Name: Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Prelude Vineyards 2024 750ml
Brand: Leeuwin Estate
SKU: 1028285
Price: 29.93 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 91.5 (2 reviews)

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Winery

Leeuwin Estate

Shop all from Leeuwin Estate

Varietal

Chardonnay

Of all the white wine grape varietals, surely the one that has spread the furthest and is most widely appreciated is Chardonnay. This green-skinned grape is now grown all over the Old and New Worlds, from New Zealand to the Americas, from England to Chile, and is one of the first varietals people think of when considering white wine grapes. Perhaps this is because of its huge popularity, which reached a peak in the 1990s, thanks to new technologies combining with traditional methods to bring the very best features out of the Chardonnay grape and allow its unique qualities to shine through. Most fine Chardonnay wines use a process known as malolactic fermentation, wherein the malic acids in the grape juice are converted to lactic acids, allowing a creamier, buttery nature to come forward in the wine. No grape varietal is better suited to this process than Chardonnay, which manages to balance these silky, creamy notes with fresh white fruit flavors beautifully.

Country

Australia

Whilst most of Australia consists of arid deserts and dense bushland, the oceanic coasts to the south of the country have a terrain and climate ideal for vine cultivation and wine production. It took several decades of failed attempts at the end of the 18th century in order to produce vines of a decent enough quality for making wine, but since those first false starts, the Australian wine industry has continued to grow and grow. Today, wine production makes up for a considerable part of the Australian economy, with exports in recent years reaching unprecedented levels and even overtaking France for the first time ever. Whilst the greatest successes in regards to quality have been the result of the Syrah grape varietal (known locally as Shiraz), Australia utilizes several Old World grapes, and has had fantastic results from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Riesling, Chardonnay and more. As the Australian passion for locally produced wine continues to develop, wineries have begun experimenting with a wider range of grape varietals, meaning that nowadays it isn't uncommon to find high quality Australian wines made from Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Tempranillo and Viognier, amongst many others.

Region

Margaret River

When it comes to the south-westerly part of Australia, the Margaret River is by far the most important and productive of the area's wine producing regions. The region itself currently has over five thousand hectares of land under vine, and there are almost one hundred and fifty wineries operating there, making the most of the humid and warm climate many experts claim is remarkably similar to that which is found in the Bordeaux region of France. Such a climate can only produce fantastic yields of grapes of exceptional quality, and indeed, Margaret River currently produces almost twenty percent of Australia's wines. Both red and white wine grapes grow in the region, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Chardonnay and Sémillon being the varietals most commonly and widely grown.

WA 92pts

Wine Advocate

The 2024 Prelude Vineyards Chardonnay is super light in the glass and aromatically restrained. The palate is nutty and complex, as always, with brilliant length and poise through the mid palate and finish. This feels lighter and less concentrated than years previous, and yet it does not lack length through the finish. 2024 was both hot and dry, and yet the wine shows none of the challenges in the glass. It's very good. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

JS 91pts

James Suckling

Very minerally and aromatic, with candied lemon zest, guavas and gun smoke on the nose. The palate is light- to medium-bodied with electric acidity, underlying power and notes of fresh pineapple, lemon peel and river stones. Fresh and energetic. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Winery Notes

Immaculate, powerful, intense nose with purity and clarity of primary fruit characterised by pear, white peach, lime curd and custard apple. There are infinite layers of brioche, grilled hazelnuts, cinnamon quill, shaved nutmeg, black cardamom and almond meal. A thread of graphite in the background adds elegant complexity. Penetration and drive with incredible shape and frame on the palate. The symmetry of layers, contours and overall balance is precise. Pear, cut lime and nectarine are definite throughout. Sweet spice and elegant oak use sit neatly with the fruit, underlined by a delicate acid line, leading to a palate with effortless length.