Xanadu Circa 77 chardonnay 2025

You're getting a fair amount of high-quality chardonnay at this price with some serious winemaking. It was 100% barrel-fermented with wild fermentation, but no malolactic fermentation with the aim of retaining that fresh, zingy acidity and vibrancy. It has had the influence of lees, which has been stirred regularly to build in a textural completeness. Lemony grapefruit notes on the nose and a palate which has a crunchy minerality, slightly chalky acid, complementing the excellent fruit. Quite a delicate style but with good intensity and ideal for drinking in the short term.