2023 Domaine Naturaliste Purus Chardonnay, Margaret River

Feeling tired and sluggish? A glass of this pure, racy Purus will bring spark back into your life. It’s more than the refreshing acidity, which is moreish and energising, there’s a light film of citrus and white stone fruit, a little spice, a very fine layering of texture and oak. Superb balance and length. Love it. Drink to 2033.

96 points (Special Value) Jane Faulkner for Halliday Wine Companion, March 2025

25 year old vines of Dijon clones grown in Karridale. Zero malolactic and matured in 40% new French oak. Lemonade fruit, white peach and struck blue stones, running river stream and hints of chalk. The palate explodes with guava and candied lemon drops. Scintillating acidity is a dominant feature which undulates and expands like a set of rolling waves. There is a salted lime rim and some real power with brawn. Purus takes you on a journey south where fruit grows a little differently and the whole drinking experience is a compelling one. A mesh of finely spun phenolics rounds out the finish. Fascinating stuff. Drink this wine with sashimi of snapper and white soy.

96 points Shanteh Wale for Wine Pilot, February 2025

Quite a different take on the Artus is this more classically defined modern expression of the variety. There is a pristine purity evident immediately with a floral cut lime and pear lift on the nose. Then the palate coils and tightens as it extends through to a very long finish. An elegant wine with a purity and finesse that is so appealing.

96 points Ray Jordan

Light and savoury flinty reduction notes alongside aromas of ripe nectarines, grapefruit zest and heady gardenia after a summer shower with toasted cashew oak. Sublime tension in this wine – it is pure (Purus!) and driven with a long and minerally crisp, tangy finish.

95 points Melissa Moore for Wine Pilot, February 2025

The nose is wonderfully giving and inviting with complex aromas of lemon curd, orange blossoms, oyster shells and sea spray. The medium-bodied palate has high-tension acidity and generous mouthfeel, giving notes of grapefruit pith, jasmine and gunsmoke. Mineral with an underlying power and salty finish. Very good. 

95 points James Suckling, October 2024

Bright and lively in the glass. Lifted aromas of grapefruit pith, just-ripe white stone fruit, white flowers, mineral and nutty oak. Concentrated, fine and balanced in flavour. Peach, nectarine, citrus and crunchy acidity are all at play. The finish is dry and grippy and the length is impressive. Tightly wound at the moment and will benefit from cellaring. Drink to 2031.

93 points Aaron Barsher for The Real Review, December 2024

Of the Artus and Purus Chardonnays, you will inevitably be drawn to one over the other, such is the stark difference in style that they represent. The 2023 Purus Chardonnay frames a cool vineyard site within a cool season, and the result, having not yet tasted it, will surely be one of focus, piercing intensity and precision in the extreme. Aromatically, the wine leads with wet seashells, limestone, white flowers and a hint of white peach. There is something akin to freshly pressed linen and paper there too. In the mouth, the wine is as thought—piercing and precise. The fruit, if anything, tastes a little green, and this flows onto the acidity and phenolics, both of which are firm and almost frangible. The purity and fragile glassiness will please many but feels extreme to my palate. Drink to 2038.

92 points Erin Larkin for The Wine Advocate, November 2024

Purus is a translation of pristine flavours, textures and the cool climate of southern Margaret River Chardonnay into wine.

The vines have been carefully managed to allow only dappled light into the fruiting zone. This promotes flavour development, low tannins and bright levels of natural acidity. The fruit is sourced from select parcels of Dijon clones grown in the cool southern end of Margaret River. The compact bunches of perfectly solarized berries are hand harvested at first light to preserve freshness of fruit. 

Hand picked whole bunch pressed –no malo-lactic fermentation - aged in 40% new 228ltr medium toast Vosges and Allier for 10 months.