2020 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River

The 2020 vintage is rolling out now (as of January 2024). The season was warm, dry and early and marred by low yields across the state due to weather during flowering in the spring of 2019. Obviously, we all recall the events of March 2020: in Perth, the first COVID-19 lockdowns occurred in late March. Yet the wines from that season have proven to be superb—a testament to the grit and necessity of getting wines made no matter the conditions. The 2020 Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon is sweetly fruited, with a cavalcade of dark berry fruits and very fine, graphite tannins. I see this wine yearly in a blind tasting of same-vintage Cabernet Sauvignons from around the globe, and it routinely performs extraordinarily well; yet I feel its reputation has yet to catch up with the quality. For the first time, the wine has cracked $100 AUD retail, which pulls it more into line with the rest of the pricing in the region. It has excellent structure, sweet fruit, medium body and succulent acidity. Sealed under screw cap. (

97 points Erin Larkin for The Wine Advocate

Deep red with a good tint of purple in the rim, the bouquet showing tobacco/cedar, nori/briar and peaty/iodine-like nuances. It's full-bodied and powerful, with lavish tannins, bright acidity and good concetration. Redcurrant and blackberry—red and black fruits both evident. A very smart and ageworthy cabernet. 30 NOV 2023 Drink 2023–2042

97 points Huon Hooke therealreview.com

An elegant, classy wine and irresistible as a result. Perfectly composed flavours of cassis and currants, woodsy spices and leafy freshness with a lift of oak, all as one here. Beautiful fine tannins glide across the medium-bodied palate, the equally fine acidity cleansing and invigorating, and it finishes long and very pure. Gosh, this is excellent.

96 points  Jane Faulkner winecompanion.com.au

A stylish and poised cabernet from a year that was kind to most cabernet regions. The texture has been built in with 100%-barrel fermentation and 23 months in a 50/50 split of new and one-year-old French barriques. Blackcurrant and cracked seashell graphite character control the nose. The palate is still quite firm held by the chalky tannins are fine and precise. A nice lick of oak with some nice bay leaf and black olive nuances. Stacks up really well.

96 points Ray Jordan Wine

The red variety that put Margaret River on the map, this is a still-young, polished bottling that's structured for a marathon, not a sprint. Showing a cool edge from its southern locale, there are notes of red currant, savory herbs, pencil lead, flowery soap and a lick of chocolatey oak. Lifted acidity, well-tucked oak, tangy fruit and fine-grained tannin make for a sculpted, powerful palate. There's lots of life left here. Drink 2025–2040.

95 points Wine Enthusiast

The Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River is one of Western Australia’s most refined reds, crafted with the same meticulous care that has made the Art Series Chardonnay an international icon. Leeuwin Estate was established in the 1970s under the guidance of Napa Valley legend Robert Mondavi, who recognised Margaret River’s Bordeaux-like climate as perfect for Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, winemaker Tim Lovett oversees the range, with the Art Series Cabernet drawn from the estate’s oldest and best vineyard blocks in the Wilyabrup subregion, where gravelly loam soils, ocean breezes and a long, cool ripening season produce fruit of remarkable intensity and finesse.

In the glass, the Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon shows deep garnet with crimson highlights. The bouquet is elegant and layered, offering cassis, blackberry, mulberry and black cherry interwoven with cedar, tobacco leaf, bay leaf and graphite. Subtle oak adds hints of dark chocolate and spice without overwhelming the fruit. On the palate, it is medium to full-bodied, structured by fine, powdery tannins and bright acidity. Blackcurrant, plum and savoury herb flavours build across the palate, leading to a long, persistent finish with a mineral edge. It’s a wine that marries power with restraint, true to Margaret River’s hallmark style.

Food pairings are naturally aligned with classic Cabernet dishes: roast lamb with garlic and rosemary, slow-braised beef short ribs, venison backstrap with juniper, or aged cheddar and Comté. With 15 to 20 years of cellaring potential, this wine will evolve beautifully, gaining notes of cigar box, leather and dried herbs while maintaining fruit purity.

Critics consistently place the Art Series Cabernet among Margaret River’s finest, often awarding scores in the 95–98 range. It has collected trophies and gold medals at domestic and international shows, praised for its precision, age-worthiness and understated power. While overshadowed at times by its Chardonnay sibling, the Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon is every bit as world-class and represents exceptional value in fine Australian Cabernet.