Leeuwin Estate

Art Series Chardonnay

The story of Art Series Chardonnay is about the discovery of a unique and exceptional terroir for one of the world's greatest white wines. Planting began at Leeuwin in 1974 after Robert Mondavi had identified the site (not previously planted to vines) as having great potential for producing premium Chardonnay. Denis Horgan, who had bought Leeuwin Estate as a cattle ranch and surfer's haven, enlisted Robert Mondavi's help to set about planting vineyards. Margaret River is now internationally fêted as the prime source for Australia's fine wine. However, it is important to remember that in those early days the region was isolated from the heart of the Australian wine industry, around Adelaide, and consequently its wines were practically unheard of at home or abroad.

Vineyard area at Leeuwin slowly expanded to 91 hectares and now includes 59 hectares of Chardonnay in eight distinct blocks. Mondavi's association ended in the late 1970s at which point the team of John Brocksopp (viticulturist) and Bob Cartwright (winemaker) came together. Their long partnership has been an essential part of the Leeuwin story.

John Brocksopp handed over full-time responsibilties to David Winstanley in 2003, but remains involved as Viticultural Consultant. Between them they look after the vineyards, including Block 20, the basis and backbone of Art Series Chardonnay. Supplying up to 50% of the wine, Block 20 is established on very old, leached granite soils which encourage drainage and deep root penetration. These vines, planted in 1976 from the original imported 'Gin Gin' Chardonnay clone, enjoy ideal growing and ripening conditions - sunshine cooled by sea breeze; the vegetation cycle naturally regulated by soil depth - and yields rarely exceed 40hl/h. All of these factors allow fruit to attain high sugar ripeness whilst preserving a whopping 8-9g/l of natural acidity, guaranteeing the vital freshness and structure to carry rich flavours and sustain long-term development.

In the winery, Bob Cartwright handles these characterful raw materials minimally. The different blocks of Chardonnay are kept separate; grapes are mostly whole-bunch pressed with additional skin contact components; wild yeasts are not used; fermentation takes place in barrel; malolactic is carried out selectively as the year demands; barrel maturation (in Tronçais and Allier oak) lasts up to 17 months, according to vineyard origin, with regular stirring of the wine on its original lees. The first and only pumping occurs at bottling.

Out of all this comes a Chardonnay removed from the mainstream Australian style for this varietal. Leeuwin's structure is tighter and more concentrated, the flavours more delineated, the finish longer and finer with a signature lime-inflection.

Unlike many a mythical grand cru white Burgundy, which seldom finds its way into comparative tastings and is excused erratic vintages, Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay has been subjected to rigorous scrutiny, before every sort of public, in every vintage since 1982. Its credentials for greatness have been established beyond doubt: finesse, complexity, power, structure, terroir transparency, ageworthiness and year on year consistency.