Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 2023

Available to purchase from the 18th of March, delivery in April.

There is a running joke that Leeuwin announce every year 'This years Art Chardonnay release is the best yet!'.  The reality is, each Art Series Chardonnay vintage is unique, having its own attributes and personality due to the vintage conditions and the winemakers genius level fruit selection (legend Tim Lovett).  Is it the best yet? possibly, but its the best they made that year and that my friends is always exceptional!

In their words -  Label artwork by Mark Howson, entitled “Distant Blue Hill”. 

Intensely concentrated and lifted, the nose arrives with a rush, all fresh cut pear, white peach, ripe lime zest and pith, before jasmine,  white florals and vanilla pods emerge, rounded out by cashew meal and toasted macadamia. 

At first coiled and restrained, the palate builds and builds. Gentle, natural acidity is orbited by apple, pear, white nectarine and ripe  citrus, all showing their own persistence and drive, but never supplanting the wine’s overarching elegance – the completely  integrated oak and delicate, layered texture serve to subtly, quietly hem in the fruit characters as they fan out. Profoundly powerful  and immensely long, this is a wine of distinction with a remarkable life ahead.  

Hand harvested fruit was cooled and destemmed and held on skins, combined with components of whole bunch pressed parcels. The juice was settled for 12-36 hours, racked and inoculated with yeast. 100% of the juice was barrel fermented in new French oak barriques  and the lees stirred regularly. After 11 months in barrels the various components were blended, fined, stabilised and bottled.