2023 Leeuwin Estate Prelude Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River

Bay leaf, cocoa powder, blackcurrant, black olive brine, flickers of graphite, shortbread and plum. Savoury complexity hovers over a core of elegant fruit making for a beguiling perfume. The palate displays power and elegance with an assertive, architectural feel — firm, grainy tannins, blackcurrant, sweet shortbread and black olive again, plum, lashings of brown spice. Excellent length, with bright acidity towing things along with coolness. This will age brilliantly over the next five to ten years — remarkable at $34. If the 2023 Margaret River releases are anything to go by, savvy drinkers should be paying close attention — and moving quickly. Drink to 2036.

94 points Tom Kline for Wine Pilot, May 2026

Well well, I wonder what the 2023 Art Series Cabernet is going to be like if this is any indication. This is one third each of new, one year old and two year old oak. Black fruit, cherry, floral and bay leaf perfume, cocoa and baking spice. It’s medium-bodied, plenty of flavour here, though it has a crispness to acidity and energy that’s spot on, tobacco savouries, and the sweep of stony tannin is something of a highlight. The finish is fresh and long, tinged with black olive and dried herb, some juicy raspberry in the aftertaste. So excellent.

94 points Gary Walsh for Wine Front

While it’s incredibly youthful, with plenty of vibrant, primary fruit flavours (all mulberries and currants), it’s appealing to drink this now. Lovely aromas of freshly rolled tobacco, pencil shavings (if you still use a pencil) and violets. The mid-weighted palate has a leanness via raspy tannins and brisk acidity, but food sorts that out today. More cellar time will, too. Drink to 2036.

93 points Special Value Jane Faulkner for Halliday Wine Companion, June 2026

Do not hesitate to take any opportunity afforded to stock the cellar with both reds and whites from the brilliant 2023 vintage in Margaret River. This very fine Cabernet Sauvignon spent nine months maturing in oak, from individual parcels before blending, and a further nine months in French Bordelaise barriques after that, one third new, one third one-year-old and one third two-years-old. A gleaming dark purple with a magenta rim, the wine opens with a touch of toasty, biscuity oak which is still in the process of integration. Aromas of blackberries, tobacco leaves, chocolate, mushrooms, aniseed, and beef stock are all evident here, while notes of sour cherries emerge towards the finish on the palate. This is a wine of good length, fine tannins with reasonable grip, and a lovely lingering finish. Enjoy this over the next decade. Drink to 2036.

93 points Ken Gargett for Wine Pilot, May 2026

Deep red-purple colour. Cedar, cassis, tobacco and autumn leaf litter scents fill the bouquet. A hint of nori. The palate is lean and angular, with good intensity framed in fine tannins and the wine is already approachable, albeit still quite primary, with serious cabernet structure, a slight mid-palate dip, and moderate persistence. Very good wine, seriously well priced, and has potential for medium term ageing. Drink to 2036.

92 points Huon Hooke for The Real Review, March 2026

From the celebrated vineyards of Margaret River, Leeuwin Estate has become one of Australia’s most respected wine producers. The estate was established in the early 1970s by Denis and Tricia Horgan after encouragement from the legendary Robert Mondavi, who recognised the remarkable potential of the region. Today the winery remains family owned and is run by the second generation of the Horgan family. While Leeuwin is best known internationally for its iconic Art Series Chardonnay, the estate also produces beautifully balanced red wines from Margaret River’s gravelly soils and maritime climate.

The Prelude range represents wines that capture the character of the estate in a more approachable style while maintaining the quality that Leeuwin Estate is known for. The Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from estate vineyards where warm days and cooling ocean breezes allow the fruit to ripen fully while retaining freshness and structure.

The wine shows a deep ruby colour with bright crimson tones. Aromas open with blackcurrant, plum and dark cherry layered with cedar, dried herbs and subtle tobacco leaf. As the wine evolves in the glass hints of graphite, spice and gentle oak begin to appear. The palate is medium to full bodied with fine tannins supporting flavours of cassis, blackberry and savoury herbs across a polished frame. Fresh acidity keeps the wine lively while careful oak maturation adds depth and balance. The finish is long and smooth with lingering dark fruit and spice, making it a wonderful expression of Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon.