If you like this, try…

Wines like Savennières

The most austere and long-lived dry Chenin Blanc in the world, from steep schist above the Loire. Below: what to try next, grouped by the direction you want to travel.

← Back to Savennières

Refine

What do you like about Savennières?

Optional — the results below already work without it. But “I like Malbec” is at least four different preferences wearing one name, and saying which one you mean changes the answer substantially. Only qualities this wine actually has are offered.

I like…

The citrus and orchard fruit How fresh and crisp it is How full and weighty it is The creamy, rounded texture The savoury, meaty side That it is properly dry

But it’s a bit…

too sharp or lemony too sharp or acidic too heavy too earthy or musty too savoury or funky too austere

Clear all

What these words mean

The citrus and orchard fruit: Lemon, lime, green apple, pear. The signature of a cool-climate white — quieter and less perfumed than tropical fruit, and a different thing from the acidity it usually travels with.
How fresh and crisp it is: Acidity is what makes your mouth water and makes a wine feel refreshing rather than heavy. It is the single most useful thing to know about your own taste.
How full and weighty it is: Body is how much the wine seems to fill your mouth — the difference between skimmed and whole milk. It comes mostly from alcohol and ripeness.
The creamy, rounded texture: A soft, almost dairy-like roundness. In white wine it usually comes from malolactic fermentation or from time on the lees, not from the grape.
The savoury, meaty side: Leather, olive, cured meat, dried herbs, tobacco. It is what people mean by calling a wine "serious" rather than "fruity", and it comes with age as well as with place.
The earthy, mineral side: Forest floor, wet stone, mushroom, damp earth. Widely described and much less well explained than wine writing implies — the sensation is real, the causal story usually is not.
That it is properly dry: No perceptible sugar at all. Almost all red wine is dry and a good deal of white wine is not, which is why this is a more useful thing to say about a white than about a red.

Looking for something keeping the fresh, crisp acidity and the citrus and green-apple character, while moving away from too sharp or lemony.

You said you like the citrus and green-apple character and that it is too sharp or lemony. Both are about perceived freshness, so they pull the same axis in opposite directions — the dislike is applied and the like is set aside.
You said you like the citrus and green-apple character and that it is too sharp or lemony. Both are about fruit intensity, so they pull the same axis in opposite directions — the dislike is applied and the like is set aside.
You said you like the citrus and green-apple character and that it is too sharp or lemony. Both are about aromatic intensity, so they pull the same axis in opposite directions — the dislike is applied and the like is set aside.

Based on what you said

Ranked against the qualities you named rather than against the wine as a whole. The directions below are refined the same way.

Vouvray

curated

The same grape on the same river, made without the residual sugar.

Keeps the fresh, crisp acidity.
Keeps the citrus and green-apple character.
About as sharp or lemony as the wine you started from.

Vin Jaune

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Keeps the fresh, crisp acidity.
Has noticeably less of the citrus and green-apple character.
Substantially less sharp or lemony.

Jura Savagnin and Chardonnay

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Keeps the fresh, crisp acidity.
Has some of the citrus and green-apple character, though less of it.
A little less sharp or lemony.

White Burgundy

curated

Both are full-bodied, textured, ageworthy dry whites built on savoury depth rather than fruit.

Has some of the fresh, crisp acidity, though less of it.
Has some of the citrus and green-apple character, though less of it.
A little less sharp or lemony.

Chenin Blanc

Both are made from chenin blanc, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Keeps the fresh, crisp acidity.
Has some of the citrus and green-apple character, though less of it.
A little less sharp or lemony.

Savagnin

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Keeps the fresh, crisp acidity.
Has some of the citrus and green-apple character, though less of it.
A little less sharp or lemony.

South African Chenin Blanc

Both are made from chenin blanc, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both sit in the same style family.

Keeps the fresh, crisp acidity.
Has some of the citrus and green-apple character, though less of it.
About as sharp or lemony as the wine you started from.

Rkatsiteli

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Keeps the fresh, crisp acidity.
Has some of the citrus and green-apple character, though less of it.
A little less sharp or lemony.

Closest overall

Nearest neighbours, no change of direction.

