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Xanadu was established by Dr John Lagan, an Irishman, who arrived in Margaret River in 1968 and was inspired by the pioneering spirit of the region. At the time, the potential of Margaret River as one of the world’s finest wine-producing regions was only just being considered. John established one of the region’s earlier vineyards planting his first vines in 1977.
A lover of literature and inspired by the similarities between the environment at Xanadu and words of Coleridge; Dr Lagan named the vineyard after the home of Kubla Khan.
‘In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure-dome decree;
Where Alph, the sacred river ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.
So twice five miles of fertile ground
With walls and towers were girdled round;
And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills,
Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree;
And here were forests ancient as the hills,
Enfolding sunny spots of greenery.’
Verse 1 – By Samuel Taylor Coleridge
In an idyllic setting in the very South West corner of Australia, the 85 hectares of vines on the original Xanadu Wine Estate flourish in the rich, free draining gravel soils of the Margaret River region. In this near-perfect environment for viticulture, this unique maritime climate enjoys an abundant supply of water and is sheltered by forests of magnificent marri trees. A state-of-the-art winery / restaurant and cellar door has been constructed, with the extensive use of local granite and gneissic rocks, excavated during the planting of the original vineyard. These low yielding, carefully handled vines produce a range of varieties under the labels Secession, Xanadu and Lagan Reserve.
The really smart thing about this wine is that it starts out all vibrant and fresh, the bouquet offering lively fruit aromas of quince, citrus fruits and dried herbs. Following some rest and maturation the varietal starts to develop a second life and the barrel maturation has added further complexity with restrained, toasty oak characters and hints of roasted cashews. The palate is generous and refined offering ripe pear and fresh grapefruit flavours with underlying bready/nutty characteristics. Beautifully structured, the fruit is balanced by crisp, integrated acidity, layered with a subtle creamy texture. You don't have to just love Semillon with age to enjoy this monster as it speaks to all drinkers on the level of quality hand picked fruit with loads of integrity and all the hard cellaring work has been done for you!
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$$$: |
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WBW Rating: |
93/100 |
Don't Pay: |
26.99 |
Closure: |
Cork |
Region: |
Margaret River WA |
Winemaker: |
Glenn Goodall |
Drink Now Until: |
2014 |
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