Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay 2021

Light straw colour with a reserved lemon/grapefruit aroma, fresh and penetrating, the palate brisk and bright with vibrant acidity and intense grapefruit/lemon flavours that persist the full length of the very long palate. Superb vitality and balance. It promises to reward cellaring too. Tremendously concentrated and compact, with extreme drive and massive persistence, it positively vibrates with energy. Very cellarworthy, too. (98) HUON HOOKE, therealreview.com

Remarkably complex aromas of dominant stone fruit like nectarine with less of the pear and cut lime character you expect. An intense and powerful wine with a distinctive chalky limestone influence on the palate… Continues the subtle move to Burgundian styles. This is one of the most delicate of Art Series chardies. Elements of the 2017 yet there is more power and intensity within its tight frame. Has slightly more phenolic character. The minerally cracked seashell character is clearly evident here. It is pure with an almost shimmering acidity and precision through to the long finish. One of the more individual of the Leeuwin chardonnays to date. (98) RAY JORDAN, rayjordan.com

The 2021 Art Series Chardonnay leads with a distinctly floral nose: jasmine and white garden rose, wisteria and lemon blossom… On the palate, the wine is powerful and savory-it leans heavily on exotic dry spice and cracked honeycomb, with hints of salted butter on fresh white bread, beeswax and salted pink grapefruit. Stylistically, it is not dissimilar to the 2017; however, the dovetailing of acid and fruit feels seamless and well matched here. The wine is piercing and structural, tightly coiled and almost rigid, in the best of ways. It's an impressive wine, one that, at this stage of its life, is defined by its penetrating acid line. Sealed under screw cap. (97+) ERIN LARKIN, robertparker.com