Art Series Margaret River Chardonnay

Not ready for prime-time just yet, but that didn’t prevent us from committing the felony.
Pale straw color in the glass links up with lemon curd and a hint of gooseberries. Robust acidity frames this up nicely. Finishes taught and with urgency. Drinking the best wines in the world can be a little like fumbling around in the dark. But with this, I can see in the dark.

Brief notes. First of 6 had with 500 grams of Mooloolaba King Prawns for Easter Sunday lunch......a great match. The characteristic dried pear notes on nose and palate. Wonderful palate intensity and length with moderate acid. Very enjoyable.

In keeping with the Aussie theme from a recent Grange dinner (1997-2001, 1998 was the clear winner), this was brought as a starter.

With about 9yrs on it, this is the oldest Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay I’ve had, and I’m impressed at the evolution. Slightly reductive (sweet smoke) upon opening, but it added great character. Color was a beautiful deep yellow (but not oxidized gold). Tropical (white peach, nectarine) but also honeyed cashews and honeysuckle aromatically. Great depth on the mid-palate with added tropical notes carried by faint oak but a distinct mineral driven finish. Drinking beautifully. Wish I had more.

Another great vintage in Margaret River - see previous notes. Ripe grapefruit notes on nose and palate. After some hours peaches and cream on nose and palate. A characteristic of the gin gin clone. Oak is totally integrated. Enough citric acid to last a year or so more but this is essentially at its wonderful peak. Art series Chardonnay is always impressive. Have the last one towards the end of next year. 97 points from HH.

My last bottle of the 2010 Art Series Chardonnay. See previous Delectable note. An excellent generously constructed Chardonnay. A few years on has lost a little vigour for little added complexity. My previous bottle was at its peak. This bottle was good but needed to be drunk. It would develop flabbiness in the future I feel. Still peaches and cream with M intensity and M- acidity.

Medium lemon with aromas of stone fruits, spice, floral and citrus from a cool vintage. On the palate flavors of apple, pear & apricot with some lemon citrus zest, honeysuckle and nutty notes. Smooth, long finish, well balanced with lively acidity, ending with fruit, integrated and wet stone mineral character. Nice!

(Green) Papaya. Salty. Mineral scent. Delightful.

Quite a pale lemon yellow. Smoky oak and struck match sulphides with ripe grapefruit. Not as much dried pear character as normal but still unmistakably Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay with M+ Intensity, albeit experimenting with an understated style with this vintage. Subsequent vintages went back to the more full bodied style.

See previous 2 notes. Showing ripe grapefruit on nose and palate with high quality French Oak as a component and not dominating. Good palate concentration and just an outstanding Chardonnay in any company. Welcoming our son Hugh home temporarily from NYC and Georgie from Copenhagen. Hadn’t seen either of them for 3 years. Went well with a kilo of Mooloolaba Prawns. As in a previous note I will have the 2 remaining bottles in 2023 and 2024.

Stunning, laser focused, balanced. Years of runway ahead of it. Butterscotch and grapefruit notes persist.