Leeuwin Chardonnay Margaret River Art Series 2020

99 points Ray Jordan (Business News): "It would not surprise me if this was considered the greatest Leeuwin chardonnay yet. You would get no argument from me... there is elegance and power here. Subtle layered wine. It was a year of great concentration and power. Has pear and lime character that is part of the DNA. The fruit is generous, especially about the mid palate. Has a subtle and not overstated flinty character with a lift of spice. The oak is brilliantly managed and complementary. It's very tight and precise and the whole-bunch technique gives it that stalky, phenolics character. There's a savoury almond meal character on the finish. Incredible length and power here. The minerally character on the finish is quite pronounced. In the top three, certainly, of any Leeuwin chardonnay. (2/27/23)"

98 points Erin Larkin (Wine Advocate): "The 2020 vintage in Margaret River was moderate to warm and will be forever remembered for the incredibly compacted harvest period, which started two weeks earlier than the 2019 harvest before it and was all wrapped up by Easter—that's largely unheard of. The 2020 Art Series Chardonnay leads with power and density, not unlike the 2018 before it. Tight and green in the glass, you get salted pear, white peach, nectarine, red apple skins, preserved citrus and crushed shell. The wine has minerality and tension within the confines of the opulent fruit. Staggering length, as usual. The winemaking remains relatively consistent across the years: hand-picked fruit from Block 20 and 22 (planted in 1976 and 1978, respectively). Thirty percent of the cuvée was whole bunch pressed to 100% new Burgundian oak, while the balance was destemmed, crushed and pressed to 100% new Bordelais oak. Sulfured post-ferment in order to discourage malolactic fermentation, both components remain in barrel for 11 months. Super wine. Drink: 2022-2047. (7/6/23)"

98 points Ken Gargett (Quill & Pad): "The latest release, the 2020 (A$160), is considered by many to be as good as any ever made, and it is hard to disagree. 100% new French oak used in maturation here. The wine is the palest yellow, with a nose immediately screaming complexity. Hazelnuts, stonefruits, florals, pears, matchsticks and spices, there is a fine minerally backing here, supporting the wine and maintaining intensity for the full, very long, journey. Touches of the lime notes, typical in this wine, are evident, as is that more-ish salinity on the conclusion. Great intensity, and yet such is the balance that it seems almost imperceptible. Power, layering, elegance and extraordinary length. I gave it 98, but that seems a little cruel. It will drink beautifully for a decade or two and will no doubt reach even higher levels. (Apr 2023)”

97 points James Halliday (Wine Companion): "A wine that tells the story of chardonnay's evolution in Margaret River and remains at the top of its game because it's a pure expression of place as much as the producer. It’s refreshing, classy and superfine, the acidity reining everything in and towards an outrageously long finish. Mesmerising. Drink: 2022-2032. (8/2/23)"

97 points Cassandra Charlick (Decanter): "The 2020 vintage was one of generosity, and this wine is inviting and approachable, with plentiful white florals and delicate spices. Speaks with softness and a rounded frame of opulence. White peach skin and a multitude of finely textured, petal-like layers provide cushioning and comfort to the power and tension that are consistent features of Art Series Chardonnay. The wide palate is immensely detailed and complex, the pretty florals and white pear perfume hard to resist. A fine Chardonnay, and one that is drinking gracefully and with abundance in the early years of release. Drinking Window: 2024-2038. (3/15/24)"

97 points James Suckling: "Tauter than vintages of yore, boasting complex aromas of pear distillate, citrus verbena, nougat, cashew, cedar-tinged oak and succulent white peach. Immaculately constructed, pure and rather wonderful. Founded on a tensile stream of pungent mineral, transcendental poise and scintillating length. There is little out of place here. Superb New World chardonnay. Drink or hold. Screw cap. (10/15/23)"

97 points Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front): "This is a peach of a wine. One sip and wow, you’re into its wonderful world. It has one foot entirely in the elegant camp, and the other comprehensively in the domain of power. It’s seamless. There are peach, cedarwood, white flower, ginger and custard-like characters, along with quartz, though it’s all just rolled and reamed into one. The length of it; it’s brilliant. The off-hand confidence. This is a super release. (3/15/23)"

Producer notes: "Power and presence on the nose, then energy and vitality are the thread. Lemon curd, fresh nashi pear and lime create the shape and frame aromatically. Beneath, there are layers of vanilla pod, tea leaf, lemon myrtle and flint nuances. Heightened fragrance of frangipani and citrus blossom ensue. Neatly packaged and foiled are notes of patisserie, flint and nougat. The palate is precise, focussed and fine with delicately woven texture through the mid-palate. Juicy white peach combines with pear at the core. Threaded within is harmony, elegance and vibrancy that pulls all elements together in a seamless line. A saline and mineral finish is the hallmark of this classic 2020 vintage."