Other Vintages
    253633|2016,247941|2019,251212|2020

Leeuwin Chardonnay Margaret River Art Series 2018

JH 98
WS 97
DE 97
V 96
W&S 95
13.5% ABV
Item # 339824

(No reviews yet) Write a Review

$89.95
List $100.00   Save $10.05

Out of stock

750ml
Out of Stock
 
98 points James Halliday (Wine Companion): "Cool destemmed fruit with some skin contact. The juice was settled for 3 days, racked and inoculated with yeast. 100% of the juice was fermented in new French oak barriques with the lees stirred regularly. After 11 months in barrels the various components were blended, fined (bentonite, PVPP, milk) and cold stabilized. Bottled 19–21 August 2019. Benchmark pedigree Margaret River chardonnay from the perfect 2018 vintage. Kaffir leaf, ocean spray, nectarine, yellow peach, custard apple and white peach are the start. Saffron curls, vanilla pod and freshly grated nutmeg frame saline acidity, crouched and coiled. Length of flavour extends across the palate in an endless procession of texture and complexity. All of the power, grace and excellence of previous years is here, amplified. (8/12/21)"

97 points Wine Spectator: "This impressive white is complex, supple and elegant, though not shy on intensity. Opens with creamy, satiny notes of apricot, pear, lemon curd and passion fruit puree, with touches of toasted hazelnut, salted caramel, jasmine and green tea. The way the details mingle with and complete one another makes this as complex as it is refreshing, with a fresh thread of acidity weaving in and out. Drink now through 2036. 800 cases imported. (2021)"

97 points Decanter: "From an excellent vintage – warm, with very few hot days – this muscular yet lithe Chardonnay suffuses the senses with Leeuwin Estate's clear and penetrating signature perfume of granular pear and fleshier fresh fig. Harmonious lemony acidity makes for an ultra-long, seamless finish, through a palate of acacia, lanolin, smoke and crème patisserie. The concentrated fruit effortlessly mops up the 100% new oak. A luminous, graceful and balanced powerhouse. Drinking Window: 2021-2038. (Feb 2021)"

96 points Josh Raynolds (Vinous): "[$100 list] Translucent yellow. Powerful, mineral-accented nectarine, orange, pear nectar, iodine and pungent flowers on the intensely perfumed nose. Smooth, chewy and dry in the mouth, offering wonderfully concentrated yet vibrant orchard and pit fruit flavors complemented by suggestions of fennel, sweet butter, saffron and candied lemon peel. Shows superb definition and finishes minerally, smoky and extremely long, with lingering citrus and pit fruit notes and a touch of smokiness. Drink: 2025-2036. (Jul 2021)"

95 points/'Top 100 Wines of 2021,' Wine & Spirits: "The Leeuwin Estate, a former cattle station between the town of Margaret River and the sea, became a vineyard soon after Denis Horgan purchased the vast property in 1969. He planted a parcel of chardonnay vines in 1975, which continue to produce the fruit for Art Series, a chardonnay with a proven track record for long aging. Tim Lovett makes this wine by crushing the fruit, allowing it to settle for three days in contact with its skins, then racking it into French oak barrels to ferment with cultured yeasts. He ages the wine in those barrels (all of them new), with lees stirring, for 11 months. While that approach may sound technical—yes, the wine is clean—it results in a chardonnay that buzzes with energy, quiet at first, then gaining youthful, athletic power. You might catch a sensation of peach, or beeswax, or lemon and milkweed, all of it integrated into a holistic impression and one that retains its integration for days after the bottle is opened. This is a great vintage of Art Series and it should develop beautifully over the next two decades. (Oct 2021)"
98 points James Halliday (Wine Companion): "Cool destemmed fruit with some skin contact. The juice was settled for 3 days, racked and inoculated with yeast. 100% of the juice was fermented in new French oak barriques with the lees stirred regularly. After 11 months in barrels the various components were blended, fined (bentonite, PVPP, milk) and cold stabilized. Bottled 19–21 August 2019. Benchmark pedigree Margaret River chardonnay from the perfect 2018 vintage. Kaffir leaf, ocean spray, nectarine, yellow peach, custard apple and white peach are the start. Saffron curls, vanilla pod and freshly grated nutmeg frame saline acidity, crouched and coiled. Length of flavour extends across the palate in an endless procession of texture and complexity. All of the power, grace and excellence of previous years is here, amplified. (8/12/21)"

97 points Wine Spectator: "This impressive white is complex, supple and elegant, though not shy on intensity. Opens with creamy, satiny notes of apricot, pear, lemon curd and passion fruit puree, with touches of toasted hazelnut, salted caramel, jasmine and green tea. The way the details mingle with and complete one another makes this as complex as it is refreshing, with a fresh thread of acidity weaving in and out. Drink now through 2036. 800 cases imported. (2021)"

97 points Decanter: "From an excellent vintage – warm, with very few hot days – this muscular yet lithe Chardonnay suffuses the senses with Leeuwin Estate's clear and penetrating signature perfume of granular pear and fleshier fresh fig. Harmonious lemony acidity makes for an ultra-long, seamless finish, through a palate of acacia, lanolin, smoke and crème patisserie. The concentrated fruit effortlessly mops up the 100% new oak. A luminous, graceful and balanced powerhouse. Drinking Window: 2021-2038. (Feb 2021)"

96 points Josh Raynolds (Vinous): "[$100 list] Translucent yellow. Powerful, mineral-accented nectarine, orange, pear nectar, iodine and pungent flowers on the intensely perfumed nose. Smooth, chewy and dry in the mouth, offering wonderfully concentrated yet vibrant orchard and pit fruit flavors complemented by suggestions of fennel, sweet butter, saffron and candied lemon peel. Shows superb definition and finishes minerally, smoky and extremely long, with lingering citrus and pit fruit notes and a touch of smokiness. Drink: 2025-2036. (Jul 2021)"

95 points/'Top 100 Wines of 2021,' Wine & Spirits: "The Leeuwin Estate, a former cattle station between the town of Margaret River and the sea, became a vineyard soon after Denis Horgan purchased the vast property in 1969. He planted a parcel of chardonnay vines in 1975, which continue to produce the fruit for Art Series, a chardonnay with a proven track record for long aging. Tim Lovett makes this wine by crushing the fruit, allowing it to settle for three days in contact with its skins, then racking it into French oak barrels to ferment with cultured yeasts. He ages the wine in those barrels (all of them new), with lees stirring, for 11 months. While that approach may sound technical—yes, the wine is clean—it results in a chardonnay that buzzes with energy, quiet at first, then gaining youthful, athletic power. You might catch a sensation of peach, or beeswax, or lemon and milkweed, all of it integrated into a holistic impression and one that retains its integration for days after the bottle is opened. This is a great vintage of Art Series and it should develop beautifully over the next two decades. (Oct 2021)"
Product SKU 339824
Producer Leeuwin
Country Australia
Region WAV
SubRegion MRV
Varietal Chardonnay
Vintage 2018
Size 750ml
Color White
ABV 13.5%
Ships To