Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay 2017

2017 brought a cool growing season to Margaret River, comparable to 2009. Yields were also significantly reduced, but the fruit that was produced was of a very high standard.

Due to the cool season, this wine doesn’t (yet) have the richness of some recent vintages. The nose shows white florals and white stone fruit (as opposed to golden stone fruit) and flavours this year show a lot of citrus: mainly lemon balm, lemongrass and squashed lime. Below that, cashew nut and nougat are delivered in waves of savoury complexity, providing layer upon layer of flavour and texture. Acidity is quite vibrant and direct, forming a powerful backbone off which the fruit hangs. I see this as a longer-term Art Series Chardonnay: one that will reveal itself more slowly over time as it rests in your cellar. – Ches Cook, FWC. 

Campbell Mattinson: The Winefront  March 2020 Rated: 97 Points

The art of Margaret River chardonnay. This is it. You don’t just drink a wine like this, you set it in your mind as a benchmark. It’s a wine built on power, texture and length, centre-half forward, centre-half back and ruck, with acidity roving through and fragrance cheering loud. That seduction up front, that pure fresh peach, that huge energetic push through the back half. Blimey Charlie the crushed fennel characters here are full on. It’s the frisky side of luxury. It’s damn good.

James Halliday: July 2020 Rated: 99 Points

This achieves another step up the quality ladder for Leeuwin Estate, seemingly impossible. There's been no change in the vinification, nor in the vineyard. The change is an increase in the intensity of the flavours, and hence their length and aftertaste. It's an extraordinary wine, among the greatest of Burgundy (and elsewhere in the world). Whatever you expect from its future development will be delivered.  

Huon Hooke: The Real Review Rated: 98 Points

Light yellow, a very youthful colour. The bouquet has substantial oak as well as some tropical fruit, cashew nut and fluffy yeast aromas. The palate is very intense and vibrant, with nervy acidity and richness to match, the aftertaste lingering on and on. A power-packed wine that is compact and tightly-packaged, latent like an unexploded bomb! Intense and sustained grapefruit and lemon aftertaste. An impressive, high-impact chardonnay of great potential. The sheer power of the fruit is awesome.