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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2011 and 2018 (based on 5 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 89 pts. and median of 89 pts. in 16 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Astronut on 4/1/2020 & rated 88 points: Good value for money. Still drinking well 2 years after ‘best last’ drinking date. (368 views) | | | Tasted by Astronut on 3/29/2020 & rated 84 points: Good value for money and still tasting fine despite age (352 views) | | | Tasted by La Cave d'Argent on 4/3/2014 & rated 93 points: Now with some bottle age, this medium gold wine is in full form. An intense and complex bouquet displays elements of spiced apple, citrus peel, dried herbs and honeydew. Medium-bodied, crisply acidic, and with well-integrated alcohol (listed as 14.5%), it offers flavors which mirror the nose. Mouth-filling and almost viscous in the middle, it concludes with very impressive length. This is an impeccably balanced Chardonnay which has rewarded cellaring. Showing no evidence of "fatigue" at this point, it should provide pleasure for at least another 3-4 years. Drink now-2018. (2389 views) | | | Tasted by Will Devize on 1/26/2014 & rated 91 points: Despite its pedigree, there is a generic simplicity to this wine which is rather endearing. There is an explosion of honeysuckle, tangerine and watermelon with some creamy oak notes on the finish. Well-balanced, ripe and delivered with much bombast, this made for great drinking with a garlicky chicken and celeriac remoulade dish. (2374 views) | | | Tasted by AMC Eagle on 7/13/2013 & rated 90 points: Light-medium straw in colour. Peaches, butter, and pineapples on the nose. A bright chard with bright buttered stoney pineapples with a hint of oak with the acidity to help with the balance. Got this for under 20 bucks which is a decent price, and to echo the previous reviewer, would not buy if it were $30. (2996 views) | | | Tasted by Jake112380 on 3/31/2013 & rated 86 points: Aroma is a pleasant mix of honeydew melon, straw, and a hint of pear. Flavor is initially crisp with acid, but it quickly gives way to a buttery sensation. Flavor is a lot of pear and stone fruit and (surprisingly) pleasant straw. Bright finish. (2191 views) | | | Tasted by MH Amateur on 1/28/2013 & rated 89 points: Paid $30 at K&L. Thought is was closer to $20 bottle of wine.
Light gold color. Hints of pineapple, grass, cut pine on the nose and palate.
Did not get much butter at all. A bit of oak. Very smooth with a nice finish.
Disappointed that I could not detect more fruit. In defense of wine, I may have consumed a bit cold. (2957 views) | | | Tasted by BrunelloBob on 1/15/2013: Undrinkable butter-bomb to me, but this is Beautiful Wife's style, and she likes it. (1574 views) | | | Tasted by konadog on 1/14/2013 & rated 88 points: not too flamboyant. dominant notes of apple and some citrus. (1348 views) | | | Tasted by Phredd on 12/30/2012 & rated 88 points: Fairly light in color, pale yellow with a trace of green, the nose is primarily apple and under-ripe peach, but with a good deal more oak than I expected from a wine so pale in color. I could not find specifics on the oak regimen, but there was some indication that the wine was barrel fermented. There was less oak on the palate, which remained concentrated on apple, peach, and melon flavors, without a great deal of secondary complexity. The acidity is medium high, and the balance is good, but the finish is on the short side and ends with a touch too much bitterness. This wine got a lot of good press, but I'm just not seeing the 90+ scores. Perhaps the extra few years from the vintage have not been so kind or the wine is in a bit of a shutdown phase or something, but I suppose that's why I was able to get this on sale for $18. I only bought one, and while I'm glad I tried it, I'm not looking for more. (1273 views) | | | Tasted by alanh13 on 11/3/2012 & rated 89 points: Excellent again. Easily beats most village Burgundies. (1345 views) | | | Tasted by gdbarton1@gmail.com on 7/22/2012 & rated 90 points: Clear bright light golden. Apples and honey nose, bright fruit. Medium bodied moderate apple fruit with strong acid, rich juicy finish. Good fruit and balance (1196 views) | | | Tasted by alanh13 on 3/1/2012 & rated 87 points: Excellent chardonnay. Subtle, gentle oak, slight hint of warmer climate fruit (melon and lime aromas). I get a hint of milkiness on the nose, good but subtle nose overall. Very gently, subtle oak on the palate and definitely getting the "apple pie" mentioned in winemakers own tasting note: it has a nice cross of Meursault bread & butter and Puligny apple (without coming across as oxidised). I'm not rating higher only because my personal taste on chardonnay is for more nutty and mineral aromas (ie Corton Charlemagne for hazelnuts or a Chablis Les Clos for wet stones with gentle oak). It doesn't have any earthiness but that could come with more age, worth trying again in a year or seeing how if fares with an hour or two of air.
