Why this wine matters
More than a famous label.
The 2021 vintage was relatively cool and humid by Margaret River standards, producing elegant wines. Xanadu’s regional Chardonnay shows why the area is so highly regarded for the grape.
Xanadu · Margaret River, Western Australia
Chardonnay
Margaret River Chardonnay · peach · apple · salinity · oak · taut
Xanadu Chardonnay is a strong mid-range Margaret River benchmark: concentrated enough to feel serious, but still driven by freshness and restraint.
Country
Australia
Region
Margaret River, Western Australia
Appellation
Margaret River
Grapes
Chardonnay
Style
White
Realistic spend
£20–£30
Budget band: £20–£35
Best moments
birthdaymothers daydinner partyanniversarygift
A strong Margaret River Chardonnay for birthdays and dinner parties where freshness and richness both matter.
How it is made
The decisions behind the style.
The 2021 was whole-bunch pressed and barrel fermented in French oak, with about 22% new oak. The estate avoids malolactic fermentation in this style to retain tension and acidity.
What does it taste like?
The shape of the wine.
White peach and red apple sit alongside salinity, subtle tropical fruit and carefully integrated oak. The palate is taut, fresh and persistent.
Body4/5
Acidity5/5
Tannin0/5
Sweetness0/5
Oak influence3/5
Freshness5/5
Aroma4/5
Serve it well
Serve around 10–12°C. Avoid over-chilling so the texture and oak remain integrated.
If this wine were human…
The cultivated one
If Chardonnay were human, it would be serious about the good things, but not about looking serious while enjoying them.
substantialsharp-mindeddiplomaticunfussy
Does any of this sound suspiciously familiar?
Serious about the good things, but not about looking serious while enjoying them. You notice small details and then pretend you did not, mostly to see whether anyone else does.
At dinner, you are happy to share the bottle, but you definitely noticed who poured themselves the heroic measure. Secretly, you are slightly competitive about having found the good place before everyone else.
In short: serious about the good things, but not about looking serious while enjoying them. margaret river chardonnay energy, translated into a person.
Purely for fun — this is the wine’s fictional personality, not a psychological reading of yours.
What to eat with it
And the cheese?
No dead ends.
Start with this wine and move straight into cheese, or build a whole tasting around it.
Keep exploring
There are 365 more wines where this came from.
Research sources
This profile is researched against producer or similarly authoritative material. Vintage-specific details are kept separate from the permanent wine identity.