2021 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River

"One of the distinctive features of this wine, and in a way a DNA link to all Art Series cabernet, is its savouriness. It’s the rolled tobacco, nori, iodine and whiff of new leather plus the cedary oak, but these are not separate, they form a whole impression. There’s also the core of excellent fruit, the structure, the supple tannins and the bright acidity. And the joy of drinking it.”

96 Points, Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion

“The potential here is almost unlimited. In fact, it may well become the best Leeuwin cabernet yet. It’s stylish and brilliant expression of variety, location and vintage. Perfumed red and black fruits with a violet lift. Just a trace of bay leaf and a little seashell minerality. The palate is elegantly structure but there are firm fine bony tannins and ample oak to support and draw it through to a sustained finish. Has all it needs to handle extended cellaring.”

96 Points, Ray Jordan

XAn abundance of dark cherries, boysenberries and blackcurrants greet the nose. The fruit spectrum is wrapped around complex layers of star anise, black cardamom, cedar, clove, cumin and fennel seed. There is a gentle lift of freshly picked violets and lavender.

Concentrated and textured, dark black fruits meet cacao and coffee on the palate. There is power and structure tuned with finesse and elegance. A graphite, mineral and ethereal thread is laced throughout. Star anise and cinnamon quill provides an extra layer leading to a fine, powdery, and slightly chalky finish.

Leeuwin Estate, one of the founding wineries in the Margaret River region of Western Australia, is a family producer with an international reputation for creating wines ranking alongside the world’s finest.  In 1972, legendary Napa Valley winemaker, Robert Mondavi, identified the future site of the Leeuwin vineyard as being ideal for the production of premium wine and provided early mentorship to Denis and Tricia Horgan in the transformation of their cattle farm into Leeuwin Estate. A nursery was planted in 1974 with vineyard sites planted from 1975. Enjoying its first commercial vintage in 1979, Leeuwin Estate was thrust into the global wine spotlight when Decanter Magazine highly recommended the 1981 “Art Series” Chardonnay after an international blind tasting. The accolades have continued, with Leeuwin Estate wines found in leading Restaurants and Wine Merchants across 30 markets. Now under the stewardship of three generations of the founding family, who work alongside a team of dedicated viticulturalists and winemakers, the focus remains firmly on creating site expressive wines of the finest quality. Celebrating the art of fine wine, the Estate’s most opulent and age worthy wines, the “Art Series’ are identified with paintings from Australia’s leading contemporary artists on the labels. A pioneer in wine tourism, Leeuwin Estate incorporates a multi-award-winning Restaurant, Cellar Door and Art Gallery and creates unique visitor experiences.

Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay and Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon are both included in the prestigious ‘Langtons Classification of Australian Wine, representing Australia’s most highly sought-after wines based on consumer demand, collectability, and prices fetched at auction. Art Series Chardonnay has been included in the special designation of ‘1st Classified,’ reserved for a small cohort of wines representing the most desirable wines in Australia that compete with the world’s finest. Leading Australian wine commentator, James Halliday, includes Leeuwin in his ‘Top 100 Australian Wineries’, and has written, “Leeuwin Estate is a class act, every facet of its business working with the precision of a Swiss watch. It stands at the very forefront of estate-based, family-owned wineries…” Leeuwin Estate has been included in US ‘Wine & Spirits’ Magazine’s Hall of Fame in the category of ‘International Wineries of the Year’ and with point scores as high as 98/100, US ‘Wine Spectator’ has included Leeuwin’s Art Series Chardonnays amongst the “Top 100 Wines of the Year” on numerous occasions. Leeuwin Estate’s Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon has been a US ‘Wine & Spirits’ “Top 100 Wine of The Year”. The Estate has won numerous awards for its Restaurant and tourism activities.