I have a niggling feeling its overpriced at £22 but probably only because it's New World. I'm nitpicking here: I can't really knock the quality. It's very, very good.
Disclaimer: I've never tried the Art Series, so can't compare to that. I'm comparing against Burgundy.
...
Okay, I was probably a bit harsh. This is lovely. Stood up beautifully to a roast chicken and now with some cheese (even a spicey applewood cheddar): the minerality is coming across more and it just seems so balanced. Served blind against Burgundy I would think this would compete or beat many for me. At £22... yeah, it's good value on reflection. I said it doesn't compare with Chablis Grand Cru or Corton Charlemagne but they are twice to four times the price!! (1303 views) | | | Tasted by chatters on 9/2/2010: Nose: stone fruit/citrus, slight candy
Mouth: Medium low acidity, tongue coating tart green orchard fruit and touches of candied pineapple. Hmm, okay but, perhaps, a touch pricey at AUD 31. (1501 views) |
| By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/24/2011)
(Leeuwin Estate, Prelude Chardonnay Margaret River White) Subscribe to see review text. | By Julia Harding, MW
JancisRobinson.com (9/20/2011)
(Leeuwin Estate, Prelude Chardonnay Margaret River White) Subscribe to see review text. | By Josh Raynolds
Vinous, July/August 2010, IWC Issue #151
(Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Prelude Vineyards Margaret River) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Halliday
Halliday Wine Companion (2/7/2010)
(Leeuwin Estate Prelude Vineyards Margaret River Chardonnay) Subscribe to see review text. | By Julia Harding, MW
JancisRobinson.com (2/24/2009)
(Leeuwin Estate, Prelude Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon Margaret River White) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JancisRobinson.com and Vinous and Halliday Wine Companion. (manage subscription channels) |
| Leeuwin Estate Producer web site
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)
History
Leeuwin Estate, one of the founding wineries of the now famous Margaret River district, consistently produces wines that rank with the world's finest.
In 1972, following an extensive search for the area most suitable to produce the best varietal wines in Australia, legendary American winemaker, Robert Mondavi, identified the future site of the Leeuwin vineyard.
Originally a cattle farm, Leeuwin Estate evolved, under the direction of Denis and Tricia Horgan, with Robert Mondavi acting as consultant and mentor.
A nursery was planted in 1974 and the initial vineyards were deep-ploughed, deep-ripped, emptied of stone, planned, pegged, measured, marked and eventually planted by hand over a five year period from 1975.
Featuring state-of-the art facilities, the winery building was opened in 1978, celebrating with a trial vintage. Leeuwin enjoyed its first commercial vintage in 1979, and was thrust into the international spotlight when Decanter Magazine gave its highest recommendation to the 1980 "Art Series" Chardonnay in an international blind tasting.
Maintaining a team of highly skilled and dedicated winemakers, and now under the direction of two generations of the founding family, Leeuwin now exports to over 30 countries.
Environment
Leeuwin Estate, an iconic producer of premium wines made from grapes grown in the Margaret River region of Western Australia, recognises that its environmental responsibilities are of significant importance to its staff, suppliers, customers and the local community.
As a family business the Estate is committed to managing the environmental effects of its operations through responsible stewardship, with the aim of maintaining a sustainable environment for future generations. To accomplish these goals Leeuwin Estate applies best practice standards for environmental management in all facets of the business.
The Margaret River district features pristine white sandy beaches, spectacular coastline and amazing surf. It is surrounded by majestic karri forests, is nestled within picturesque farmland and enjoys a balmy temperate climate.
Complemented by fine restaurants, art galleries and boutique luxury accommodation, Margaret River has spawned one of the world's most dynamic and innovative wine tourism industries.
Located in the South West of Western Australia, approximately 280 km south of Perth, Leeuwin Estate enjoys a unique environment that is highly complementary to the production of high quality varietal wines.
Less than 6 km from the ocean, Leeuwin Estate is approximately midway between Cape Naturaliste to the north and Cape Leeuwin, Australia’s most southwesterly point.
The area between Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin is one of the most ancient parts of the world. It became isolated when the continental crust split leaving a 100 km sedimentary basin between it and the mainland. Today the basin contains some of the world’s largest mineral sand deposits.
This granitic island, where the Leeuwin vineyard is located, has weathered over millions of years and now provides us as vignerons with the ancient free draining gravel soils, which are highly complementary to the culture of the vine, as well as promoting great finesse in the wine.
