1993 Art Series Chardonnay

I enjoyed the 1993 Chardonnay from Margaret River. The wine, always aged in 100% new French oak, and made from low yields, is a dense, full-bodied, dry, lush Chardonnay with well-integrated wood, natural tasting acidity, and a powerful, long finish. It is mouthfilling, husky, and weighty. A tasting of several of the older vintages (1990, 1989, and 1988) left me wondering why they are renowned for their aging potential, but it could be because my palate prefers white wines fresh and lively as opposed to oxidized and stale. This Chardonnay possesses some New World-ish tropical fruit, as well as plenty of backbone and weight. It is best drunk with full-flavored dishes. This is one of the more heralded estates in Australia, selling their wines at high prices because of insatiable demand. I was impressed by the white wines from Leeuwin Estate, particularly the Rieslings and Chardonnays, but I found the Cabernet Sauvignons to be extremely vegetal and green, with plenty of body, but unintegrated acidity, and an extremely austere style. The 1993, 1992, 1991, and 1987 Cabernet Sauvignons all tasted unusual to my palate, and were rated between 65-82, the highest score going to the 1993. I also thought the Pinot Noirs I tasted were one-dimensional, herbaceous, unusual wines that merited scores in the low to mid-seventies. Importer: Old Bridge Cellars (Rob McDonald), San Francisco, CA; tel. (415) 863-9463.