Closest matches

The nearest overall neighbours across structure and flavour, with no deliberate change of direction.

Vouvray

curated

The same grape on the same river, made without the residual sugar.

Expect: Considerably drier, firmer and more austere in youth.

Vin Jaune

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and spicier.

Jura Savagnin and Chardonnay

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

White Burgundy

curated

Both are full-bodied, textured, ageworthy dry whites built on savoury depth rather than fruit.

Expect: Higher acidity, no butter, and a distinctly waxy character.

Different grape, similar feel

Deliberately excludes the variety you already know, to find a genuinely new wine that fills the same role.

White Burgundy

curated

Both are full-bodied, textured, ageworthy dry whites built on savoury depth rather than fruit.

Expect: Higher acidity, no butter, and a distinctly waxy character.

Vin Jaune

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and spicier.

Jura Savagnin and Chardonnay

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Savagnin

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Change the structure

Same idea, different weight, grip or freshness.

Similar but lighter

Keeps the character but reduces weight, alcohol and density in the mouth.

Jura Savagnin and Chardonnay

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Chenin Blanc

Both are made from chenin blanc, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Rkatsiteli

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Vouvray

curated

The same grape on the same river, made without the residual sugar.

Expect: Considerably drier, firmer and more austere in youth.

Similar but lower in alcohol

Holds the character and the weight where it can, and moves specifically on strength. Note that below about 11% the choices narrow sharply, and below 5% they are mostly a different category rather than a lighter version of the same one.

Vouvray

curated

The same grape on the same river, made without the residual sugar.

Expect: Considerably drier, firmer and more austere in youth.

Pouilly-Fumé

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

Colombard

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

Alpine white

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and more neutral and subtle.

Similar but fuller

Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.

Pedro Ximénez

Pedro Ximénez scores closest to Savennières across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

Sauternes

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more aromatic.

Canadian Icewine

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more aromatic.

Condrieu

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

Similar but less tannic

For readers who find firm reds drying. Reduces tannic grip while holding flavour and weight roughly steady.

Nothing in WineHQ's catalogue makes this move meaningfully from here. These are the closest wines otherwise, but do not expect them to deliver what you asked for — the honest answer is that this style does not have a good neighbour in that direction.

Vin Jaune

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and spicier.

Jura Savagnin and Chardonnay

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Chenin Blanc

Both are made from chenin blanc, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Savagnin

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Similar but more structured

More tannic architecture, for food or for ageing.

Rkatsiteli

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Brda Rebula

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and fruitier.

Ribolla Gialla

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and fruitier.

Friuli white

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

Similar but softer

Lowers acidity and sharpness in favour of a broader, gentler feel.

White Burgundy

curated

Both are full-bodied, textured, ageworthy dry whites built on savoury depth rather than fruit.

Expect: Higher acidity, no butter, and a distinctly waxy character.

White Bordeaux

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

Douro white

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

Chardonnay

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

The sparkling version

Moves to a sparkling expression while holding the flavour and weight as close as possible.

Champagne

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

Crémant

Both are made from chenin blanc, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and more neutral and subtle.

English sparkling wine

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

English Blanc de Blancs

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

Similar but sweeter

Adds perceptible sweetness, which also softens acidity and chilli heat.

Chenin Blanc

Both are made from chenin blanc, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Vouvray

curated

Both are made from chenin blanc, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

Szamorodni

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and sweeter.

Champagne

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

Change the flavour

Same shape, different aromatic character.

Similar but less oaky

One of the commonest requests in wine. Strips oak influence while holding grape character and weight.

Rkatsiteli

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Ribolla Gialla

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and fruitier.

Pecorino

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

Greco

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and more neutral and subtle.

Similar but more oaky

Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.

Chenin Blanc

Both are made from chenin blanc, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

South African Chenin Blanc

Both are made from chenin blanc, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

White Burgundy

curated

Both are full-bodied, textured, ageworthy dry whites built on savoury depth rather than fruit.

Expect: Higher acidity, no butter, and a distinctly waxy character.

White Bordeaux

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be softer and rounder, and fruitier.

Similar but more aromatic

More to smell before you taste — floral, fruity or spiced aromatics.

