Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series 2005

document.getElementById("NoProductImage").innerHTML = ""; James Halliday 97 points!"Awesome power- grace- depth and finesse pure grapefruit- nectarine and peach flesh aromas are framed by complex- toasty- grilled nuts the palate is amazingly concentrated- yet portrays a lightness that is completely beguiling and incredibly long. Rating: 97. Drink to 2020. Date Tasted: Mar 08" James Halliday- Australian Wine Companion 2009 Jeremy Oliver 96 points!"Almost the perfect chardonnay- this sublime wine is on one hand astonishingly intense and read more...concentrated- while being seamlessly balanced and measured on the other. Its opulent expression of pineapple- grapefruit- guava and mango-like fruit knits effortlessly with creamy- bacony- vanilla and slightly smoky oak- while it's underpinned by a chalky mineral texture and punctuated by a chiselled citrusy acidity. While there's a hint of spirity heat on its exceptionally long and complete palate- it's a stunning exercise in both power and control. " Jeremy Oliver 2008 "The colour is a brilliant green straw. The fresh nose is classic Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay- with intensely lifted aromas of ripe yellow pear skins- the petals of citrus blossom- nectarine and ripe peach accompanied by hints of fig and cashews from barrel maturation on yeast lees with integrated charry French oak. These flavours combine into a finely balanced bouquet the result of very low yielding vines matched with subtle winemaking to preserve the richness of the fruit. The palate displays the mouth filling and intense flavours of fresh ripe pears which is full bodied and incredibly rich- intermingling with delicious stone fruit flavours and nectarine. The middle palate shows richness from both the fruit and the lees stirring- with a lingering fresh citrus finish. The new French oak complements the fruit- providing a wonderful balance of warm toasty flavours on the finish. The structure of this wine highlights both the power of a typical multi layered Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay with an underlying elegance."Tasting Notes- Leeuwin. Leeuwin Estate "Leeuwin Estate's Chardonnay is- in my opinion- Australia's finest example- based on the wines of the last 20-odd vintages- and it is this wine alone that demands a 5-star rating for the winery. The Cabernet Sauvignon can be an excellent wine with great style and character in warmer vintages- and Shiraz made an auspicious debut. Almost inevitably- the other wines in the portfolio are not in the same Olympian class- although the Prelude Chardonnay and Siblings Sauvignon Blanc are impressive at their lower price level." James Halliday Leeuwin Estate Art Series ChardonnayWhen Penfolds began to create a white wine of the stature and image of Grange- several people asked why they didn't just buy Leeuwin Estate. Arguably Australia's leading white wine- Leeuwin's chardonnay is an explosive mouthful of concentrated- creamy Margaret River chardonnay enhanced with excellent oak. It's our best cellaring chardonnay as well. Jeremy Oliver Purchased by Trish and Denis Horgan- Leeuwin Estate lies just south of the Margaret River township. The Art Series Block 20 vineyard lies on deeply weathered and laterised soils with rocky outcrops of gneiss and ironstone gravels. Pristine Chardonnay fruit characters are preserved throughout vinification. The wine is 100% barrel fermented in selected new French oak and matured in the same barrel for approximately 12 months. These are rare- long-lived- fine-boned Chardonnays with superb fruit definition and clarity. They show a balance between exuberant fruit and savoury complexity. The palate is creamy yet a fine bead of acid cuts a swathe across the palate giving life and incredible length. It develops beautifully with grapefruit/melon aromas and complex lanolin nuances. Andrew Caillard MW    (hide)

October 2008

The color is a brilliant green straw. The fresh nose is classic Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay, with intensely lifted aromas of ripe yellow pear skins, the petals of citrus blossom, nectarine and ripe peach accompanied by hints of fig and cashews from barrel maturation on yeast lees with integrated charry French oak. These flavours combine into a finely balanced bouquet; the result of very low yielding vines matched with subtle winemaking to preserve the richness of the fruit. The palate displays the mouth filling and intense flavors of fresh ripe pears which is full bodied and incredibly rich, read more...intermingling with delicious stone fruit flavors and nectarine. The middle palate shows richness from both the fruit and the lees stirring, with a lingering fresh citrus finish. The new French oak complements the fruit, providing a wonderful balance of warm toasty flavors on the finish. The structure of this wine highlights both the power of a typical multi-layered Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay with an underlying elegance. 95 Points Round, generous and amazingly fresh, with a juicy hint of grapefruit playing against spicy pear, green guava and mint... Wine Spectator    (hide)

