Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series 2006

Tasting note update in progress..

June 2009

Varietal 100% Chardonnay Closure Screw Cap Size 750ml Acl/Vol 14.5% Enjoy Now - 2020 The colour is brilliant and youthful green straw. The nose shows the influence of the coolest growing season experienced in Margaret River with the usually dominate ripe stone fruit taking a backseat to the more refined grapefruit- granny smith apples and almonds. The palate shows incredible restraint with a youthful freshness of grapefruit and citrus characteristics. The wine is astonishingly focused across the palate with a lingering finish of citrus blossom; the wine evolves with a fine line of acid to read more...help provide the remarkable length of flavour that persists in the mouth minutes after drinking. What the critics think "2006 Art Series is one of the very greatest vintages of one of Australia's top Chardonnays ever made. On a world scale- this is as good as Chardonnay ever gets anywhere outside of Burgundy. It strikes the quintessential balance between control and concentration- power and finesse. Its length is so heroic that minutes later nothing has changed the slightest bit in the mouth. As far as 'art labels' go- we would prefer this to a bottle of Mouton-Rothschild." Matthew Jukes and Tyson Stelzer -Taste Food & Wine 2009 2006 - "97 points - This was tasted in July 2008- nearly seven months before its release date. One of the leanest and tightest Art Series- but you'd expect this from such a vintage. Nonetheless- there is great depth and power in the tight structure- with stacks of grapefruit meal and subtle roasted cashew. The cool year resulted in one of the highest malo contributions in Art Series but has added immeasurably to the wine. Need I say it- but this will be another great Leeuwin." Ray Jordan - the West Australian - Ray Jordan's WA Wine Guide 2009 2006 - "97 points - This was tasted a year ago at the estate but was buried in a longer post on a range of Leeuwin Estate wines - it's time it was given its own place on the site. This wine has not been re-tasted since this note was written in January 2008. To my tastes this is as good as a young Art Series gets. It's a fantastically restrained- lengthy- elegant wine- its mass of flavour coiled so tight and intricately 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. Not in-your-face and obvious- but classic. Drink 2012 - 2018" Campbell Mattinson - Winefront Monthly - January 2009 2006 -"97 points - Bright and youthful colour; a complex array of nectarine- grapefruit and spice- particularly cinnamon- is offered on the bouquet; the palate exhibits understated power- with grilled nuts supporting the very generous- yet refined- level of stone fruit and oak; the finish is staggeringly long- fine and complex. The adoption (since '05) of screwcaps has brought a collective sigh of relief from its many admirers. Drink: 2011. Margaret River produces Australia's most complex chardonnays and this wine sits at the very top." James Halliday- The Weekend Australian - 18-19th April 2009 2006 -"Art Series is on most lists of the top chardonnays and this '06 edition doesn't disappoint. It exemplifies Leeuwin's rich Margaret River style via seamless integration of concentrated stone fruit- creamy and nutty characters- a hint of burnt match- and skillfully handled oak. It has poise despite high alcohol- and a long- fine finish." Ralph Kyte-Powell The Age - Epicure - June2009    (hide)

July 2009