2023 Domaine Naturaliste Artus Chardonnay, Margaret River

While it always comes out as a bit of a powerhouse flavour-wise and in structure, this is backed up by fine acidity, driving this long. It also keeps the substantial flavours of savoury oak, creamed-honey lees and grapefruit in check. Some flinty, funky sulphides add an extra dimension of complexity as it continues to build on the palate.

95 points Special Value Jane Faulkner winecompanion.com.au

Plenty happening in this funky and wild expression of Chardonnay. On the nose, an intense combination of butterscotch, roasted cashew, and lemon curd with a vanilla bean lift reveal. The palate is layered with a complex maze and intricate weave of flavours reflecting the initial aromas. And then a minerally finish completes a very good wine.

96 points rayjordanwine.com.au

Domaine Naturaliste Artus Chardonnay from Margaret River is a stunning, richly layered white wine that represents the pinnacle of winemaking at Domaine Naturaliste. Crafted by Bruce Dukes, one of the most respected figures in Western Australian wine, Artus is an intricate, barrel fermented Chardonnay that seamlessly marries power, texture, and elegance.

Bruce Dukes founded Domaine Naturaliste after decades of experience making wine in both Australia and the United States, including time in Napa Valley. A trained agronomist and winemaker, Dukes returned to his roots in Margaret River with a clear vision—to craft wines that are precise, detailed, and deeply expressive of place. Domaine Naturaliste’s vineyards are based in Wilyabrup, the heart of Margaret River, where gravelly loam soils and a strong maritime influence create perfect conditions for world class Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Artus is Bruce Dukes’ most adventurous Chardonnay, designed as a full bodied, complex, textural expression of the variety. Fruit is sourced from selected vineyard parcels with exceptional balance and intensity. Grapes are handpicked and whole bunch pressed, with fermentation carried out by wild yeasts in French oak barriques, around forty percent of which are new. Lees stirring is used generously to build mid palate weight and creamy texture, and full malolactic fermentation is encouraged to add savoury depth and a plush, luxurious mouthfeel.

In the glass, Artus Chardonnay is deeply aromatic with notes of ripe white peach, grilled hazelnut, brioche, lemon curd, and flinty struck match complexity. The palate is full and layered, showing stone fruit, roasted almond, nougat, and a precise line of acidity that lifts the richness into a beautifully sustained, mineral edged finish. It is a Chardonnay of generosity, balance, and impeccable craftsmanship.

Perfect with roast lobster, chicken with morel mushrooms, or a simple aged Comté, Artus is a wine built for those who appreciate Chardonnay that offers both power and finesse. It will reward careful cellaring over the next eight to ten years.