2004 Art Series Chardonnay

Winemaker's Tasting Notes

The colour is bright straw with lime green hues.

The fresh nose is classical Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay, with intensely lifted aromas of ripe yellow pear skins and ripe peach accompanied by hints of fig and cashews from barrel maturation on yeast lees with integrated 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 and rich intermingling with delicious stone fruit flavours. The middle palate shows richness from both the fruit and the lees stirring. The length, always a feature of Leeuwin Estate 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

Comments

"I don't know of any other New World Chardonnay that has such consistently balanced precision and potency and an equilibrium that lasts while it mellows."
Hugh Johnson, Decanter Magazine, July 2008
"97 Points - A sigh of relief greeted the release of this under screwcap. Earlier this year I wrote that the fruit sings: white peach, nectarine and grapefruit are the sopranos, barrel fermentation and partial malolactic fermentation the orchestra. It has since moved into an even higher register of perfection."
James Halliday Top 100, The Weekend Australian, November, 2007
"This wine is a tribute to vision and faith. When there were but a handful of producers in the Margaret River, Leeuwin Estate set about producing top end wines despite the knockers. It will age gracefully in the bottle to produce an unforgettable wine drinking experience."
Steven Powell, B Magazine, December 2007
"94 Points - Light gold. Intensely mineral aromas of iodine-accented peach, melon, anise, mazipan and nougat. Lush, expansive and powerful stone fruit and melon flavors really stain the palate, picking up licorice and citrus pith notes on the back. This is more linear and taut than a bottle of the superb 2002 showed recently, and has the balance to reward at least six years of cellaring. It seems to have more energy, too. As usual, one of the best Australian chardonnays of the year."
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Jul/Aug 2007
"Yet again this legendary estate comes up with the goods. This is near perfect Leeuwin with staggering balance and more punchy acidity than usual - this makes the finish more electric and will certainly prolong its lifetime beautifully."
"19 points - This is a great vintage of WA's best white wine. It will age well if you can resist this multilayered, complex, ultra fine chardonnay with pristine flavours."
Sunday Times STM Magazine, Peter Forestal's Top 100 Summer Wines, November 2007
"94 pts - Smooth, round and polished, balanced with lively acidity. A generous mouthful of gooseberry - accented apple and cream flavors, beautifully integrated and long on the finish. Has integrity and depth. Should develop well with bottle age. Drink now through 2016."
Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator's Advance, November 30, 2007 Issue
"93 points - The 2004 Chardonnay "Art Series" was aged for 18 months in 100% new oak with no malolactic fermentation. It offers a classic Puligny aromatic profile of mineral, butterscotch, white peach, spiced apple, and poached pear. This leads to a streamlined Chardonnay with its oak totally integrated, ripe, elegant flavors, outstanding depth and concentration, and a long, pure finish. It will evolve for 2-3 years and drink well for up to a decade as a recent taste of the 1987 (92 points) demonstrates. Leeuwin Estate is one of the benchmark wineries of Western Australia. Both reds and whites exhibit cool climate character and European elegance.
Dr Jay Miller, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, October 2007
"A stylish, elegant and seamless chardonnay whose floral aromas of grapefruit, lemon, mango and sweet vanilla oak overlie nuances of mineral, pineapple and honeysuckle. Initially round and juicy, it's long and mouthfilling, with a core of explosively intense fruit. It finishes with clean acids and a hint of minerality, and while it's a first class wine, it remains a little less defined and is likely to mature earlier than the top vintages."
Jeremy Oliver, 2008 Wine Annual
"91 Points - There's substantial fruit concentration in this citrus-scented chardonnay, along with some tannins from oak age. It has a firm, sandy feel with flavors of pine nuts and lemon curd. This vintage of Art Series will mature over ten years or more."
Wine & Spirits, February 2008

"Fruity, not too oaky, balanced and delicious - the Chardonnay that made the wine region's reputation."

Adam Sachs, US Bon Appetit, October 2007

"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 result seamless but synergistic. Screwcap. 14.5 alc. Rating 96 To 2024"

James Halliday Australian Wine Companion, 2008 Edition

"Delicate and refined, the Art Series chardonnay ia always among the best in Australia. With notes of dried leaves and white peach, it develops a rich full-bodied palate with a dry crisp and nutty finish. It holds its 14.5 per cent alcohol comfortably but may not cellar as well as previous vintages as a result."

Fergus McGhie, Canberra Times, 31 October, 2008

"The just-released 2004 ($91) is a stellar wine - in my
view, the best Art Series chardonnay since the fabulous
1995 and possibly the best ever."

Peter Forrestal, The Sunday Times March 4, 2007

"This is a stunning wine from what we maintain is Australia's greatest Chardonnay producer. There have been many accolades for this wine over the years but when the dust settles on this latest release it will be judged right up there with the best four or five vintages ever released. The thing that sets Leeuwin wine apart is its power and intensity while, at the same time there is finesse and a certain delicacy - much as you get from the greatest French burgundies. The 04 has incredible length on the palate with layers of complex fruit flavours supremely balanced with oak and a fine lifted acid on the finish. A simply stunning wine."

The West Australian, Fresh Top Pick, March 22, 2007

"I have not seen any reviews on this wine from the major critics as yet which is surprising considering it's one of the most eagerly anticipated releases of the year. If you want a job done sometimes you have to do it yourself. We buy LEAS chardonnay every year, and even though it's a big ticket item, we still think it represents fair value. No question in my mind that Leeuwin continues to make the best (and most age-worthy) chardonnay in Australia. Of recent vintages this reminds me of the 2001 (and 1999) most closely - although better."

"Aromas of dried pear, honeydew melon, citrus, cloves and plenty of spicy vanilla and nuts oak. Woodsy and almost aftershave like. On the palate full bodied and intense with favours of pear, lemon drops, peach and almond nougat backed with a liberal application of spicy oak. Some savoury lees derived flavours add complexity but do not muddle the clarity of the fruit. There is a little warmth from alcohol and direct clean acidity adds cut and sparkle but no hardness. Enormous length of flavour. One of the best of the best.
Rated : 96 Points
Tasted : May07
Drink : 2008 - 2018"

Gary Walsh www.winorama.com May 5 2007
"A concentrated, powerful chardonnay with great density and richness, abetted by a large infusion of oak, which is in balance with strong fruit and within the framework of the wine. Great character and texture. 96 Points."
Huon Hooke, Sydney Morning Herald, June 19 2007

Printer-friendly version »