Drink of the Week: Johan Vineyards 2022 Savagnin

The delight found in opening an unexpected bottle of wine is right up there with stumbling across a sunset—sheer ephemeral joy. And so it was when I popped the cork on the Johan Vineyards Savagnin, a wine I knew nothing about and immediately, thoroughly, enjoyed. While Oregon’s Willamette Valley is well-known for its Pinot Noir (comprising 70 percent of the region’s production), white varietal Savagnin is virtually nonexistent in the area, except at Johan Vineyards.

Native to the Jura in eastern France, where it is used to produce the region’s dry, mineral-driven vin jaune, Savagnin today is rarely found in the United States. But in 2017, Johan Vineyards winemaker Morgan Beck was tasked with caring for 200 baby Savagnin vines (and the first in the U.S.) from the Foundation of Plant Sciences at UC Davis. Care for them she did. And within two years the vines were old enough to be grafted into their biodynamic vineyards. In 2021, Johan released their first Savagnin varietal.

The 2022 vintage continues to show the grape’s promise in the area. The wine’s bright, fresh acidity is bolstered by a fuller body reminiscent of Chardonnay, while its mineral notes come through in a long, enjoyable finish. It proved a perfect accompaniment to spicy samosas and paneer tikka masala without getting lost amidst the bold flavors. Although my delight at the wine was partially owing to surprise, I’d gladly purchase another bottle knowing what to expect. $40, johanvineyards.com