Xanadu Circa 77 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Margaret River 2024

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 subregion 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.

The majority of fruit for this blend was crushed, destemmed 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.