Xanadu, Margaret River, 'Circa 77', Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

A vibrant and zesty blend of wonderful purity, with a crunchy, fruit-driven palate of freshly squeezed citrus characters through to a lip-smacking finish.

Producer Note

Xanadu is a true pioneer of the Margaret River region producing fresh and vibrant coastal wines. The estate was established by Dr John Lagan, an Irishman, who arrived in Margaret River in 1968. Captivated by the pioneering spirit of the region, along with his wife Eithne, he planted his first vines in 1977. Inspired by the beauty of the setting, they named the property after the mysterious, idyllic paradise in Samuel Coleridge’s poem, Kubla Khan: Xanadu. True to its poetic namesake, Xanadu is in an idyllic setting, where 65 hectares of vines flourish on the original estate. Passionate and dedicated winemaker Glenn Goodall joined in 1999, combining intuitive winemaking, and a deep respect for the sustainably cultivated vineyard- which is a member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia- he produces world-class wines of distinction. Glenn was awarded Halliday's 'Best Winemaker of the Year Australia 2023' and in 2018 Xanadu won the Jimmy Watson memorial trophy

Vineyard

The Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon vines were planted in 1977, hence the name Circa 77. The estate-grown vines are planted in the Boodjidup and Lagan vineyards in the Wallcliffe sub-region of Margaret River. The vines flourish in the ancient granite soils, which have an abundance of ironstone gravel. These free-draining soils have low water and nutrient holding capacities, providing the optimum growing conditions to achieve balance between foliage and fruit, and deliver superb aroma and flavour intensity. The Indian and Southern Oceans meet here, engulfing the vineyards with fresh, sea breezes, promoting natural balance. The vineyard is managed sustainably with an aim of continual improvement of the natural environment focussing on soil and vine health, including biodiversity and weed management from sheep grazing.

Winemaking

The majority of fruit for this blend was crushed, de-stemmed and chilled before gentle pressing. The settled, clean juice was fermented at 15°C in stainless steel tanks using aromatic yeast strains to retain the fresh varietal characteristics. 10% of the fruit, which was all Sauvignon Blanc, was whole-berry pressed and the juice was barrel fermented to add subtle texture and complexity. The final components were selected and carefully blended. The Semillon component added texture and a citrus zip to the vibrant and herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc characters.

Tasting Note

A vibrant blend of wonderful purity, aromas of passionfruit and fresh lime lead to a crunchy, fruit-driven palate of citrus characters through to a lip-smacking finish. 

Grape

Sauvignon Blanc 61%, Semillon 39%