Leeuwin Estate

Last updated

Leeuwin Estate
Leeuwin-Estate-Logo-2014.png
LocationStevens Road,
Leeuwin 6290,
WA, Australia
Coordinates 34°0′47″S115°3′57″E / 34.01306°S 115.06583°E / -34.01306; 115.06583 Coordinates: 34°0′47″S115°3′57″E / 34.01306°S 115.06583°E / -34.01306; 115.06583
Wine region Margaret River
Other labelsArt Series, Prelude, Siblings
Founded1973 (1973)
Key peopleDenis & Trish Horgan, Founders
Justin Horgan & Simone Horgan-Furlong, Joint CEO's
Tim Lovett, Snr Winemaker,
Phil Hutchison, Winemaker,
David Winstanley, Viticulturalist.
Cases/yr50,000
Known forArt Series Chardonnay
Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon
Varietals Chardonnay , Cabernet Sauvignon , Merlot , Pinot noir , Riesling , Sauvignon blanc , Semillon , Shiraz
Other attractionsRestaurant
Leeuwin Estate Concert Series
DistributionInternational
Tasting Open to public
Website Leeuwin Estate

Leeuwin Estate is an Australian winery and restaurant based in the Margaret River wine region of Western Australia.

Contents

History

Leeuwin Estate was established in 1973 by Denis and Tricia Horgan. [1] [2] The land was previously used as a cattle station and after having been purchased as part of a deal to buy a plumbing business by Denis Horgan in 1969, the land was converted to vineyards based on the advice of the Western Australian Department of Agriculture. [3] [4]

Robert Mondavi provided significant advice during the planning and setup stages of the estate after contacting the Horgans in 1972 to promote the potential that Margaret River had as a wine region and to look for investment opportunities. [3] [5] [6] [7] Initial plantings consisted of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Pinot noir. [4]

Bob Cartwright was appointed as head winemaker in 1978. [3] In the same year that Cartwright was appointed, the first vintage of wines were made. The vines had reached maturity and could provide enough grapes for commercial production and bottling levels. [4] Cartwright held the position of head winemaker for 28 consecutive vintages until retiring in September 2005. [8] [9]

The current senior winemaker is Tim Lovett. The winery is still owned by Denis and Tricia Horgan, with their son Justin and daughter Simone working as the company Joint Chief Executive Officers.

Denis Horgan was awarded a Centenary Medal and both he and Tricia Horgan were inducted as Members of the Order of Australia in 2001 for services to tourism in Western Australia. [10] [11] [12]

Wines

Leeuwin Estate produces around 60,000 cases of wine each vintage and owns 121 acres of vineyards. [13]

The most well known wine produced by Leeuwin Estate is the "Art Series Chardonnay". It has been described by wine critic James Halliday as "Australia's finest example" of Chardonnay [13] and the Langton's Classification of Australian Wine places it at the highest level of "Exceptional". [1] The first vintage of the Art Series Chardonnay was from 1980, with the first vintage of the wine receiving a recommendation as the best Chardonnay in the world by Decanter in 1982, bringing Leeuwin Estate to the attention of the wine world. [3] [4] [5] [14] A large proportion of the grapes used in this wine are from the "Block 20" vineyard, [1] which was noted as one of the "Top 25 Australian Vineyards" by Australian Sommelier Magazine. [15]

As well as the Chardonnay, Leewin Estate produces four other flagship "Art Series" wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. [13] Each of the five "Art Series" wines in each vintage has a new painting printed on the label from an Australian artist. [16]

The "Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon" is listed at the "Distinguished" level of the Langton's Classification, being described by Langton's as representative of the "quintessential southern Margaret River style" [17] and by Robert Parker as "one of Australia’s great Bordeaux-styled Cabernets". [18]

A number of lower priced wines are released under the "Prelude" and "Siblings" labels. [13] [16]

Since 2002, Leeuwin Estate has bottled all their wines under screw cap. [19]

Restaurant

The restaurant at Leeuwin Estate won the award for the Regional Restaurant of the Year in The West Australian Good Food Guide 2012. It was ranked as a two star restaurant in the 2013 edition of the same guide, and a Top 10 West Australian restaurant in 2017. [20]

Leeuwin Estate Concert Series

Leeuwin Estate hosts an annual series of concerts featuring major Australian and international performers. [21] The first concert was a performance from the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 1985. [3] [5] [22]

In February 2005, a concert was performed by Sting that attracted 6,000 attendees and raised over $4 million for the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami relief efforts. [23] [24] [25]

See also

Related Research Articles

Stags Leap Wine Cellars Winery in Napa Valley, California

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars is a winery founded by Warren Winiarski in 1970 and based in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, California. The winery was sold to a joint venture by Chateau Ste. Michelle of Woodinville, Washington, and Marchesi Antinori Srl of Italy for $185 million in August 2007. It is 50% owned by the tobacco/food conglomerate Altria.

