Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (Margaret River)

Our most awarded wine, the Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon has been won the title of Australia’s Best 4 out of the last 7 years in a row that Xanadu has taken this trophy home from the National Wine Show of Australia. Needless to say we’re proud of this wine! Having won the coveted Jimmy Watson Trophy in 2018 for our 2016 vintage, the pedigree of our Xanadu Cabernet continues to shine. Our 2019 is no exception, displaying a plush palate of inky berry fruits framed by subtle spicy oak. Vibrant and robust in its youth, this is a wine which will certainly benefit from further bottle maturation and will cellar comfortably for 5-10 years.

The growing season began with a late budburst after a relatively cold winter with reasonable rainfall. The cool spring which followed resulted in some uneven flowering and fruit set, and generally lower than average yields. We experienced a significant (and unusual) rain event mid-January which was timely due to the later season, and this was followed by some fine, mild weather to get vintage underway. There was a complete lack of Marri blossom leading up to and during harvest which meant that bird pressure was extreme! Bird-netting absolutely vital this season. There was a minor rain event coupled with high humidity mid-March which presented some challenges requiring careful fruit selection with some white varieties; however, this gave way to some beautiful weather right through till late April. Fruit was sourced from mature vineyards across the Margaret River region; 50% Wilyabrup, 38% Wallcliffe (predominantly estate grown), with the remainder being small parcels of fruit from the Treeton (8%) and Yallingup (4%) subregions.

Fruit was crushed/destemmed before predominantly small batch fermentation in a combination of static and open fermenters. Fermentation takes 7-8 days at 24 – 26°C, during which the cap is managed using a combination of aerative pumping over as well as regular plunging by hand. After fermentation, 20% of the components experienced a period of extended maceration on skins before a very gentle pressing. The wine was matured for 14 months in French oak (40% new barriques) before the blend was assembled.

The 2019 Xanadu Cabernet consists of CabernetSauvignon 91%, Petit Verdot 5% and Malbec 4%.