Leeuwin Estate 2018 Artist Series Chardonnay 750ml

Powerful and concentrated, the 2018 Art Series Chardonnay has absolutely settled into itself after an extra 18 months or so in bottle from its release. The tropical characters that it saw initially have morphed into a glossy, exotically spiced full-bodied space, with salted peach, saffron, apple blossom, crushed rocks, graphite, mineral acidity and rivulets of phenolics. This is a muscular powerhouse, with briney grapefruit, tangelo, alpine herbs, hints of amaro and jasmine pearls. What a wine.

Score: 98 points -- Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate, 2022