Leeuwin Estate is one of the most prestigious names in Australian fine wine. Established in 1972 by Denis and Tricia Horgan, with early guidance from Napa Valley’s Robert Mondavi, Leeuwin helped define Margaret River as a world-class wine region. The first vines were planted in 1975, and just a few years later the global acclaim of the inaugural 1979 Art Series Chardonnay catapulted the estate to international renown. Since then, the Art Series range has become a flagship for fine wine in the southern hemisphere, celebrated for its purity, precision and longevity.
Order by midday on Thursday 26th June
These latest releases offer members the chance to experience the exceptional quality of Margaret River’s 2022 vintage alongside the more nuanced, cooler 2021 season, through the chardonnay and shiraz of the former and the cabernet of the latter.
2022 was a great vintage for the region, with consistent warmth and dry conditions from flowering through to harvest, without any major heat spikes. As a result, both the Art Series Chardonnay and Shiraz show remarkable clarity, energy and concentration. The chardonnay is a benchmark. Taut, layered and pristine, with flinty elegance and beautifully integrated oak, this is a wine of seamless structure, standing among the world’s great white wines. The shiraz, too, is a highlight. Fragrant, spice-laden and more Rhône than Aussie in style, it offers plush blue fruit and a thread of savoury complexity. Structured yet supple, and seriously fine, it’s a compelling expression of Margaret River shiraz.
The cooler 2021 growing season brought lower yields and slower ripening, but in the hands of a great producer, such conditions can yield wines of superb aromatic lift and finesse. The Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 is a brilliant example: perfumed, poised and finely structured, with cassis, violets and bay leaf on the nose and a vibrant, juicy palate framed by firm, elegant tannins.
Each of these wines reflects its season with honesty and precision, and together they showcase why Leeuwin Estate remains one of the most respected producers in the southern hemisphere. They are wines of pedigree, finesse and ageworthiness, and are offered in-bond at outstanding prices given their global stature.
