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Xanadu Next of Kin Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon

The reason this benchmark value-for-money Margaret River cabernet has such unusual levels of regional and varietal integrity for its miniscule price is that the philosophy is very much the same as that of its big brothers. 55% estate grown Wallcliffe fruit spends fourteen months in French oak, one-third of which is new. The selection here is predominantly the lighter, finer, brighter parcels, but some of the more serious, dense components are brought in at the end to tweak the blend. The result is fragrant, focused and pristine, a refreshingly medium-bodied style of violet perfume and accurate regional notes of cedar, tobacco, leaf, coffee and redcurrants. $16 at Nillumbik Cellars, No Frills Wine and Cellarbrations.