2019 Xanadu Chardonnay Margaret River

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 89 points

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  11/7/2022 - forceberry wrote: 89 Points

  100% Chardonnay from estate-owned Stevens Road and Boodjidup vineyards (70%) and purchased fruit from Wilyabrup (30%), all planted to the Gingin clone (known for its loose "pips and hens" clusters). The cool growing season resulted in high acid retention. Pressed in whole bunches, fermented spontaneously in French oak barrels (22% new). Aged for 9 months in the same oak barrels. Blended in November 2019. 13% alcohol, 2,1 g/l residual sugar, 8,3 g/l acidity, , 0,46 g/l VA, pH 3,08. Total SO2 134 mg/l, of which 40 mg/l free on the time of bottling.
  
  Limpid pale green color. Fresh, somewhat restrained and a bit linear nose with aromas of fresh red apples, some crunchy greencurrant tones, a little bit of sweeter exotic fruit character and a hint of creamy oak. The wine feels youthful, clean and very zippy on the palate with a medium body and crisp, linear flavors of lemony citrus fruits and apple peel bitterness, some pink grapefruit tones, a little bit of crunchy green currants, a hint of steely minerality and a touch of leesy creaminess. The brisk acidity lends tremendous sense of focus and structure to the wine. The finish is crisp, lively and steely with flavors of lemony citrus fruits and sharp Granny Smith apple tones, a little bit of apple peel bitterness, light pithy notes of pomelo, a hint of crunchy greencurrant and a touch of creamy oak.
  
  A crisp, somewhat linear and still super-youthful Chardonnay that shows superb, brisk acidity but otherwise comes across as a bit too young and straightforward right now. There's a lot to love here, but still the wine is a bit too limited and simple in its expression right now - I'd say that with enough time this wine could evolve into something interesting, but at the moment the wine is still too young to be appreciated fully. Although I like how the wine feels drier and less exotic with less oak influence than the 2016 I tasted earlier, I feel that this wine isn't at the same level of quality - at least yet. Perhaps with enough time things might turn around! In our Western Australia tasting of 12 Chardonnays the wine gained a total of 5 points, making it finish on the 3rd place.

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