“The Chardonnay style at Xanadu is pronounced… the extraordinarily taut, nervy acidity endemic to the Gingin clone on full display, and boy, does it shine.” – Wine Advocate

95 points for HOW MUCH AGAIN? Shine, it does!

“I spent all last week tasting Burgundies, but the more whites I tried, the more I lusted after the Western Australian alternatives…” Jancis Robinson famously wrote once, further explaining that “Western Australia’s most famous wine region, Margaret River, may have only half a century of wine production under its belt, as opposed to Burgundy’s at least 20 centuries. And Chardonnay was by no means the first grape variety tried in ‘Margs’, as some Australians call it. But the local grape growers and winemakers certainly have a way with the white Burgundy grape.”

Speaking of “a way” James Halliday’s Winemaker of the Year for 2023 went to Glenn Goodall of, you guessed it again (getting good at this!): “This year’s winner of best winemaker is no stranger to the award. Goodall was nominated last year and has been chief winemaker of celebrated label Xanadu for over 15 years, so it makes sense that this year saw him receive well-deserved acknowledgment for his hard work.”

Check this factoid out you Chardonnay geeks, what’s behind this deliciousness is the clonal selection, a prized national treasure is locally called Gingin, and was traced back to California’s Old Wente, which is traced back to, you guessed it, Meursault! What makes it their own in Margaret River are the gravelly soils and the ocean-swept breezes of their unique terroir.

Gorgeous exotic citrus of all kinds, from flesh to pith, from peel to rind. Layers of stone fruits and stony minerals complement the green apple skin and toasty hazelnut accents. Fresh and long with nori, yuzu, and candied ginger, this is what most Chardonnays dream of being, but often can’t. Each sip leaves you yearning for the next…

A ridiculous bargain and a case buy at that, no doubt!

95 Points – James Halliday’s Wine Companion

“Outrageously good for the price and quality. You’d drink this in a heartbeat given the attention to detail in its making, the moreish quality and a lot more besides. Super zesty, flinty, sulphide funk but not too much just the right amount to weave complexity around the fruit. Refreshing and energetic thanks to the acidity but there’s also texture and depth from luscious lees. Nice one.”