2013 Xanadu Reserve Chardonnay, Margaret River

Pale straw. The bouquet of this elegant yet powerful Chardonnay offers pristine fruit aromas of fresh pears, grapefruit and loquats with underlying hints of roasted cashew and beeswax adding complexity. The fine boned palate is medium bodied and tightly coiled, displaying citrus fruits, nashi pears and white fleshed nectarines. Precise and pure, the fruit is complimented with subtle creamy/nougat elements and a lovely taut mineral edge. The intensity of fruit and the bracing acidity combine to provide drive to the wine, focusing it perfectly to a crisp, lingering fruit finish.

97 pts - JHalliday

From the Lagan Vineyard at Wilyabrup, Gin Gin clone, hand-picked, whole bunch-pressed, wild yeast fermented in French oak (35% new), lees-stirred during 9-month maturation, no mlf; a selection of the best barrels. This is the most complex of the '13 Xanadu Chardonnays, yet retains the hallmark precision and elegance of its siblings. Indeed, it half-succeeds in hiding its light under a bushel, for its extreme length can be missed if you rush from one to the other.