Xanadu Petit Verdot 2023

This excellent, long ripening season has certainly suited Petit Verdot, one of the later-ripening varieties. This is a beautiful wine; the aromas are highly perfumed, with rose petal, dark cherry, blackcurrant, and rich, creamy dark chocolate against a slightly spicy backdrop. There’s plushness in the rich, creamy dark fruits, but it remains vibrant and alive throughout the palate, which carries through to a sustained finish. Good tannin presence is evident, sitting comfortably with the French oak, 40% of which was new.