Pouilly-Fumé

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

Sancerre

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

Vin Jaune

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and spicier.

Alsace Riesling

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fresher.

Similar but more restrained

For readers who find intensely aromatic wines tiring over a whole glass. Keeps the structure, turns the volume down.

Muscadet

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and fresher.

Melon de Bourgogne

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and fresher.

Jacquère

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and fresher.

Gavi

Gavi scores closest to Savennières across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and fresher.

Similar but more floral

Pushes specifically towards rose, violet, blossom and elderflower character.

Sancerre

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

Pouilly-Fumé

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

Alsace Riesling

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fresher.

Vouvray

curated

The same grape on the same river, made without the residual sugar.

Expect: Considerably drier, firmer and more austere in youth.

Similar but more savoury

Moves away from primary fruit towards earth, herb, meat and umami character.

Vin Jaune

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.

Qvevri amber wine

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and less oaky.

Barolo

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more aromatic.

Chianti Classico Riserva

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more neutral and subtle, and fruitier.

Similar but fruitier

More obvious, generous fruit flavour, usually from a warmer climate.

German dry Riesling (trocken)

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fresher.

Alvarinho (Monção e Melgaço)

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fresher.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

Both are made from chenin blanc, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fresher.

Alsace Riesling

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fresher.

Change the place

Keep the grape, move it somewhere else.

Same grape, somewhere else

Holds the variety constant and changes the place, which is often a bigger change than swapping the grape.

Chenin Blanc

Both are made from chenin blanc, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

South African Chenin Blanc

Both are made from chenin blanc, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Same grape, cooler climate

Typically fresher, lighter and more herbal, with lower alcohol.

Chenin Blanc

Both are made from chenin blanc, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Vouvray

curated

The same grape on the same river, made without the residual sugar.

Expect: Considerably drier, firmer and more austere in youth.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

Both are made from chenin blanc, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fresher.

South African Chenin Blanc

Both are made from chenin blanc, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Same grape, warmer climate

Typically riper, fuller and more generous in fruit, with higher alcohol.

South African Chenin Blanc

Both are made from chenin blanc, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Coteaux du Layon

Both are made from chenin blanc, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and fresher.

Chenin Blanc

Both are made from chenin blanc, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Vouvray

curated

The same grape on the same river, made without the residual sugar.

Expect: Considerably drier, firmer and more austere in youth.

Change the mood

Safer, stranger, cheaper or more serious.

A safe next step

Well-known wines that are widely available and unlikely to surprise anyone.

Chenin Blanc

Both are made from chenin blanc, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

South African Chenin Blanc

Both are made from chenin blanc, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

White Burgundy

curated

Both are full-bodied, textured, ageworthy dry whites built on savoury depth rather than fruit.

Expect: Higher acidity, no butter, and a distinctly waxy character.

Pouilly-Fumé

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

Something more adventurous

Less familiar wines that occupy similar territory — the interesting end of the shelf.

Vin Jaune

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and spicier.

Jura Savagnin and Chardonnay

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Savagnin

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Rkatsiteli

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

A better-value alternative

Wines that occupy similar sensory territory from regions carrying less price premium. WineHQ does not hold live prices, so this reasons from regional reputation and demand rather than from a price feed — treat it as a lead, not a quote.

Vin Jaune

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more aromatic, and spicier.

Jura Savagnin and Chardonnay

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Savagnin

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

Rkatsiteli

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

A step up

The benchmark expressions of the same territory, usually with more concentration, structure and ageing potential.

Santorini Assyrtiko

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be fresher, and fruitier.

South African Chenin Blanc

Both are made from chenin blanc, and the structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more neutral and subtle.

White Burgundy

curated

Both are full-bodied, textured, ageworthy dry whites built on savoury depth rather than fruit.

Expect: Higher acidity, no butter, and a distinctly waxy character.

Australian Chardonnay

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and softer and rounder.

How these are chosen

Each suggestion is scored across sixteen taste dimensions, weighted so that structure matters more than flavour, and adjusted for whether the wine actually moves in the direction you asked for. Curated links from an editor carry extra weight — but only when the editor tagged them for this direction. Nothing here is a black box; see the taste model for the full method.