Ridge Vineyards

Ridge Vineyards is a California winery specializing in Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay wines. Ridge produces wine at two winery locations in northern California. The original winery facilities are located at an elevation of 2,300 feet on Monte Bello Ridge in unincorporated Santa Clara County in the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA, south of Los Altos, California and west of Cupertino, California. The other Ridge winery facilities are at Lytton Springs in the Dry Creek Valley AVA of Sonoma County. Ridge Vineyard's 1971 Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon gained prominence for its fifth-place finish in the 1976 "Judgment of Paris" wine tasting.

Australian wine Wine industry of Australia

The Australian wine industry is one of the world's largest exporters of wine, with approximately 800 million out of the 1.2 to 1.3 billion litres produced annually exported to overseas markets. The wine industry is a significant contributor to the Australian economy through production, employment, export, and tourism.

Barboursville Vineyards

Barboursville Vineyards is a winery located in the Piedmont region of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the unincorporated community of Barboursville, Virginia. It is located within both the Virginia and Monticello viticultural areas.

Howard Park Wines Winery in Western Australia

Howard Park Wines are Margaret River and Great Southern wine specialists and a family-owned winery owned by the Burch family, which is responsible for such brands as Howard Park, MadFish, and Marchand & Burch. With an established winery based in Margaret River, Western Australia and vineyards in the Great Southern, the Burch family are the first Australians to gain ownership in the production of a French Burgundian Grand Cru.

Margaret River (wine region) Wine region in Western Australia

Margaret River is the major geographical indication wine region in southwest Western Australia, with 5,017 hectares under vine and 215 wineries as at 2012. Margaret River wine region is made up predominantly of boutique size wine producers; although winery operations range from the smallest crushing 3.5 tonne per year to the largest around 7000 tonne. The climate of Margaret River is more strongly maritime-influenced than any other major Australian region. It has the lowest mean annual temperature range, of only 7.6 °C, and as well as the most marked Mediterranean climate in terms of rainfall, with only 200 millimetres of the annual 1160 millimetres falling between October and April. The low diurnal and seasonal temperature range means an unusually even accumulation of warmth. Overall the climate is similar to that of Bordeaux in a dry vintage. Although the region produces just three percent of total Australian grape production, it produces over 20 percent of Australia's premium wine market. The principal grape varieties are fairly evenly split between red and white; Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Sémillon, Shiraz, Merlot, Chenin blanc and Verdelho.

Henschke Winery in South Australia

Henschke is a family-owned, 154-year-old Australian winery, located in Keyneton, South Australia in the Eden Valley wine region. It produces the 'Hill of Grace', one of Australia's "cult wines", and was considered Australia's second best wine by James Halliday in 2009.

Western Australian wine

Western Australian wine refers to wine produced in Australia's largest state, Western Australia. Although the state extends across the western third of the continent, its wine regions are almost entirely situated in the cooler climate of its south-western tip. Western Australia produces less than 5% of the country's wine output, but in quality terms it is very much near the top - winning 30 percent of the countries' medals.

Giaconda is an Australian winery in Beechworth, Victoria.

Grosset Wines is an Australian winery based in the Clare Valley wine region of South Australia.

The Leeuwin Estate Concert Series are annual open-air events featuring international and Australian performers at Leeuwin Estate Winery.

Jordan Vineyard & Winery is a family-owned California winery located in Alexander Valley AVA in Sonoma County. Jordan produces Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Russian River Valley Chardonnay.

Cullen Wines Winery in Western Australia

Cullen Wines is an Australian winery based in Wilyabrup, within the Margaret River wine region of Western Australia.

Mount Avoca Vineyard is an organic vineyard and five red star rated winery located in the Pyrenees Wine Region of Victoria, Australia near the town of Avoca producing high quality Australian wine for both the domestic and international markets. Established by John and Arda Barry in 1970 it is now owned by Lisa and Matthew Barry. Accommodation includes the 4 star rated eco-luxe lodges and the winery has been host to various events including road and mountain bike races, car rallies and musical concerts, it was also awarded 2011 Sustainable Winery of the Year.

Bass Phillip is an Australian winery based in Leongatha, within the Gippsland region of Victoria.

Ben Cane Australian winemaker

Benjamin Cane is an Australian winemaker who currently owns Duke's Vineyard in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. He has made award-winning wines of different varietals across three continents, with pinot noir standing out as a true source of passion and inspiration.

