Xanadu

Country:

Australia

Xanadu now has a long history of producing wines of distinction. By the early Eighties it was already winning awards, and had begun establishing a reputation as one of the finest wineries in the region, a reputation that is being consolidated since the purchased of Xanadu Wines by the Rathbone family in 2005.

John and Eithne Lagan arrived at Margaret River in 1968, first planting their vineyard in 1977. The Lagans planted the first vines in what is now one of the region’s oldest vineyards. They named their vineyard Xanadu after the poem Kubla Khan by the romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Xanadu now has a long history of producing wines of distinction. By the early Eighties it was already winning awards, and had begun establishing a reputation as one of the finest wineries in the region, a reputation that is being consolidated since the purchased of Xanadu Wines by the Rathbone family in 2005.

Margaret River is surrounded by the ocean on three sides. Two oceans, the Indian and Southern Oceans. Warm growing seasons with cooling sea breezes create the perfect maritime climate. The soil is predominantly gravelly or gritty sandy loam formed directly from the underlying granite and gneissic rock. Ancient soils, waiting countless millennia for the first planting in 1977. Since the first significant planting of vines in 1967, the Margaret River wine region has grown to become regarded as potentially one of the great wine-producing regions of the world. Although the region contributes only 3 per cent of the country’s wine grapes, it commands over 20 per cent of today’s premium wine market. Is one of the largest wine regions in Australia and stretches some 100km from north to south and about 27km wide in parts. The region comprises the rolling hills of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge, between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin . To the west, the Indian Ocean provides a dramatic boundary of cliffs, world-renowned surf and some of Australia ’s most pristine beaches. It is a wine region of superior growing conditions with a Mediterranean style climate. This means vineyards are not affected by extreme summer and winter temperatures. Humidity levels are ideal during the growing period and the combination of climate, soil and viticulture practices leads to consistently high quality fruit of intense flavour. Consequently annual vintage results continue to exceed expectations and reinforce its reputation of one of the premium wine producing regions of the world. Xanadu is one of the oldest vineyards in Margaret River, with 85 hectares now planted with our key varieties, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. The grapes are harvested from the end of February to mid-April.

Glenn Goodall, Winemaker

Originally from Northland in New Zealand, Glenn first visited Australia on a surfing holiday in 1989. It was during this trip that he began his involvement in the wine industry, working in the vineyard at Cassegrain Wines in Port Macquarie, New South Wales.
A vintage at Domaine La Grave in Bordeaux, France a few months later (1990) cemented Glenn’s passion for wine and he soon returned to Port Macquarie for another vintage at Cassegrain. Glenn worked his way from the vineyard to the cellar until John Cassegrain encouraged him to take up study in the field. Recognising Glenn’s ability, John offered the young winemaker the security of a senior role to come back to when he had finished his degree.

Over the next few years, between study at the University of Adelaide (Roseworthy) and vintages at Cassegrain, Glenn gained valuable experience overseas including the ’92 vintage in South Africa at Glen Carlou, Esk Valley in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand (1996) and in 1997, at Mac Rostie Wines in California, USA.

By the end of 1996, Glenn had completed a winemaking degree. Returning to Port Macquarie taking on a position of Winemaker, Glenn spent a total of nine years at Cassegrain, before eventually deciding to take up an opportunity to return to South Africa working for Walter Finlayson (founder of Glen Carlou).

In 1998 Glenn settled in the Margaret River region. He began in a vineyard role at Ashbrook Vineyards, and assisted in establishing Margaret River’s first contract winemaking facility at Harmans Ridge before finding his niche as a winemaker at Xanadu Wines, joining the team in late 1999.

Glenn attributes the experience he gained whilst working under the guidance of Drew Noon at Cassegrain Wines, and Walter Finlayson as great influences of his wine career. Finlayson, like Cassegrain, gave Glenn valuable opportunities and responsibility early in his career, allowing him access to exceptional fruit to complement his technical training. When asked about the most memorable wines of his wine tasting career, he says, ‘there have been many.’

‘But on the same token it also might just be the next bottle I open, which is good. It keeps you on your toes and helps maintain the enjoyment and passion for winemaking.’

Glenn believes true quality begins in the vineyard and that winemaking is all about respecting the fruit and the region - purely guiding the wines through to the bottle rather than ‘beating them into submission’. He is focussed on utmost quality, holding a great passion for Margaret River as a wine-producing region, whilst also valuing the amazing lifestyle that Margaret River offers his young family.

Glenn notes that his time at Xanadu has been both rewarding and sometimes challenging. He is excited about the future – having experienced the full cycle of the winery from Lagan-family ownership, through the sometimes challenging corporate phase before returning to family ownership with the Rathbone family in August 2005. The new owners share his focus on uncompromising quality, beginning in the vineyard and together they have begun work on exciting advancements for the future.