Bob McDonald

9.5

Quite a light to mid lemon in colour for its 11 years of age. Nutty (almond and cashew) aromas. Oak has integrated. The palate shows those same nutty notes together with that trademark pear character with white nectarine. Overall still youthful. My remaining 3 bottles will easily see out this decade. — 5 months ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.1

Nicely aromatic & restrained (for Australia) with purity of dark fruit (blackberries, plums, mulberry), nice depth and excellent tannins quality - juicy, polished, finely grained.
Very elegant & with beautiful balance between the ripeness & savoury notes.
A really lovely wine! — a year ago

Big Wave Dave

9.5

2021 release at Penfolds tasting. A big and structured wine but with beautiful detail, complexity, and length. There is flint, smoke, rounded sweet lemon, caramel, and wet stone. Built to age but fabulous now. More structured than Kumeu or Leeuwin Art Series, but at Burg 1er cru price point, not great p/q for new world chard. — 3 years ago

with Racquel

Bob McDonald

9.2

I made some great notes on Sunday and then lost them! Overall a delicate wine with excellent oak treatment to match the lighter fruit. Under ripe white flesh stone fruit and grapefruit with a minor toasty vanilla note. Many of my previous experiences with Cali Chardonnay were overoaked but this had great balance and thoroughly enjoyable. I notice some other tasters noted ripe Chardonnay fruit - certainly not in comparison to Leeuwin Art Series in my experience. — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

No formal notes - at an old friends unit at Main Beach for dinner. Always one of Margaret River’s leading Chardonnays - more in the peaches and cream Leeuwin Art Series style using riper fruit. Enough acid to carry this through to the latter part of the 2020’s. — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

Pale Lemon in colour. More in the lean style for Margaret River as compared to the richer “peaches and cream “ style of Cuvées like Leeuwin Art Series and Pierro. The oak has been judiciously dialled back not to overwhelm the more delicate fruit profile of citrus and grapefruit. Finished off with crisp acid. Would have liked a riper fruit profile from this good vintage. Perhaps picking a little later? Tasted 29 weeks later on 1st December 2021. Developing nicely with sweet grapefruit, nectarine and pear. Xanadu still having a wonderful run on the Australian Wine Show Circuit. Tasted again on 2nd July 2022 with consistent notes. Last bottle. Great value at $30 a bottle. — 5 years ago

Marcus Chacos

10

OMG - get this!! — 7 months ago

David White

9.1

Excellent new vintage 2024, crisp and dry excellent fresh melon and lemon nose with good acidity and flavours on palate.
Always an enjoyable drop! — 9 months ago

Rodney Miller

9.7

Pale gold, a beautiful nose of red apple there is salinity and mineralogy on the palate. Lots of of fruit including watermelon, nectarines and more apple. A beautiful wine with a long life ahead of it! — 2 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

“Funky Road Medina”! Struck Match, smoky, nutty, leesy - somewhat worked. Too Lean on the palate to be a Trophy Winner for my taste. Light to medium weight palate - citrus and pink grapefruit with Medium acid. This wine was awarded the Trophy for Best Chardonnay at the Royal Queensland Wine Show about a month ago. From Margaret River but leaner than the other famous Chardonnays there like Leeuwin Estate, Heytesbury, Pierro etc. Not cheap at $100 per bottle. Will improve with bottle age. — 3 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

See previous Delectable notes. Crystal clear pale lemon in colour. A lovely 10 year old Margaret River Chardonnay. Chloe is Woodlands premium Cru for Chardonnay. A funky nougat type note - lemons and nuts. Not as full as Leeuwin Art Series - more like near neighbours Cullen and Vasse Felix. This wine begs for seafood. Next night quite Citric. — 4 years ago

Aravind A

9.2

Unscrew and pour yesterday. Noted from 24 hrs open. Fantastic PQR. Lovely meyer lemon and soft mango notes, some oak-influenced vanilla, but very stylish. On the palate: lovely acidity, soft slate, good density and a juicy finish. At the garagiste price of about 27 bucks, this is leaning in the case buy direction. Yum. — 5 years ago

Big Wave Dave

9.3

powerful and precise . Still loads to give after 10years. More powerful than it’s neighbour Leeuwin Art Series. Leaves an impact. — 5 years ago

David MacMillan

9.3

This is a Chardonnay from Mornington Penninsula, which is a wine region I was unaware of (about 45 mins outside Melbourne). I was really blown away by this wine. Reminded me of a junior version of Cloudburst. Great balance, completely electric minerality......polished but not overdone. Best surprise wine I have had here (I am not posting the wines that have been disappointing). Restaurants here are too into the Arts series from Leeuwin, which is fine but a bit over rated. — 7 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Sunday Lunch with Roast Lamb. Deep Ruby in colour - very dense. A very Margaret River Cabernet - nose with herbs and a little mint. Barb thought a bit of capsicum (bell pepper) on the nose. On the medium bodied balanced palate the tannins are quite soft yet persistent. Leeuwin Estate better known for its outstanding Art Series Chardonnay has been working hard with the red varieties and it shows. — 9 months ago

Erin Vickers

9.5

Damian’s favourite, but not all batches feel as strong as the other. Same year though. — a year ago

with Damian

Bob McDonald

9.2

Quite lemony, grapefruit, citrus, mineral. Nose is modern Australian Chardonnay with struck match and flint. Palate showing grapefruit, citrus and mineral and quite lean compared to other Margaret River Chardonnay icons like Leeuwin Art Series and Pierro. Minimal oak influence. Could cellar for a few more years. — 2 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Ripe grapefruit, almost peachy - a little funk which blew off. Enough palate cleansing acidity to make this very moreish. A delicious wine which is amazing value at only $21.50 per bottle from one of the best Chardonnay producers in the New World. A big statement I know but try his premium Mate’s Vineyard and see what you think. Had my last one 31 weeks later on 28th January 2023 at Paros on the Gold Coast with consistent notes. A few days previous we had Leeuwin Estate’s 2nd wine called Prelude which was about 50% dearer than this Kumeu Village. We preferred the Kumeu. Astounding value for money and an annual purchase for me. — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Pale to mid Lemon in colour. Smells like it could be lean - Lemons and white flowers but it’s quite fulsome on the palate with white peach and a saline touch. I have to agree with Tanzer’s note with aromas of citrus peel and wet stone. Sometimes I have a high quality Australian Chardonnay like Leeuwin Art Series, Bindi Quartz or Penfolds Yattarna and wonder why I would bother with a more expensive Premier Cru white Burgundy. Once I tasted this I could see where that extra $100 went. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

Bright lemon yellow and spotlessly clean in appearance. Nose a little closed. More citrus than stone fruit on the palate- slightly waxy texture with medium minus acid. Built for the long haul when made. Great to see in a very well made Margaret River Chardonnay. Could still enjoy this in 2 or 3 years time. Xanadu has been exhibiting well in the last several years on the Australian Show Circuit. Drank my last bottle on 11th January 2021, 43 weeks after the note above. Consistent notes, great to have a mature Margaret River Chardonnay from a good producer. Made in the leaner style ( compared to Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay) and probably picked a little earlier. A good balance between citrus and stone fruit such as nectarine. — 6 years ago