Cape Mentelle Vineyards Western Australian winery

Cape Mentelle Vineyards is a wine estate in the Margaret River region, 274 km south-west of Perth, Western Australia. The winery was founded by David Hohnen, a third-generation farmer who studied wine making and viticulture in California in the 1960s, and his brothers Mark and Giles. Cape Mentelle is one of the ‘founding five’ wineries in Margaret River, was established in 1970, and came to prominence by winning the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy in both 1983 and 1984 for their Cabernet sauvignon.

Voyager Estate

Voyager Estate is an Australian winery located in the Margaret River wine region of Western Australia. James Halliday, "Australia’s leading wine writer" as described by Jancis Robinson MW, gives the winery his highest ranking, five red stars, in his "Halliday Australian Wine Companion" According to Ray Jordan, wine writer for The West Australian, the winery produces excellent wines.

Deep Woods Estate

Deep Woods Estate is an Australian winery at Yallingup, in the Margaret River wine region of Western Australia.

Kenwood Vineyards

Kenwood Vineyards is a winery in Kenwood, California, located on Highway 12 in the Sonoma Valley wine country. It is currently owned by Pernod Ricard Winemakers.

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 "Langton's – LEEUWIN ESTATE Art Series Chardonnay". Langtons.com.au. Archived from the original on 30 September 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  2. ↑ "Grapes in their blood". The Daily Telegraph. 6 September 2004.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Leeuwin". Margaret River Wine. Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Leeuwin Estate". WineDoctor. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  5. 1 2 3 "From a Granite Coast, Velvet Wines". The New York Times. 2 January 2002. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  6. ↑ "Raise a glass to the big white". The Sydney Morning Herald . 12 November 2003. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  7. ↑ "LA Times – Unknown but Nose-Worthy". Los Angeles Times. 19 July 1998. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  8. ↑ "Otto wins on way to perfect wine". WA Business News. 6 December 2005.
  9. ↑ "Tourism Australia – Tasting a nation". Media.australia.com. 20 September 2010. Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  10. ↑ "It's an Honour – Australian Honours – Centenary Medal – HORGAN, Denis Byrne". Itsanhonour.gov.au. 1 January 2001. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  11. ↑ "It's an Honour – Australian Honours – Order of Australia – HORGAN, Denis Byrne". Itsanhonour.gov.au. 26 January 2001. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  12. ↑ "It's an Honour – Australian Honours – Order of Australia – HORGAN, Patricia Anne". Itsanhonour.gov.au. 26 January 2001. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "James Halliday's Wine Companion – Leeuwin Estate". Winecompanion.com.au. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  14. ↑ "History". Leeuwin Estate. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  15. ↑ "25 Top Vineyards", Australian Sommelier, p. 28, Autumn 2006
  16. 1 2 "Wines". Leeuwin Estate. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  17. ↑ "Langton's – LEEUWIN ESTATE Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon". Langtons.com.au. Archived from the original on 14 September 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  18. ↑ "International Acclaim". Leeuwin Estate. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  19. ↑ Teichgraeber, Tim (25 February 2008). "Taint, oxidation forces Leeuwin to re-bottle old vintages". Decanter. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  20. ↑ Broadfield, Rob, ed. (2012). The West Australian Good Food Guide 2013. Osborne Park, WA: West Australian Publishers. p. 120. ISBN   9780987171948.
  21. ↑ Santich, Barbara (24 June 2001). "NYTimes – Choice Tables". The New York Times. Australia; Margaret River (Australia). Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  22. ↑ "Vine romance: artists line up for picnic gigs". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  23. ↑ "Sting Concert Raises 4m for Tsunami". The Sydney Morning Herald . 11 February 2005. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  24. ↑ "Sting's special gig for tsunami victims". ABC. 3 February 2005. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  25. ↑ "BBC Willie Nelson stages Tsunami gig". BBC News. 10 January 2005. Retrieved 10 November 2010.

Bibliography

  • Halliday, James (1985). The Australian Wine Compendium. North Ryde, NSW: Angus & Robertson. pp. 473–477, 490–507. ISBN   0207151377.
  • Halliday, James (2008). James Halliday's Wine Atlas of Australia (rev. ed.). Prahran, Vic: Hardie Grant Books. pp. 234–239. ISBN   9781740666855.
  • Jordan, Ray (2002). Wine: Western Australia's Best. Osborne Park, WA: The West Australian. pp. 50–99. ISBN   0909699887.
  • Scott, Jane; Negus, Patricia (2011). Stories from the Cellar Door: Fifty Margaret River Wineries Tell Their Tales. North Fremantle, WA: Cape to Cape Publishing. ISBN   9780980333763.
  • Zekulich, Michael (2000). Wine Western Australia (all new ed.). Perth: St George Books. pp. 180–184. ISBN   0867780614.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.