LEEUWIN ESTATE ART SERIES CHARDONNAY 2019
| Grape: | 100% Chardonnay |
| Vineyard: | Leeuwin Estate |
| Origin: | Margaret River, Western Australia |
| ABV%: | 13.5% |
| Colour: | Yellow |
| Aromas: |
Purity and clarity are the hallmarks of this wine. Woven lime curd, poached pear, lemon flesh and white nectarine feature at the forefront. This vintage breathes energy with lifted Chinese star jasmine, lime blossom and ginger notes. The complexity of cinnamon quill, toasted hazelnuts, nougat, panna cotta, flint and graphite diligently lie in the background. |
| Flavours: |
The palate is bright and energetic, with laced mineral acidity. Bursting lemon, lime and pear skin meet oyster shell and saline notes, providing a precise corridor and direction. Gently coiled textures give lateral capacity and dimension. |
Winemakers Highlights
2019 was an excellent vintage in the Margaret River region, once again producing high-quality wines.
Winter was met with cold and wet conditions. Whilst rainfall in June and July was lower than average, significant rainfall in August filled dams on the Estate. The mild start to spring delayed flowering by approximately 10 days over much of the vineyard, before the weather improved significantly and warm blue sky days were once again commonplace.
A significant 52mm of rain in late January prepared the unirrigated vineyards for a perfect finish to ripening. Vintage commenced with the harvest of Riesling in the final week of February, followed soon after by Chardonnay in early March.
Cool destemmed fruit held on skins combine with components of whole bunch pressed parcels. The juice was settled for 12-36 hours, racked and inoculated with yeast. 100% of the juice was barrel fermented in new French oak barriques and the lees stirred regularly. After 11 months in barrels, the various components were blended, fined, cold stabilised and bottled.
Reviews
"In many ways the most Burgundian of any of the Leeuwin releases, this will rank up there with the best to date. There’s a waxy light mealy aroma which picks up nuances of limestone and spice with a trace of grapefruit. But it is the palate that really distinguishes it. There is an austerity with the minerally chalky feel that cuts through the fruit extending to a finish of extraordinary length. Precision and focus harness a wine of great power and poise before dry savoury edges lift the finish.” 99 points.
Ray Jordan, WinePilot.com, March 2022
"One of Australia’s most iconic wines and certainly our most famous Chardonnay. That means it can never put a foot wrong – the clamour of horror would be deafening if a release fell short, whereas if it maintains the incredible standards it has set over decades, there is little more than a ho-hum. Well, ho-hum, this is stunning stuff. Just a brilliant wine. World class.
An extraordinary blend of opulence, fresh energy, purity of flavour, intensity and length. Stonefruit notes, lemon zest, oystershell and almond notes. Hints of mandarin and peach and even a touch of ripe mango. The oak is integrating well and will become even more so in the coming years. Focus is laser-like. Glorious now, but there is so much more ahead, with more complexity and tertiary flavours to emerge as it ages. Expect this to be thrilling winelovers in a decade, if there is any left. This release, as they all are, will inevitably be compared with the finest from both Australia and Burgundy. It sits very comfortably among the best. Wonderful now, but it has so much more to reveal.” 98 points.
Ken Gargett, WinePilot.com, May 2022