2020 Leeuwin Estate 'Art Series' Chardonnay Margaret River

$119.95

Purity and clarity are the hallmarks of this wine. Woven lime curd, poached pear, lemon flesh and white nectarine feature at the forefront. This vintage breathes energy with lifted Chinese star jasmine, lime blossom and ginger notes. The complexity of cinnamon quill, toasted hazelnuts, nougat, panna cotta, flint and graphite diligently lie in the background. The palate is bright and energetic, with laced mineral acidity. Bursting lemon, lime and p

Varietal:
Chardonnay
Winemaker:
Tim Lovett
Vintage:
2020
Aging:
11 months
Oak Treatment:
100% new french oak barriques
Appellation:
Margaret River
Total Varietal Composition %:
100% Chardonnay
Alcohol %:
13.5%
Score Wine Advocate:
98
SKU #:
1052030
Size:
750 ml Bottle
WA98

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.