Wine Article
2018 Xanadu Chardonnay Reserve Margaret River
Last edited on 5/31/2020 by LindsayM
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V A R I E T Y : 100% Chardonnay
R E G I O N :Margaret River, W.A.
T E C H N I C A L : Alc.: 13.0% v/v TA: 8.9 g/L Free SO2: 38 ppm pH: 3.03 Residual Sugar: 1.7 g/L VA: 0.40 g/L Total SO2: 118 ppm
TASTING NOTES
COLOUR:Pale straw.
B O U Q U E T :The bouquet of this elegant yet powerful Chardonnay offers pristine fruit aromas of fresh pears, grapefruit, and white fleshed nectarines with underlying hints of oatmeal, and roasted almonds.
PALATE:The fine boned palate is medium bodied offering citrus, nashi pears
and tangy stone fruits with a lovely saline/oyster-shell character in the background. Precise and pure, the fruit is complimented with subtle creamy elements and a pithy grapefruit edge adding structure. The intensity of fruit and the bracing acidity combine to provide drive to the wine, focussing it perfectly to a crisp, lingering finish.
CELLARING POTENTIAL:
A powerful, and sophisticated Chardonnay displaying classic Margaret River intensity – the 2018 Reserve is only just starting to unfurl, upon release, and will most certainly reward with careful cellaring.
VINTAGE CONDITIONS
The growing season began with good, even budburst after average Winter rainfall. The mild Spring which followed ensured that there was good flowering and fruit set. A moderate start to Summer, with no heat extremes, set up the harvest well with white varieties offering great flavour intensity and bright acidity. There was an incredible display of Marri blossom (tagged as a once in a generation ‘mega-blossom’) which meant bird pressure was practically non-existent whilst the whites were harvested. A minor rain event occurred in mid-March which was followed by fine, warm conditions that prevailed right through to middle of April, allowing all red varieties to achieve great flavour and tannin ripeness. In summary 2018 will be remembered as an outstanding vintage!
100% of the fruit for this Reserve Chardonnay is from our oldest Chardonnay vineyard, the Lagan Estate. The low yielding vineyard produces bunches with characteristic ‘hen and chicken’ architecture typical of the Gingin clone. We encourage natural fermentation on fruit from this vineyard to further emphasize the personality of this wonderful site which is directly adjacent to the winery.
WINEMAKING
All of the fruit was hand-picked and whole bunch pressed followed by 100% barrel fermentation in select French oak (approx. 30% new oak). Fermentation was allowed to occur naturally, with the wild yeasts responsible for the fermentation introducing more complexity and personality into the wine. Barrels were lees stirred throughout a nine-month oak maturation period, without any malolactic fermentation. Only the best barrels were selected for the final blend which was put together in November 2018.
R E G I O N :Margaret River, W.A.
T E C H N I C A L : Alc.: 13.0% v/v TA: 8.9 g/L Free SO2: 38 ppm pH: 3.03 Residual Sugar: 1.7 g/L VA: 0.40 g/L Total SO2: 118 ppm
TASTING NOTES
COLOUR:Pale straw.
B O U Q U E T :The bouquet of this elegant yet powerful Chardonnay offers pristine fruit aromas of fresh pears, grapefruit, and white fleshed nectarines with underlying hints of oatmeal, and roasted almonds.
PALATE:The fine boned palate is medium bodied offering citrus, nashi pears
and tangy stone fruits with a lovely saline/oyster-shell character in the background. Precise and pure, the fruit is complimented with subtle creamy elements and a pithy grapefruit edge adding structure. The intensity of fruit and the bracing acidity combine to provide drive to the wine, focussing it perfectly to a crisp, lingering finish.
CELLARING POTENTIAL:
A powerful, and sophisticated Chardonnay displaying classic Margaret River intensity – the 2018 Reserve is only just starting to unfurl, upon release, and will most certainly reward with careful cellaring.
VINTAGE CONDITIONS
The growing season began with good, even budburst after average Winter rainfall. The mild Spring which followed ensured that there was good flowering and fruit set. A moderate start to Summer, with no heat extremes, set up the harvest well with white varieties offering great flavour intensity and bright acidity. There was an incredible display of Marri blossom (tagged as a once in a generation ‘mega-blossom’) which meant bird pressure was practically non-existent whilst the whites were harvested. A minor rain event occurred in mid-March which was followed by fine, warm conditions that prevailed right through to middle of April, allowing all red varieties to achieve great flavour and tannin ripeness. In summary 2018 will be remembered as an outstanding vintage!
100% of the fruit for this Reserve Chardonnay is from our oldest Chardonnay vineyard, the Lagan Estate. The low yielding vineyard produces bunches with characteristic ‘hen and chicken’ architecture typical of the Gingin clone. We encourage natural fermentation on fruit from this vineyard to further emphasize the personality of this wonderful site which is directly adjacent to the winery.
WINEMAKING
All of the fruit was hand-picked and whole bunch pressed followed by 100% barrel fermentation in select French oak (approx. 30% new oak). Fermentation was allowed to occur naturally, with the wild yeasts responsible for the fermentation introducing more complexity and personality into the wine. Barrels were lees stirred throughout a nine-month oak maturation period, without any malolactic fermentation. Only the best barrels were selected for the final blend which was put together in November 2018.