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VITICULTURE
At the heart of our viticultural philosophy are our people, our land and our region. The longstanding relationships we’ve forged with our growers, our community, and our customers and our dedication to protecting and showcasing the character of our region, are central to all decisions made in the vineyards.
We’re proud to be certified members of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, implementing both modern and conventional viticultural practices to continuously improve our natural environment, ultimately delivering healthier, naturally resilient vines and wines that reflect our unparalleled region.
It’s the distinct energy of Margaret River that we capture in every bottle—a vibrancy that echoes from the region, through the vineyard, and into our wines.
LAGAN ESTATE
The Lagan Estate was our first vineyard planted in 1977 by Dr John Lagan. The original varieties planted include Cabernet Sauvignon and Semillon, closely followed by Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. It is a relatively flat site with the 17 hectares of vines rooted in free-draining deep, gravelly loam soil over clay.
BOODJIDUP ESTATE
The Boodjidup Estate is located next to the Lagan Estate, expanding out onto Boodjidup and Exmoor Drives. Planted in 1999, the standout vines are 14 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon. Performing on our north/south and east/west orientated rows, we utilise a variety of canopy management techniques to achieve these fine wines. Other notable varieties that make up the 47 hectares under vine are Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Shiraz.
STEVENS ROAD ESTATE
The Stevens Road vineyard, established in 1987, spans 24 hectares and lies just 3km from the Xanadu winery. The meandering Boodjidup Brook shapes the property, creating diverse vineyard aspects. These natural aspects, paired with sandy loam soils over granite, nurture exceptionally well-balanced vines.
The two key varietals to come off this vineyard are Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Chardonnay from Block 2 offers a wonderful minerality and tightly coiled style. This block is planted on an easterly aspect with well balanced, low vigour vines. This renowned site produces the grapes that nearly always make up our single vineyard Stevens Road Chardonnay.
The Cabernet Sauvignon comes from 21 rows of Houghton clone Cabernet on free-draining gravelly-loam soils. The block has an easterly aspect with north-south orientation, vines are cane pruned with natural low-moderate vigour that have tended to settle at yields of 5-6 tonnes per hectare. It’s a block that always seems to know its own balance.
WINEMAKING
Our wines are a liquid expression of Margaret River. We craft wines that bottle the vibrancy of this place so that no matter where you are, you too can experience the vitality of our region.
We produce fruit-forward wines where the vineyard’s voice resonates clearly in every glass, and use techniques such as whole bunch pressing, wild fermentation, French oak maturation, and lees stirring to build complexity and balance in our wines.
CLONAL SELECTION
The Gingin Clone of Chardonnay is prevalent in Margaret River, representing a major portion of Chardonnay plantings in the region. It is known for its small bunches and its ‘hen and chicken’ berries (millerandage) that produce fruit of intense, concentrated power and high natural acid. Our heartland, Cabernet Sauvignon, is made predominantly with the Houghton clone, which provides a balance of blackcurrant, berry and cassis flavours, impeccable structure and resolved tannins.
