- 99
2004 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay
The Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay is consistently rated as Australia’s greatest white wine by International judges. So why is this wine so special given that Leeuwin has 98 acres of Chardonnay vines planted? Of the 98 acres, the vineyard is divided into 10 blocks and it is the fruit from Block 20 which forms the backbone of the Art Series Chardonnay. The original vines are now over 30 years old and have been identified as the Gin Gin clone. The terroir of Block 20 is unique. The vineyard is exposed to north and west sunlight and has been planted on mid to low slopes. The granitic soils are some of Australia’s oldest and most leached which makes them textbook perfect for ultra premium Chardonnay. However the vineyard is only one part of the jigsaw that make up this extraordinary wine. The winemaking is meticulous and very considered with the deliberate objective to produce a complex, multi-layered wine.
A Red drinkers White!
Brilliant straw colour with pale straw hue. Superb nose – just bursting with layers of complexity. Top note of hazelnut, cashew, biscuit and yeast lees reflective of total barrel fermentation, followed by short layers of ripe fig, spice and melon. The palate is a wonderful concentrate of flavour – hazelnut, cashew, yeast lees, melon and fig are enhanced with a layer of anise and spicy oak. Creamy texture, perfect balance. Exceptionally long aftertaste.
Cellar 3-5 years (2010-2012)
Alc/Vol: 14.5%
Other Reviews...
The 2004 Chardonnay “Art Series” was aged for 18 months in 100% new oak with no malolactic fermentation. It offers a classic Puligny aromatic profile of mineral, butterscotch, white peach, spiced apple, and poached pear. This leads to a streamlined Chardonnay with its oak totally integrated, ripe, elegant flavors, outstanding depth and concentration, and a long, pure finish. It will evolve for 2-3 years and drink well for up to a decade as a recent taste of the 1987 (92 points) demonstrates. Leeuwin Estate is one of the benchmark wineries of Western Australia. Both reds and whites exhibit cool climate character and European elegance.
93 Points
Drink 2009 - 2017
Jay Miller - Wine Advocate #173 Oct 2007
A collective sigh of relief greeted the release of this great wine under screwcap. In a tasting earlier this year I wrote the fruit literally sings (like Leeuwin's annual concerts); white peach, nectarine and grapefruit are the sopranos, barrel ferment and limited malolactic fermentation the orchestra behind. Over the intervening six months the wine has moved into an even higher register of perfection.
Drink Now-2019 with
97 points 14.5° alc
James Halliday’s Top 100