Leeuwin, Chardonnay, Art Series, Margaret River, Australia 2019

“Succulent and distinctive, this white opens with notes of crème fraîche, tahini and salted butterscotch that are aromatic and appealing, backed by hints of fresh-grated ginger and mouthwatering acidity and leading to a vibrant, juicy mouthful of dried pineapple, pomelo and yuzu flavors at the core. The elements are all in balance, and the tension between them yields a complex, stunning wine. Drink now through 2027.”-95WS

Leeuwin Estate, one of the founding wineries in the Margaret River region of Western Australia, is a family producer with an international reputation for creating wines ranking alongside the world’s finest.  In 1972, legendary Napa Valley winemaker, Robert Mondavi, identified the future site of the Leeuwin vineyard as being ideal for the production of premium wine and provided early mentorship to Denis and Tricia Horgan in the transformation of their cattle farm into Leeuwin Estate. A nursery was planted in 1974 with vineyard sites planted from 1975. Enjoying its first commercial vintage in 1979, Leeuwin Estate was thrust into the global wine spotlight when Decanter Magazine highly recommended the 1981 “Art Series” Chardonnay after an international blind tasting. The accolades have continued, with Leeuwin Estate wines found in leading Restaurants and Wine Merchants across 30 markets. Now under the stewardship of three generations of the founding family, who work alongside a team of dedicated viticulturalists and winemakers, the focus remains firmly on creating site expressive wines of the finest quality. Celebrating the art of fine wine, the Estate’s most opulent and age worthy wines, the “Art Series’ are identified with paintings from Australia’s leading contemporary artists on the labels. A pioneer in wine tourism, Leeuwin Estate incorporates a multi-award-winning Restaurant, Cellar Door and Art Gallery and creates unique visitor experiences.

Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay and Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon are both included in the prestigious ‘Langtons Classification of Australian Wine, representing Australia’s most highly sought-after wines based on consumer demand, collectability, and prices fetched at auction. Art Series Chardonnay has been included in the special designation of ‘1st Classified,’ reserved for a small cohort of wines representing the most desirable wines in Australia that compete with the world’s finest. Leading Australian wine commentator, James Halliday, includes Leeuwin in his ‘Top 100 Australian Wineries’, and has written, “Leeuwin Estate is a class act, every facet of its business working with the precision of a Swiss watch. It stands at the very forefront of estate-based, family-owned wineries…” Leeuwin Estate has been included in US ‘Wine & Spirits’ Magazine’s Hall of Fame in the category of ‘International Wineries of the Year’ and with point scores as high as 98/100, US ‘Wine Spectator’ has included Leeuwin’s Art Series Chardonnays amongst the “Top 100 Wines of the Year” on numerous occasions. Leeuwin Estate’s Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon has been a US ‘Wine & Spirits’ “Top 100 Wine of The Year”. The Estate has won numerous awards for its Restaurant and tourism activities.