Leeuwin Estate Prelude Chardonnay 2024

Brand: Leeuwin Estate

Release Name: Prelude Chardonnay (Prelude Vineyards)

Wine Style / Type: Dry, Full-Bodied White Wine

Varietal: 100% Chardonnay

Age: 2024 Vintage

Volume: 750ml Bottle

Alc / Vol (%): 14.0%

Country: Australia

Region: Margaret River, Western Australia

Cask Type: Fermented in French Oak Barriques (35% New), Matured a Further 10 Months

Limited Edition: No (Leeuwin Estate's Standing Annual Prelude Chardonnay Release)

Award Winner: Yes (93 Points, The Wine Front; Multiple Other Critics Rating the 2024 Vintage Highly; the Prelude Chardonnay range has also won a Silver Medal at the TEXSOM International Wine Awards for the 2018 vintage and a Bronze Medal for the 2017 vintage)

Leeuwin Estate is a family-owned pillar of Margaret River winemaking, established in 1973 after the legendary Robert Mondavi identified the site as being capable of producing world-class wines. As one of the five founding wineries of the region, the estate rose to global fame in 1981 when its Art Series Chardonnay was awarded the highest recommendation by Decanter, forever putting Western Australian viticulture on the international map. The winery is uniquely defined by its marriage of fine wine and the arts, famously hosting spectacular outdoor concerts and featuring commissioned works from leading contemporary Australian artists on its prestige labels. Today, under the second generation of the Horgan family, Leeuwin Estate remains a benchmark of excellence, celebrated for its uncompromising commitment to quality and its ability to produce long-lived, site-specific wines that compete with the finest in the world.

The Prelude range exists specifically to make Leeuwin Estate's signature Margaret River Chardonnay style more accessible without compromising on winemaking rigour — this isn't a simplified "second label," but a wine made from fruit selected to drink well soon after release while still carrying real ageing potential. One respected critic went so far as to note there would be wineries lining up to have this as their pinnacle release, despite it sitting below Leeuwin's flagship Art Series Chardonnay in the range. 2024 was a hot, dry vintage in Margaret River, and reviewers have specifically praised how well this wine handled those conditions, showing poise and length rather than the heaviness warm vintages can sometimes produce. The Prelude label itself carries a nice story hook too — it's named for Leeuwin's long-running annual Concert Series, tying the wine to the estate's broader connection to the arts. It's an excellent match for grilled seafood, roast chicken, creamy pasta or fresh lobster, and a strong pick for Chardonnay drinkers who want real Margaret River pedigree at a more everyday price point.