leeuwin estate
One of the greatest names in Australian wine – and a source of one of the world’s most iconic Chardonnays, the Art Series – it’s remarkable that Leeuwin was established as recently as the 1970s. More remarkable still, its founders, Denis and Tricia Horgan, were drawn to Margaret River not by its potential for viticulture, but by the spectacular waves at Redgate Beach (Denis having been a keen surfer). A chance meeting with Robert Mondavi persuaded the Horgans that it would be worth planting vines on the land they’d acquired, to the fine wine world’s great benefit.
​
Today it seems easy to recognise why Mr Mondavi saw such potential here. The climate is shaped by the confluence of the Indian and Southern Oceans. Extremes of temperature are rare, evenings tend to be cool throughout the year, and there is no lack of water. Margaret River is something of a paradise for winemaking. The region has become most closely associated with top Chardonnay and Cabernet, though Shiraz, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc also excel. The diversity of grape varieties at Leeuwin speaks of an array of granitic soils and aspects, unique within Margaret River, carved out by the Boodjidup Brook.
​
CEO Simone Furlong, Denis and Tricia’s daughter, in recent years, placed increased emphasis on Leeuwin’s red wines, notably in the Art Series Shiraz which is perfumed, fresh and often more reminiscent of the Northern Rhône than Barossa. But Leeuwin’s calling card remains its Chardonnay, both the outstanding Prelude, for earlier drinking, and the Art Series, from plots including the famous Block 20 – dubbed by some the Montrachet of Margaret River – and raised for 11 months in new French oak (whose influence it wears with aristocratic grace). The Art Series Chardonnay is never less than impressive but the full extent of its class and complexity only truly emerge with five years or more in the bottle, and it will continue to improve way beyond the ten-year mark.
​
The Art Series is so named for the beautiful works of art that adorn its labels, which are taken from canvases selected each year by Simone and her family. Art Series Shiraz bears the work always of an Australian First Nation artist. Only the Riesling’s striking frog label, painted by renowned Aussie artist John Olsen, is unchanged each vintage, though you will find up to four subtly different versions in every case.
​
As well as the Art Series and Prelude, the range includes the quite brilliant – and remarkably well priced – Siblings Shiraz and Sauvignon, the perfect introduction to Leeuwin Estate.
​
Leeuwin has spearheaded Margaret River’s ascent in just five decades, from obscurity to the top tier of global wine regions, but the wines continue to reach ever greater heights, thanks to the insight which comes with each passing vintage, and their unstinting pursuit of excellence.
1
Siblings
Leeuwin Estate’s Siblings range is the estate’s approachable and fruit-forward wines, named to honour the Horgan family’s second generation of winemakers. Consisting of Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc, this range offers an entry point to the winery's offering, while bottling classic Margaret River freshness and typicity. Expect crisp acid lines, bright citrus & stone-fruit drive in Sauvignon Blanc and supple, violet-tinged spice in Shiraz, with gentle textures from careful handling rather than overt oak, pure energetic drinking built for by-the-glass listings. The cuvées slot beneath Art Series and Prelude as the approachable, vibrant tier, delivering varietal clarity and a clean, saline finish that mirrors the region’s coastal stamp.
2
Prelude Vineyards
The Prelude Vineyards wines sit between Siblings and Art Series, the earlier-drinking, polished tier that channels Margaret River purity without the full muscle of the flagships. Sourced from blocks that yield the most readily expressive fruit, Prelude wines consisting of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon and are shaped for immediate charm: bright stone-fruit and citrus on Chardonnay with tuned oak, and a red-currant, cedar-laced Cabernet profile framed by fine, graphite tannins. Think purity of fruit and place, supple texture, and varietal typicity, a house style ready to pour now.
3
Art Series
Leeuwin Estate’s Art Series is the flagship expression of Margaret River, best-parcel, age-worthy bottlings which are led by the famed Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, with Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz in support. These wines marry precision, tension, and mineral drive with fine oak polish. The labels carry original works by leading Australian artists, an estate hallmark since the first Art Series releases, doubling the bottles as a gallery wall. The tier’s pedigree is underscored by the Chardonnay, regularly cited among Australia’s greats and the Cabernet, built for the long haul - structured to unfurl over time. The Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Shiraz offer poise and elegance, the perfect balance throughout the range.
Art Series Labels​​
Leeuwin Estate’s Art Series bottles showcase commissioned works from leading Australian artists each vintage, turning these flagship wines into collectible pieces. The program began with the 1980 Chardonnay, labelled with Robert Juniper’s “Caves Road,” and has since grown to 150-plus works by names such as John Olsen, Arthur Boyd, Sidney Nolan, Lloyd Rees, many being displayed in the estate’s on-site art gallery.
In recent years the label storytelling has broadened to the Art Series Shiraz featuring First Nations artists, many from Western Australia's Kimberley, weaving a genuine cultural pairing: cool-climate Shiraz with pepper, graphite and fine-boned tannin inside; country, memory and place rendered outside.​
​