2018 Xanadu Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River Australia 750 ml

Over the past few years, the Cabernet whisperers at the legendary Xanadu estate have been undoubtedly in the zone, leveraging Margaret River’s ideal Cab-growing climate to produce highly coveted bottles that garner top scores with unrivaled consistency. 

That’s why, when we saw this dual 94-point 2018 release, we weren’t surprised by the quality. What might have you double- and triple-checking, however, is the price. Getting a Cabernet with this type of exceptional lineage and gem-like terroir—the kind that would easily fetch $50+ in Napa—at a price like this is incredible.

When we last offered this stunning, smooth 2018 Cabernet, the army of Wine Access Cab fanatics wasted no time cleaning us out and popping their bottles. “This wine offers incredible value for the money. All the bells and whistles of top North Coast Cabs and Bordeaux at a fraction of the price. Not just good for Australia, but for anywhere,” said one. “Good on the first opening—even better on the second and third days,” said another. The “only problem is... it sold out,” lamented a third. We expect a similar chorus with this allocation, so make sure you get yours before it sells out again.

Xanadu’s Cab is tough to find in Australia and nearly impossible to get in the U.S. Since winning the Jimmy Watson award, Australia’s top wine honor, Xanadu releases sell out immediately, rarely hitting the international market. So fast, in fact, that the 2017 never even made it to the U.S.

This latest release carries the Xanadu torch with confidence and power, boasting the sophistication to convert even the staunchest Napa Cab purist. The nose shows aromas of black fruit and dark berries before leading you into labyrinthine halls of crushed bay, pipe tobacco, mint, and cedar plank notes, and suddenly you’re lost and you’ve completely forgotten the time. But the palate brings you back with rich, concentrated fire-roasted pepper and new leather flavors, an experience that’s sure to inspire numerous returns.

Margaret River is the epicenter of Australia’s Cabernet Sauvignon emergence. Abutting the Indian Ocean, the region’s generous sunshine and Mediterranean climate are as enticing to winemakers as they are surfers and bronze-tanned tourists, a lush destination that embodies the wine’s poetic namesake. Ample sunlight, cool sea breezes, and dry ripening seasons awaken fine tannin structure and complexity that’s often likened to Bordeaux.

However, Margaret River wines go far beyond mimicry. A staggering 80% of the region’s plant species don’t live anywhere else in the world, a completely distinct ecosystem that gives Margaret River wines their own unique flair, encapsulating the essence of its rich terroir. This Old World quality with New World verve is part of the reason Wine Enthusiast called Margaret River “compelling competition for Napa and Bordeaux.”

Xanadu has been there since Margaret River’s early days. Dr. John Lagan and his wife Eithne planted their first Cabernet Sauvignon and Sémillon near the coast in 1977, and now the Xanadu property has over 200 acres of vines planted in Margaret River’s well-drained, gravelly soils. Acquired by the Rathbone family in 2005, Xanadu has stayed family-owned and obsessively quality-focused, and it shows in their inspired Cabernet Sauvignons. 

Given Xanadu’s ever-expanding list of accolades, you might not see their Cab for a price like this again… if you even see it at all.