Xanadu Exmoor Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (Australia)

Xanadu Exmoor Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (Australia)French oak Ripe blackcurrants Chocolate & spice notes Moreish & supple "Immediately varietal with aromas of ripe blackberry and dark plum, theres scents of bell pepper and smoky wood, clove and tobacco, violets and bark soil. Overall quite intense with a core of fruit then wood. On the palate full, rich and concentrated with flavours of dark berries and iron sand, toasty wood and smoke. Dry with firm tannins and plenty of acidity both suggesting this

• French oak
• Ripe blackcurrants
• Chocolate & spice notes
• Moreish & supple

"Immediately varietal with aromas of ripe blackberry and dark plum, there’s scents of bell-pepper and smoky wood, clove and tobacco, violets and bark soil. Overall - quite intense with a core of fruit then wood. On the palate - full, rich and concentrated with flavours of dark berries and iron-sand, toasty wood and smoke. Dry with firm tannins and plenty of acidity - both suggesting this wine needs decanting and should be served with food. Best drinking from 2022 through 2030" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Sep 2020

"Very good release. It tastes authentically of Margaret River and of cabernet. It’s curranty, gravelly, smoothskinned and fresh. There’s a creaminess to its texture and a gum leaf lift to its aromatics. It’s a wine that really improves as it rests in the glass, not that each glass lasts too long. There’s value in spades to be had here" Halliday Wine Companion 2021

Deep red with ruby hues. The wine exhibits vibrant, characteristic aromas of ripe blackcurrants, blueberries, and dark plums entwined with hints of spicy, toasty oak. Full bodied and generous, the palate is packed full of jubey forest fruits, cassis and chocolate characters. The moreish, fleshy fruit and approachable tannins combine to produce a generous wine with a supple structure and a wonderful persistence of flavour. Perfectly approachable in its youth, this wine will also comfortably cellar for several years.

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. 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. A minor rain event occurred in mid-March, which was followed by fine warm conditions which 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! Fruit for this blend was predominantly Estate grown on our Boodjidup vineyard in the Wallcliffe sub-region of Margaret River.

The fruit was crushed and destemmed then fermented in a combination of rotary and static fermenters at 26°C for 5 – 7 days. A portion of the blend was left for a period of extended maceration on skins followed by a gentle pressing adding plushness and a savoury textural element to the wine. The various batches underwent MLF in a combination of tank and barrel before 14 months of maturation in a selection French oak barriques (20% new).