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2020 Reserve Chardonnay
$110.00
$660.00
155 in stock
The Reserve range continues to be the best of what we are able to produce in a given vintage. Our 10th consecutive release of our Reserve Chardonnay, 100% of the fruit for this wine 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. Natural fermentation on fruit is encouraged to further emphasise the personality of this wonderful site, resulting in a fine boned medium bodied Chardonnay offering citrus, nashi pears and tangy stone fruits with a lovely saline / oyster-shell character in the background.
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- Viticulture
- Tasting Notes
- Winemaking
- Professional Reviews
- Related Wines
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Viticulture
Chardonnay |
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2020 |
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Margaret River |
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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 of 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. 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. |
Tasting Notes
Pale Straw |
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Pristine fruit aromas of fresh pears, white fleshed nectarines, and lemon/ lime characters with underlying hints of white flowers and wet stone adding to the wonderful purity of fruit. |
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The palate is medium bodied and tightly coiled offering pear puree, white fleshed stone fruits and zesty grapefruit character. The fruit purity is complimented with subtle talcy, textural elements and a quartz-like minerality adding to the structure. The underlying fruit power, and the bracing natural acidity reflect the season, providing drive to the wine and focusing it perfectly to a crisp lingering finish. |
Winemaking
13% |
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750ml |
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3.00 |
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All of the fruit was hand-picked and whole bunch pressed followed by 100% barrel fermentation in select French oak (approx. 20% 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 2020. |
Professional Reviews
98
This comes from the original Lagan plan>ng and is made along similar lines to the Steven's Road, including the avoidance of malolactic>c fermentation which contributes to its brightness and energy. The difference in the two wines is quite distinct with the finer and relatively more delicate Stevens Road a contrast with the immediately more powerful and concentrated Reserve. Has a distinct minerally chalky mouth feel with a subtle leesy character evident. There's a little salty saline character especially on the palate which offsets the slightly cheese cloth character. IT's another cracking wine.
96
Very light, bright colour, with a woolly, free-sulfur note on the nose at first, a reserved style that is no doubt built to last. The palate has excellent intensity; concentration delivered with understatement, the reserve boding well for its future. Grapefruit laced with nutty nuances, a superb wine that delivers beautifully now and promises to show much more in the future. Long, long carry. 21 APR 2022
97
If Stevens Road offers the sunny side of the Gin Gin chardonnay clone, here we see its other, more serious expression. Way more serious. Built around taut acidity and an oh-so-slow-to-evolve fruit presence, there is a level of anticipation with each mouthful. You sense beneath its firm exterior that something special is evolving. But this reserve chardonnay, living up to its name, will not be hurried. Give it time. It will be worth the wait. A swish of air and the glass is filled with a striking lemony perfume, green papaya and grapefruit pulp. It offers a deep-seated, quiet complexity. Citrus is quite a powerful flavour component of the wine, matched on the palate with leesy, mealy characters, grilled nuts, mandarin skin, brisk green apple accompanied by a punchy lift of brisk acidity. It’s clearly in building mode. The maker has a clear definition of what a reserve chardonnay should be. How refreshing! It is a wine of presence – you sense it immediately - and one built to last.
94
Peach, oatmeal and spice, a little vanilla and cedar, grapefruit too. It’s quite rich and golden in a way, but still quite zesty and grapefruity, with a savoury cedar overlay, a light chalky texture, and a juicy citrus finish of excellent length. Very good, though maybe the Stevens has the edge in 2020. – MARCH 22
97
Margaret River's Xanadu winery is renowned for its consistent excellence and this new-release reserve chardonnay is right on target. This is 10th consecutive release of the reserve chardonnay with 100% of the fruit from the Lagan estate vineyard. Medium-bodied, textural, minerally and barrel fermented but with a definite feminine side, this has a classic amalgam of citrus and white stone fruit flavours, with restrained quality oak and some sea spray on the rocks character lurking in the background. Drink now, or cellar for a few years. Pair with maybe roast spatchcock or other poultry dishes. $110 but seriously delicious and 97/100 from me.
95
Pale colour. Fragrant camomile, white peach, grapefruit aromas with flinty minerally notes. Refined and elegantly styled with fresh grapefruit, nectarine, tonic water notes and bittersweet textures. Finishes chalky and minerally. Very linear, but a core of pure fruit energy. This should unravel beautifully.
97
Pure, unfettered fruit concentration is the calling card of the 2020 Reserve Chardonnay. That, and the acid. The focus on blocking malolactic fermentation in the Chardonnays at Xanadu has imbued the wines with line, focus and purity, and it allows them to evolve, very slowly, over a long period of time. This wine, today, in its youth, pulses with life and vibrancy, and it is the best example I can think to give of the power and acid inherent in the Gingin clone. The Lagan Vineyard (situated just outside the cellar door) performs just like this each year. Almost impervious to the seasons, save for a slight nod in their direction, the vineyard is balanced and possessed of its own identity. Crystalline and almost austere, this is toasty and spiced, with layers of undulating flavour through the fine, spooling finish. A monumental wine of endless potential
97
The problem with Xanadu Reserve Chardonnay is that it is delicious on release. But that has nothing on what it morphs into, with age. This is a wine that is all too often overlooked (not in the show system, granted) by collectors, because too few people have been privy to the wines in their middle age. A problem emerges: the wines are drunk too early and don't get the opportunity to show their full potential. This is crystalline, pure almost austere toasty and spiced, with layers of undulating flavour through the fine, spooling finish. A monumental wine of endless potential.
97
The 13th consecutive release from the Lagan Estate Vineyard presents scintillating poise and tension that transcend the generosity of this early, warm vintage. The exacting regime of Glenn Goodall tactically deploys malic acidity to bring focus and line to pristine white peach, even lifted apple blossom unexpected in such a season in Margaret River. Spectacular line, unerring length and lightening acidity.
97
This has aromas of white grapefruits, lime pith, crushed stones, white lavender, praline and spiced apples. The energy and focus is impressive, with a medium-bodied, compact palate, driven by sharp acidity. Long and mineral. Drink or hold.
