2020 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay

Firmly standing at the top of the tree of Australian Chardonnays, Leeuwin Estate have turned out a spectacular release from the 2020 vintage. Barrel fermented and matured in new French oak barriques with regular lees stirring for a period of 11 months.
Brilliant pale straw colour with subtle highlights of green around the outskirts and a watery hue. Both sophisticated and intense nosing offers up aromas of white peach, nectarine and subtle dried honey infused with gun flint. Also present are citrus, biscuity oak, nougat and delicate roasted almond notes. Rich yet highly refined in its feel the palate is engulfed with white peach, pear, nectarine and dried honey flavours which overlay notions of cashew, biscuity oak, roasted almond, nougat and infusions of gun flint. Superb power and persistence with seamless integration of acidity. Very expansive and textural in its conclusion.
Drink over the next 8-10 years.
Alc. 13.5%

Other Reviews…..
It would not surprise me if this was considered the greatest Leeuwin chardonnay yet. You would get no argument from me... there is elegance and power here. Subtle layered wine. It was a year of great concentration and power. Has pear and lime character that is part of the DNA. The fruit is generous, especially about the mid palate. Has a subtle and not overstated flinty character with a lift of spice. The oak is brilliantly managed and complementary. It's very tight and precise and the whole-bunch technique gives it that stalky, phenolics character. There's a savoury almond meal character on the finish. Incredible length and power here. The minerally character on the finish is quite pronounced. In the top three, certainly, of any Leeuwin chardonnay.
99 points
Ray Jordan

Gary Walsh is of course recognised as the world’s No. 1 expert on Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay. But I’m happy to step in while he fumbles about in the samples room.
This is a peach of a wine. One sip and wow, you’re into its wonderful world. It has one foot entirely in the elegant camp, and the other comprehensively in the domain of power. It’s seamless. There are peach, cedarwood, white flower, ginger and custard-like characters, along with quartz, though it’s all just rolled and reamed into one. The length of it; it’s brilliant. The off-hand confidence. This is a super release. Drink 2025 - 2035+
97 Points
Campbell Mattinson - The Wine Front

The perfect balance of this wine is central to its place at the top of the Margaret River chardonnay tree. The vintage saw little disease pressure, and the purity of the wine is absolute, white peach to the fore, sustained by perfect acidity. Drink to 2040.
99 points
James Halliday's Top 100 2023