TNs: Various Leeuwin Estate + Mount Mary Chardonnays

[Baby Chickpea]

Given the searing temperatures across Sydney recently, I opted to clean out my last remaining bottles of aged Aussie chardonnay to see how they have lasted.

Surprisingly they all lasted quite well but the degree of improvement is not enough to convince me of the advantages of cellaring these styles beyond around 7 years. Why? In very general terms, having tasted many of these wines either at release or around 3-5 years, I must say they appeared to be fractionally better in their youth when they promised so much.

It was hard to split the two titans of Australian chardonnay but for consistency it is hard to beat the Leeuwin Estate but at the higher quality levels the Mount Mary was preferred (including other vintages tasted over the years). They were hard to separate on the scoring sheet (hence the narrow differential in marking) but clearly none were outstanding (although both the 87 Mount Mary and 91 Leeuwin were excellent and the two standouts).

In any case it was a moot point given that if we accept the last three years as the limiting metric, it is my humble opinion that Giaconda make AustraliaÂ’s finest chardonnay (and most burgundian). Pre-2000 I would still stick with Leeuwin as the number one on the strength of its stunning triumvirate of great chardonnays from 1987, 1995 and 1997. But I honestly believe that the Giaconda is now the one to beat post-2000 (and it keeps getting better) Â…

Note: These wines were drunk across a three-week period. All were well cellared with dry corks and no ullage. The tastings were grouped as follows (comparatives): 1981, 83 and 84 Leeuwins together. 86 and 87 Mount Mary together. 90 and 91 Leeuwin together. 91, 94 and 96 Mount Mary together.

<b>1981 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay</b>
Deep gold. Full glass is almost reminiscent of a sticky. Nose is all tropical fruits, hint of hydrogen sulphide. Some slight vegetabley, mercaptan characters. Palate has some slight fresh pineapples, some rubber, obvious oak, astringent alcohol, very mature. Appears past its best. However, after 20 minutes, it cleaned up considerably, leaving an aged wine in fine form. Now quite lovely (buttery oak subsided and more balanced) but surely better 5-8 years ago. Whoever thought a 23-year-old Aussie chardonnay would still be in tip-top shape? Certainly not me. <b>Very Good 17.0 / 20</b>

<b>1983 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay</b>
Light gold. More steely on nose and palate than the 81 and 84. More burgundian. Classy and long and ageing very well. Still appears youthful with an abundance of acid on the finish. <b>Very Good 17.0 / 20</b>

<b>1984 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay</b>
Bright yellow. Lovely clarity. Bouquet is very elegant, with no malo and vanilla. Just zingy, crisp flavours with a subtle hint of aniseed (Sambuca), sweet marmalade., dried apricots, almost spatlese in style. In the mouth, classy and dry with many primary and secondary characters. Flinty with telltale Leeuwin typicity, chalky and redolent of cashews and nuts. Very good length and medium bodied with depth and structure. This is one of the most variable Leeuwin wines, in the past it has reeked of H2S, or has been flabby. This one is one of the rare better examples I have had (most of the others have been over-the-hill). Tastes almost like a 5 year old! Graceful yet rich.
<b>Very Good 17.5 / 20</b>

<b>1986 Mount Mary Chardonnay</b>
Dark yellow. Nose similar to 87 but more concentrated, also more alcohol too. Palate is also more powerful and concentrated, with some VA. Not as integrated and balanced as the 87 – oakier, more acid, fuller and firmer. Tropical flavour spectrum is still there and seems to have years ahead of it. Lacks slight balance. Initially preferred this to the 87 but blind I always went for the 87.
<b>Very Good 17.0 / 20</b>

<b>1987 Mount Mary Chardonnay</b>
Pale gold – extraordinary for its age! Lighter than the 86 Mount Mary. Hint of peach, apricot and honey permeate secondary characters. Little evidence of alcohol or oak. Palate is lovely – medium-weight with wonderful length. Beautifully balanced and supremely elegant. Reflects nuances of the nose with primary fruits and subtle aged characters. Finishes with chalky acid. Oak not a problem and beautifully integrated. Went very well with the blue eye penne and main of ocean trout with ginger, eschalots and vegetables. No point holding on to it any longer but a stunning example of aged Aussie chardonnay. Interestingly this is considered the weaker vintage compared to the 86.
<b>Excellent 18.0 / 20</b>

<b>1990 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay</b>
Dark gold – showing is age. Nose is all mangoes and ripe pineapples. Well structured with good length. Perhaps lacking the complexity of better chardonnays but nonetheless quite good. Originally preferred this to the 91 Leeuwin but with time and blind it was clearly the weaker wine. 13.9% alcohol. <b>Very Good 17.0 / 20</b>

<b>1991 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay</b>
Light gold. Much more youthful than 90. Bouquet is drier and very young still with lemon and lime puree. Superb acid backbone balancing the elegant and reserved fruit. Top length and obviously a long-termer with years ahead of it. One of the best. <b>Very Good 17.5 / 20</b>

<b>1991 Mount Mary Chardonnay</b>
Very light gold rim. Fresh pineapples, passionfruit and fruit salad nose. Hint of butterscotch. Excellent bouquet – sweet, honeyed with some lemon. Lovely lime fragrant aromas with some grassy herbs on palate. Long and concentrated with excellent body and still youthful. Heaps of acidity taints the cheeks. Lovely peaches, vanilla essence and pineapple flavours. Quite simply one of the best Aussie chardonnays I have tasted. Second day – lost some fruit and acid came to the fore. This was the 2nd bottle opened after the 1st was almost botrytised and flabby with tonnes of acidity and little fruit and very one-dimensional. <b> Excellent 18.0 / 20</b>

<b>1994 Mount Mary Chardonnay</b>
Light gold – like vitamin-enriched urine. Lovely nose with passionfruit and freshly squeezes lemons and minerals. Palate is good with no outstanding features. Lemon skin and sweet grapefruits and still unevolved. Good body and balance but not terribly exciting either after 10 years. A bit steely and minerally too.
<b>Very Good 17.0 / 20</b>

<b>1996 Mount Mary Chardonnay</b>
Mid yellow. Very unfocussed nose with mineral scents. Palate is hard, one dimensional and very, very steely. Fruit is there (not closed) but far too unbalanced and the acid is overwhelming. Hard to say if this is closed and youthful, or simply not very good. I lean towards the latter as I cannot see this wine improving. Most unappealing and unattractive wine that is very tough, and almost bitter.
<b> Good 16.0 / 20</b>

[lazy brad]

<b>1990 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay</b>
Dark gold – showing is age. Nose is all mangoes and ripe pineapples. Well structured with good length. Perhaps lacking the complexity of better chardonnays but nonetheless quite good. Originally preferred this to the 91 Leeuwin but with time and blind it was clearly the weaker wine. 13.9% alcohol. <b>Very Good 17.0 / 20</b>

A few RBO probs with this vintage. Sounds like you may have got one here, although perhaps not too bad. I've got a couple in the shelf that are virtually brown in colour. Probably tip 'em when I can be bothered unpacking new house!

Had the 2000 at mates birthday lunch yesterday and this wine impresses more and more with each taste. 1999 also stunning and perhaps better structured. Is there a better chardonnay on this planet than LE?

Cheers, brad