Leeuwin’s rainfall is dictated by the “Roaring 40’s” which move north in our winter and south in our summer, with the oscillation of the earth. 85% of rainfall is therefore received during the cooler six months.
With oceans on three sides only changing water temperature by two degrees between summer and winter, the district has its own microclimate. Leeuwin’s vineyards are therefore protected from extremes of temperature and are frost-free during the critical spring growing period.
The mean daily maximum and minimum temperatures during the summer season are very similar to those of Bordeaux. The significant difference however is that our season opens slightly earlier and closes slightly later, providing us with greater latitude to ripen our fruit, whilst also accommodating earlier ripening varieties such as Chardonnay.
In all, the weather conditions in an “average” year in Margaret River equate to those that Bordeaux only enjoys occasionally in “great” years.
From Fruit to Wine
Great wines are born in great vineyards, and at Leeuwin the viticulturist and winemaker work hand-in-hand throughout the entire winemaking process, combining their skills to create wines of distinction.
Careful study, and the eventual grafting of some vines has revealed the best varieties for the Leeuwin vineyard to be Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon; Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz make up the diversity of the vineyard, which also incorporates smaller plantings of varieties utilised for blending.
Enjoying such an isolated and pristine natural environment, the emphasis of Leeuwin's viticultural practice is minimal interventionist. Working with the environment and through skilled vineyard management, Leeuwin is able to produce fine fruit in an environmentally friendly manner.
Vineyards are kept balanced with the yearly environmental conditions. With the emphasis on quality rather than quantity, yields at Leeuwin are kept low.
Boasting one of the most modern wineries in the Southern hemisphere, Leeuwin Estate offers its winemakers all the advantages of new age technology.
Winemaking however is an art as well as a science, and it is here where the skills of the winemaker are carefully combined with technology to produce the wines that have been so highly acclaimed.
Broadly following European winemaking techniques, Leeuwin is concentrating on achieving complexity, balance and longevity in its wines through a blend of modern and traditional methods.
Temperature controlled stainless steel tanks, two Bucher Pneumatic presses, and a cellar of imported French oak barrels, are at the disposal of the winemaker to ensure that the fruit is transformed into the intended style of wine.
Leeuwin Estate Wines
Leeuwin Estate releases its wines under four labels, the Art Series, Prelude Vineyards and Siblings. Whilst the wines in each portfolio follow different lives, they all share a place amongst the great wines of Australia, receiving much international acclaim and attention.
The “Art Series” represents Leeuwin’s finest wines from each vintage. The winemakers have always selected the optimum fruit, transforming it into Leeuwin’s highest quality and age-worthy wines. They are identified with paintings commissioned from leading contemporary Australian Artists.
Whilst "Art Series" wines are designed to age and ultimately to be the most opulent, "Prelude Vineyards" wines are made from fruit producing the most readily expressive wines, with the objective that they will drink well soon after release. A Chardonnay and a Cabernet Merlot are released under this label. During the course of assessing fruit from the vineyards, the winemakers have found that certain blocks, and even certain rows in particular blocks, tend to consistently produce fruit best suited to either of the two styles of Cabernet and Chardonnay they make.
The "Siblings" label represents wines intended for fresh early drinking. As a family business, this label celebrates the role the second generation of the Horgan family has played in the ongoing development of Leeuwin Estate.
2008 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay PreludePer producer website:
2008 Prelude Vineyards Chardonnay »
Winemaker's Tasting Notes
The colour is a vibrant brilliant straw with green edges.
The bouquet displays rich fresh apple pie, ripe pear, melon and some lovely brioche characters which combine to give intense pristine notes. These pristine notes carry over to the palate, which has been enhanced by lees stirring in barrel for 10 months which has created the creaminess on the palate at the same time protecting the fresh fruit flavours.
The wine is medium to full bodied with ripe pear skin, custard tart with a silky creaminess driven by the purity of the pear and melon fruit. The creaminess gives way to a tight and long acid structure which gives the wine backbone and provides the impeccable length. We have managed to again achieve a harmonious balance between the delicate fruit flavours and the specially selected French oak barriques.
This wine is showing all the hallmarks of the great Leeuwin Chardonnays, freshness and clean acid with intense fruit flavours as a young wine which will allow the wine flavours to develop in time in the bottle.
Chardonnay The Chardonnay GrapeAustralia Wine Australia (Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation) | Australian Wines (Wikipedia)Western Australia Wine Regions of Western AustraliaMargaret Riverhttps://margaretriver.wine/ |
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