2022 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River

The 2022 Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon hails from a warm and dry vintage in Margaret River, one that is showing to be a very high-quality Cabernet vintage. The palate shows a pure core of raspberry and blood orange, nori and raw cocoa, even chinotto-esque in its leanings, with bramble and forest floor, graphite and cracked fennel seed. This is a velvety, tightly controlled, compact and excellent wine. The oak shows ever so slightly on the nose, in the form of malt biscuit and aniseed. This will be quickly subsumed by the fruit in a short time.

97+ points Erin Larkin robertparker.com

Few wines better capture the pedigree of Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon than the Art Series from Leeuwin Estate. The estate was established in the early 1970s when Denis and Tricia Horgan planted vineyards on advice from the legendary Napa Valley winemaker Robert Mondavi, who recognised the extraordinary potential of the site. Today the winery is led by the second generation of the Horgan family with winemaker Tim Lovett continuing the tradition of producing wines that combine power, elegance and longevity. The Art Series label itself celebrates Australian art, with each vintage featuring a new commissioned work on the bottle.

Deep garnet with a dense crimson core, the aromatics are layered and complex. Blackcurrant, dark plum and mulberry rise from the glass alongside bay leaf, cedar and graphite. Subtle notes of tobacco leaf, dark chocolate and fine oak spice add depth, reflecting both the quality of the fruit and careful maturation.

On the palate it is full bodied and beautifully structured. Concentrated cassis and dark berry fruit sit at the centre, framed by firm, finely grained tannins and vibrant natural acidity that give remarkable balance. Layers of cedar, cocoa and savoury spice unfold through the mid palate, leading to a long, elegant finish with lingering blackcurrant and mineral notes. It is a benchmark expression of Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon.

Pair with roast lamb, grilled ribeye, venison or aged cheddar. While impressive now with careful decanting, Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon is built for the cellar and will evolve gracefully for twenty to thirty years, developing complex layers of cigar box, earth and spice.