It was almost inevitable that if a West Australian white wine was ever going to score 99 points, it would have to be Leeuwin Estate’s Art Series chardonnay. After much deliberation, a vertical tasting of previous greats from the estate and reflection on my tastings over the years, I convinced myself the recently released 2015 justified the score. There have only been three white wines I have awarded 99 points, two rieslings made by the great John Vickery in the 70s, and a Hunter Valley semillon, so the Leeuwin is in rarefied air. The latest iteration is a mighty wine that carries the indelible stamp of power from its famous Margaret River source vineyard, Block 20, but there is a new degree of delicacy and precision. And perhaps even more extraordinary is that the length on the palate, always the hallmark of great wines, has pushed new boundaries.
Rating: 99 Points; Ray Jordan; The West Australian
Light to medium, bright yellow colour, very young for its age. The bouquet is shy but pleasantly nutty, showing some oak; the palate has bracing acidity and concentrated flavour, which is still latent and promising more in time. There's a slight dip in the mid-palate. The wine is still remarkably young and has a great career in front of it.18 MAY 2018 2019–2030