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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.

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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 creamy, rounded mouthfeel and the fresh, crisp acidity, while moving away from too savoury or funky.

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.

Has some of the creamy, rounded mouthfeel, though less of it.
Keeps the fresh, crisp acidity.
A little less savoury or funky.

Coteaux du Layon

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

Keeps the creamy, rounded mouthfeel.
Keeps the fresh, crisp acidity.
Substantially less savoury or funky.

Dry Furmint

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

Keeps the creamy, rounded mouthfeel.
Keeps the fresh, crisp acidity.
Substantially less savoury or funky.

Alvarinho (Monção e Melgaço)

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

Keeps the creamy, rounded mouthfeel.
Keeps the fresh, crisp acidity.
Substantially less savoury or funky.

Furmint

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

Keeps the creamy, rounded mouthfeel.
Keeps the fresh, crisp acidity.
Substantially less savoury or funky.

Petit Manseng

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

Keeps the creamy, rounded mouthfeel.
Keeps the fresh, crisp acidity.
Substantially less savoury or funky.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

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

Has some of the creamy, rounded mouthfeel, though less of it.
Keeps the fresh, crisp acidity.
Substantially less savoury or funky.

Chenin Blanc

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

Keeps the creamy, rounded mouthfeel.
Keeps the fresh, crisp acidity.
A little less savoury or funky.

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.

Coteaux du Layon

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

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and sweeter.

Dry Furmint

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

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

Alvarinho (Monção e Melgaço)

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

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

Different grape, similar feel

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

Dry Furmint

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

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

Alvarinho (Monção e Melgaço)

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

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

Furmint

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

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

Petit Manseng

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

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

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.

Albariño

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

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

Alvarinho (Monção e Melgaço)

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

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

Chenin Blanc

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

Expect: Expect it to be broader and softer, and more restrained in fruit.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

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

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and leaner and more cutting.

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.

Coteaux du Layon

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

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and sweeter.

Dry Furmint

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

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

Alvarinho (Monção e Melgaço)

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

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

Furmint

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

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

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 broader and softer.

Condrieu

Both sit in the same style family.

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

Viognier

Both come from the same country.

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

Sauternes

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

Expect: Expect it to be rounder and creamier in texture, and more fruit-driven.

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.

Coteaux du Layon

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

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and sweeter.

Dry Furmint

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

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

Alvarinho (Monção e Melgaço)

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

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

Furmint

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

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

Similar but more structured

More tannic architecture, for food or for ageing.

Ribolla Gialla

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

Expect: Expect it to be broader and softer, and more restrained in fruit.

Trebbiano Spoletino

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

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more restrained in fruit.

Rkatsiteli

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

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and broader and softer.

Brda Rebula

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

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more restrained in fruit.

Similar but softer

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

Chilean Chardonnay

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 broader and softer.

Pfalz Riesling

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

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

Godello

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 broader and softer.

Fiano di Avellino

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 broader and softer.

The sparkling version

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

Austrian Sekt

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

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more sparkling.

Crémant

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

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more restrained in fruit.

Sekt

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

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more sparkling.

Australian traditional-method sparkling

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

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more sparkling.

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 broader and softer, and more restrained in fruit.

Coteaux du Layon

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

Expect: Expect it to be sweeter, and fruitier.

Furmint

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

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

Petit Manseng

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

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, 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.

Petit Manseng

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

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and fruitier.

Alsace Riesling

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

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more floral.

Nahe Riesling

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

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

Gros Manseng

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

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and leaner and more cutting.

Similar but more oaky

Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.

Dry Furmint

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

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

Furmint

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

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

Chenin Blanc

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

Expect: Expect it to be broader and softer, and more restrained in fruit.

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 more savoury, and broader and softer.

Similar but more aromatic

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

Alsace Riesling

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

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more floral.

Coteaux du Layon

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

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and sweeter.

Albariño

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

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

Rías Baixas Albariño

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

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

Similar but more restrained

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

Cortese

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and leaner and more cutting.

Melon de Bourgogne

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

Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and leaner and more cutting.

Jacquère

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

Expect: Expect it to be more restrained in fruit, and more fruit-driven.

Gavi

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more restrained in fruit.

Similar but more floral

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

Albariño

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

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

Alsace Riesling

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

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more floral.

Rías Baixas Albariño

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

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

Loureiro

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and leaner and more cutting.

Similar but more savoury

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

Vin Jaune

Both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more restrained in fruit.

Coteaux du Layon

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

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and sweeter.

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 leaner and more cutting, and more restrained in fruit.

Similar but fruitier

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

Albariño

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

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

Alsace Riesling

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

Expect: Expect it to be leaner and more cutting, and more floral.

Alvarinho (Monção e Melgaço)

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

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

Coteaux du Layon

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

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and sweeter.

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 broader and softer, and more restrained in fruit.

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 more savoury, and broader and softer.

Same grape, cooler climate

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

Montlouis-sur-Loire

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

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and leaner and more cutting.

Vouvray

curated

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

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

Chenin Blanc

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

Expect: Expect it to be broader and softer, and more restrained in fruit.

Coteaux du Layon

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

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and sweeter.

Same grape, warmer climate

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

Coteaux du Layon

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

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and sweeter.

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 more savoury, and broader and softer.

Montlouis-sur-Loire

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

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and leaner and more cutting.

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 broader and softer, and more restrained in fruit.

German dry Riesling (trocken)

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

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

Albariño

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

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

Rías Baixas Albariño

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

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

Something more adventurous

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

Coteaux du Layon

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

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and sweeter.

Dry Furmint

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

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

Alvarinho (Monção e Melgaço)

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

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

Furmint

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

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

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.

Coteaux du Layon

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

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and sweeter.

Dry Furmint

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

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

Alvarinho (Monção e Melgaço)

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

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

Furmint

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

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

A step up

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

Tokaji Aszú

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and rounder and creamier in texture.

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 more savoury, and broader and softer.

Santorini Assyrtiko

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, and more restrained in fruit.

Australian Chardonnay

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

Expect: Expect it to be more savoury, 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.