Xanadu Wines Chief Winemaker, Glenn Goodall added another prestigious accolade to the pool room on Wednesday at the 2023 Halliday Wine Companion Awards, after two years as a finalist in the race.
Goodall said he was excited and honoured to be named the best winemaker in the country by the respected publication.
"I've been fortunate enough to lead the Xanadu team for many years, and winemaking is definitely a team sport," he said.
"This award acknowledges everyone, including our growers, who have been involved in the Xanadu journey over the years, and I feel really proud to represent this group."
Goodall "fell into wine" while visiting Australia from New Zealand on a surfing holiday in 1989.
Nine years later, he had completed vintages in Bordeaux, South Africa, New Zealand and California, and received a Bachelor of Agricultural Science, Oenology degree from the University of Adelaide.
He joined the Xanadu Wines team in 1999, and by 2006 was their Senior Winemaker, leading the team to a whopping 339 gold medals and 127 trophies across regional and national wine shows.
Goodall said the success of the winery came down to an unwavering belief that "vineyards should be the loudest voice in the glass, not the winemaker".
"Walking a lot of rows, in a lot of vineyards, is really important to identify the differences between, and often within, blocks," he said.
"This unlocks good picking decisions and by keeping the winemaking pretty simple we can maintain the integrity of each different parcel of fruit, and that's the key to retaining a nice spectrum of fruit profiles for when it comes to putting blends together."
Nicky Lefebvre
I am a journalist, photographer and content creator based in the beautiful Margaret River wine region, covering all aspects of our community including local news, sport, entertainment and events, as well as providing a platform for our readers to share their voices direct from regional Australia.
I am a journalist, photographer and content creator based in the beautiful Margaret River wine region, covering all aspects of our community including local news, sport, entertainment and events, as well as providing a platform for our readers to share their voices direct from regional Australia.
