98 Points James Halliday — Australia's Most Iconic Chardonnay

My Wine Man on Leeuwin Estate. Leeuwin Estate is the undisputed home of Australia's greatest Chardonnay. Established in 1974 in Margaret River — on land famously identified by Robert Mondavi as one of the world's great wine regions — the estate has spent over four decades refining Art Series Chardonnay into a global benchmark. Since its first release in 1980, it has been consistently compared with the finest white Burgundies, often on equal footing. The 2019 vintage is a cool, precise expression — tightly coiled, mineral-driven and intensely focused, with extraordinary purity and length.

Tasting Notes

Brilliant pale gold in the glass. The nose is restrained yet highly complex — white peach, nectarine and citrus zest at the core, layered with white florals, struck flint and finely integrated oak spice. The palate is full-bodied but tightly structured, with precise fruit definition, fine driving acidity and exceptional tension. The finish is extraordinarily long, unfolding in layers of spice, citrus and mineral detail. 98 Points — James Halliday.

Food Pairing

A Chardonnay of this calibre deserves equally refined cuisine. We love it with Canadian Wild King Salmon Fillet from My Meat Man — pan-seared with brown butter and tarragon or roasted with a lemon herb crust — the rich, oily flesh is a magnificent match for the wine's citrus core, mineral tension and exceptional length.

Why This Is a Smart Buy

At HK$588, this is a 98-point Australian icon with decades of critical acclaim and proven ageing pedigree. Comparable white Burgundy of this level would typically cost significantly more, making this one of the strongest fine white wine values in its category — a benchmark Chardonnay from one of the world's great estates.

Looking for a Different Style?

• 2021 Pierro Margaret River Chardonnay → richer Margaret River style / more generous and immediate
• 2024 Shaw + Smith M3 Chardonnay → leaner Adelaide Hills / flinty precision / more linear
• 2023 Giaconda Estate Chardonnay → ultra-premium Beechworth / Australia's most cult Chardonnay