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Xanadu Stevens Road Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon

Marrying graceful, fragrant beauty with distinguished structure and grand longevity is a tightrope act that defines cabernet’s most compelling incarnations. There is breathtaking purity and focus on display here, with a remarkable core of rose hip, redcurrant and tobacco. Its fragrant allure is mesmerising, yet in no way overt, slowly rising and blossoming. The palate is the epitome of poise, at once elegant, fragrant and exactly medium bodied, with rose bud perfume, layers of redcurrants and notes of tobacco leaf. It’s refined, distinguished and graceful, with ultra-fine, textured tannins of mineral finesse and enduring persistence. Only 200 dozen were made, making this a tricky wine to find, after being crowned wine of the year by James Halliday. $57 at Dan Murphy’s.