2014 XANADU DJL CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2014 X A N A D U DJ L CABERNET SAUVIGNON REVIEWS
WINE OF THE WEEK Ray Jordan
The Western Australian, The West Fresh, April 2017 I am seeing some truly exceptional wines from the 2014 vintage down at the Margs and this valuefor-money wine captures a lot of quality of that vintage. A medium-bodied cabernet with a fine angular mouth feel. The grainy and slightly chalky tannins work neatly with fine-grained oak. Black olive and leafy blackcurrant fruit with a hint of dark chocolate edginess. Make sure you either decant or let it breathe to bring out the best. Classy value for money cabernet.
95 Points
James Halliday Halliday Wine Companion Online, March 2017 86% cabernet sauvignon, 10% malbec, 4% petit verdot; from northern Margaret River, 43% estategrown in Wallcliffe (southern Margaret River) and a small portion of the cabernet (12%) from the Frankland River; destemmed and crushed, static fermenter for 5-7 days, 35% given extended maceration on skins, matured for 14 months in French oak (30% new). As well as significant regional complexity, there is the Bordeaux mix of varieties adding yet more. The great crimson-purple colour telegraphs a steel hand in a velvet glove. The wine has great structure and texture, yet is so refined it is only medium-bodied, with all the expected cassis, blackcurrant and mulberry fruit. Bargain, of course.
94 Points
Tyson Stelzer Wine Business Magazine, May/June 2017 Refined, elegant expression of Margaret River Cabernet- has the satiny texture, inward intensity, svelte feel and great length of flavour. Dashes of green herbs and black olive amongst tobacco-clove, oak spice and a load of dark ad blueberry fruitiness. Smooth, seamless, lengthly in its draw across the palate. Fine expression here.
93 Points
Campbell Mattinson
Wine Front, February 2017 It wouldn’t be a proper Margaret River cabernet sauvignon if there wasn’t some malbec in the mix. This includes 10% malbec and 4% petit verdot. I suspect this is still some months from release. Proportion. Mouthfeel. Enough flavour without getting carried away. Such traits define this wine. There’s not a lot of heft here but there’s enough to satisfy. There’s blackcurrant and gum leaf, mulberry and earth flavour, creamy oak adding a polished sheen. The tannin profile here is about as ultra fine-grained as you’ll ever encounter. There’s a flush of refreshing acidity too. In all, really, $24 isn’t much to ask for this kind of quality, and drinking enjoyment.
AWARDS
GOLD -
Royal Melbourne Wine Show Awards, 2015
w w w . x a n a d u w i n e s . c o m
WINE OF THE WEEK Ray Jordan
The Western Australian, The West Fresh, April 2017 I am seeing some truly exceptional wines from the 2014 vintage down at the Margs and this valuefor-money wine captures a lot of quality of that vintage. A medium-bodied cabernet with a fine angular mouth feel. The grainy and slightly chalky tannins work neatly with fine-grained oak. Black olive and leafy blackcurrant fruit with a hint of dark chocolate edginess. Make sure you either decant or let it breathe to bring out the best. Classy value for money cabernet.
95 Points
James Halliday Halliday Wine Companion Online, March 2017 86% cabernet sauvignon, 10% malbec, 4% petit verdot; from northern Margaret River, 43% estategrown in Wallcliffe (southern Margaret River) and a small portion of the cabernet (12%) from the Frankland River; destemmed and crushed, static fermenter for 5-7 days, 35% given extended maceration on skins, matured for 14 months in French oak (30% new). As well as significant regional complexity, there is the Bordeaux mix of varieties adding yet more. The great crimson-purple colour telegraphs a steel hand in a velvet glove. The wine has great structure and texture, yet is so refined it is only medium-bodied, with all the expected cassis, blackcurrant and mulberry fruit. Bargain, of course.
94 Points
Tyson Stelzer Wine Business Magazine, May/June 2017 Refined, elegant expression of Margaret River Cabernet- has the satiny texture, inward intensity, svelte feel and great length of flavour. Dashes of green herbs and black olive amongst tobacco-clove, oak spice and a load of dark ad blueberry fruitiness. Smooth, seamless, lengthly in its draw across the palate. Fine expression here.
93 Points
Campbell Mattinson
Wine Front, February 2017 It wouldn’t be a proper Margaret River cabernet sauvignon if there wasn’t some malbec in the mix. This includes 10% malbec and 4% petit verdot. I suspect this is still some months from release. Proportion. Mouthfeel. Enough flavour without getting carried away. Such traits define this wine. There’s not a lot of heft here but there’s enough to satisfy. There’s blackcurrant and gum leaf, mulberry and earth flavour, creamy oak adding a polished sheen. The tannin profile here is about as ultra fine-grained as you’ll ever encounter. There’s a flush of refreshing acidity too. In all, really, $24 isn’t much to ask for this kind of quality, and drinking enjoyment.
AWARDS
GOLD -
Royal Melbourne Wine Show Awards, 2015
w w w . x a n a d u w i n e s . c o m
