Xanadu Circa 77 Chardonnay 2020 (Australia)

Description

• French oak
• Stonefruit
• Cashew nut
• Creamy texture

"70% barrel fermented (wild), the balance in tank. Matured for 9 months, bâtonnage throughout, mlf blocked. Very fine, pure and mineral; this gives petit Chablis a solid run for its money. Crushed oyster shell, green pineapple, nashi pear, lemon zest and the requisite salty acidity. Really quite exciting when viewed through Chablis-coloured glasses" Halliday Wine Competition 2022

"An elegant rendition, the bouquet shows white flesh stone fruit, nougat, oatmeal and popcorn nuances, followed by a beautifully supple palate offering ripe fruit flavours with stylish complexity, finishing long and creamy. At its best: now to 2026" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Aug 2022

"Pretty complete package for a wine of this price. It was a super year in Margs to begin with. This is designed as an early drinking chardonnay and delivers on all fronts. Plenty of stone fruit with a little honeydew melon edge with the faintest influence of older oak. it has a creamy, soft texture with a squeeze of lemon and grapefruit to give it purpose through to the finish" Ray Jordan, The West Australian, Oct 2021

Pale straw. The bouquet of this fresh, fruit driven Chardonnay displays crunchy stone fruits, pear, and zesty grapefruit characters with underlying hints of nectarine and cashew. Oak only plays a supporting role, yet its subtle influence adds another layer of subtle complexity. The palate is medium bodied offering some white fleshed stone fruits and zesty citrus flavours with a delicate creamy texture derived from lees stirring. A bright, refreshing wine; crisp and dry, with a lingering fruit finish.

Average Winter rainfall followed by a warm/dry Spring set up an early start to the growing season. Fruit set was variable, resulting in lower yields across most varieties. The warm Summer daytime temperatures combined with low yields saw harvest begin very early, at the end of January (one of our earliest ever) and all whites were harvested before the end of February. An incredible display of Marri blossom meant bird pressure was practically non-existent in the first half of vintage, and a short rain event after the white harvest offered some respite setting up the reds perfectly. Warm conditions continued throughout March, with all the reds being harvested by the first week of April, our earliest ever harvest completion. In summary, 2020 will be remembered as an excellent vintage in Margaret River.

All components were pressed without crushing or the use of enzymes, retaining relatively high solids in the juice after settling for 48 hours. 70% of the blend was fermented in predominantly seasoned French oak barriques (only 6% new oak in final blend. Wild fermentation was encouraged on barrel fermented components to introduce complexity and personality into the wine. 30% of the blend was tank fermented using aromatic yeast strains; after fermentation, the tank is mixed to homogenise the lees throughout the wine before being transferred to old oak for maturation. None of the batches undergo MLF, however all batches which make up the blend were lees stirred throughout a nine-month barrel maturation period, gaining texture throughout the year. The final blend was put together in November 2020.