November 2008

International Wine Cellar rating: 94

The color is a brilliant green straw. The fresh nose is classic Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay, with intensely lifted aromas of ripe yellow pear skins, the petals of citrus blossom, nectarine and ripe peach accompanied by hints of fig and cashews from barrel maturation on yeast lees with integrated charry French oak. These flavours combine into a finely balanced bouquet; the result of very low yielding vines matched with subtle winemaking to preserve the richness of the fruit. The palate displays the mouth filling and intense flavors of fresh ripe pears which is full bodied and incredibly rich, read more...intermingling with delicious stone fruit flavors and nectarine. The middle palate shows richness from both the fruit and the lees stirring, with a lingering fresh citrus finish. The new French oak complements the fruit, providing a wonderful balance of warm toasty flavors on the finish. The structure of this wine highlights both the power of a typical multi-layered Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay with an underlying elegance.    (hide)

Wine Spectator rating: 95

November 2008

Varietal 100% Chardonnay Closure Screw Cap Size 750ml Acl/Vol 14.5% Enjoy Now - 2020 The colour is bright straw with lime green hues. The fresh nose is typical Leeuwin- with lifted aromas of ripe yellow pear skin which is full and rich intermingling with delicious stone fruit flavours. The middle palate shows richness from both the fruit and lees stirring. The length- always a feature of Leeuwin Chardonnay is long and full flavoured with a lingering fresh citrus finish. The new French oak complements the fruit providing a wonderful balance of warm toasty flavours on the finish. Enjoy now or cellar read more...for several years. What the critics think "Awesome power- grace- depth and finesse; pure grapefruit- nectarine and peach flesh aromas are framed by complex- toasty- grilled nuts; the palate is amazingly concentrated- yet portrays a lightness that is completely beguiling and incredibly long." Rating: 97 points James Halliday - Australian Wine Companion - 2009 "Is this the best chardonnay in Australia? Too right it is. Brilliantly complex- unreservedly restrained and yet a full-on clog dancer from its very first moment on your palate. The trajectory of this wine is astronomical. You'll still be tasting it tomorrow. Did we say this was the best Chard in Aus? Long live the Queen." Matthew Jukes & Tyson Stelzer - Taste Food & Wine - 2008 "Margaret Rivers icon is a slow developer but long-lived. Shy- nutty- grapefruity aromas- the oak is just a tad obvious. Lush- ample- mouth-filling taste is big and fruit-sweet but not very complex yet. Awesome power but just a baby. Best from 2009-2017." 93 points Huon Hooke - Good Living Sydney Morning Herald - 2008 "Breathtaking palate action- brilliant complexity and yet unreservedly restrained- how do they do it? No idea- but they have done it again- continuing a line of exceptional vintages. The '05 is dripping with white peach and cashew nut complexity which lingers on an impossibly long finish". 97 points." Tyson Stelzer - Wine Business Monthly - October 2007 "To my taste this is as good as a young Art Series gets. It's fantastically restrained- lengthy- elegant wine- it's mass of flavour coiled so tight and intricate that it almost presents as delicate. It tastes of grapefruit- fresh-cut lemons- toast- saw dusty oak and green apples. It is very very long. This vintage was very cool and it has produced an exceptionally tight- reserved- sophisticated wine that should age for a good long time." Campbell Mattinson - Wine Front Monthly 2004 - "The fruit literally sings- appropriate given Leeuwin's annual concerts; white peach- nectarine and grapefruit are the sopranos- barrel ferment and MLF the orchestra behind- the results seamless but synergistic." Rating 96 points James Halliday - Australian Wine Companion - 2008    (hide)

February 2009