The palate is fresh with floral elements, citrus and a persistent finish.
Winemaker: Duncan Savage
The grapes for the wine are picked from the Isliedh Vineyard on the Noordhoek property from extremely weak vines yielding only 2 tons/hectare. Grapes are whole bunch pressed in an oxidative manner and put to barrel without settling. Spontaneous and inoculated fermentations take place in 50% new and 50% 2nd fill barrels with the blend compiled directly after ferment. The wine then spent 13.5 months in barrel with regular battonage before being bottled in May 2011. Tasting note: Limes, grapefruit and floral elements dominate the nose with subtle oak. The palate is fresh with a floral, limey intensity and a persistent finish. Drink now and over the next 5 years.
Winemaker: Duncan Savage
Traditional handling in the cellar. Barrel fermented and aged for 11 months in 600 Litre French oak barrels where the wine underwent full malolactic fermentation. The wine received a light filtration before bottling. Drink now or over the next three years. Tasting note: The blend displays honey, oatmeal and citrus which follow onto a rich palate with good length and freshness.
Winemaker: Duncan Savage
Winemaking Notes Traditional handling, barrel fermented and aged for 11 months in second-fill barrels. Tasting Notes Tropical fruit with herbaceous tones on the nose follow to a richly textured palate with fantastic length. A great food partner that will develop beautifully over the next few years.
Winemaker: Duncan Savage
Winemaking Notes 100% barrel fermented Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes were basket pressed, followed by spontaneous fermentation in 600 litre French oak. The wine was aged in barrel (1/3 new, 2/3 second-fill) for 11 months before undergoing a light filtration and bottling. Tasting Notes An elegant wine showing citrus, orange blossom and limes; following on to a fresh, tight palate with fantastic aging potential.
Winemaker: Duncan Savage
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