Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay 2021

Waterford commentary:

"Yes, it's true. Ben's favorite wine. Always amazing, and will age forever. 2004 vintage still going strong from his cellar!"

Winery notes:

"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 pear skin meet oyster shell and saline notes, providing a precise corridor and direction. Gently coiled textures give lateral capacity and dimension."

Critical acclaim:

"99 points. "In many ways the most Burgundian of any of the Leeuwin releases, this will rank up there with the best to date. There’s a waxy light mealy aroma which picks up nuances of limestone and spice with a trace of grapefruit. But it is the palate that really distinguishes it. There is an austerity with the minerally chalky feel that cuts through the fruit extending to a finish of extraordinary length. Precision and focus harness a wine of great power and poise before dry savoury edges lift the finish.” - WinePilot.com

"98 points. The 2021 Art Series Chardonnay is rich and savory but pure and saline too. There is white peach, red apples, curry leaf and brine. The way the flavor moves across the palate is testament to the phenolics that course through the wine; it’s all at a perfect intersect of fruit power, tannin and perfectly judged acidity. The flavor stains the palate and lingers in an unravelling spool of thread in the mouth long after the wine has gone. A stupendously good wine." - Wine Advocate

"98 points. Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay on release is an achingly painful thing to drink, because once you've known the utter pleasure these wines bring at 5 or more years of age, it becomes a mess of cognitive dissonance to drink them so young. They are closed, taut, coiled, but more than anything, populated by rippling fruit that undulates untold through the interminably long finish. They typically don't reveal their kaleidoscopic spice and prismatic fruit flavour until a little further down the track. So, all I can humbly do here, is place the vintage in context. Through the lens of the cool year, this glitters with a purity and finesse that is deeply attractive. Aligned in style with the 2017.” - James Halliday