Domaine Naturaliste • Artus Chardonnay 2021

Ein grandioser Chardonnay aus Down Under

Artus Chardonnay

2021

Domaine Naturaliste

Margaret River, Australien

Wine Advocate (Parker/Larkin), Juli 2022

96+/100

The 2021 season was a challenging one for many producers. A cool lead up to harvest was punctuated by a series of rain events throughout February, which, coupled with the cloud cover (a feature of the season), caused some headaches. However, as further proof (like we needed it) that one must never write off a vintage, the wines I have tasted from this year—particularly the Chardonnays—have been excellent quality, as this unequivocally is. It is sleek, glassy and svelte, defined by cool acid and a mineral spool of phenolic tension. So, this 2021 Artus Chardonnay is exactly that. It is nuanced and detailed, mineral and rocky, shaped as it is by malolactic fermentation and rich, toasty oak. It's gently reductive, pillowy and cushioned yet precise and tight. Gotta love that southern acidity. It is still coming together. It will be so much better in a year or more. I love this wine.

The wines of Domaine Naturaliste are made by owner Bruce Dukes, who makes wines for "a handful" of producers around Margaret River. The wines at this estate are astoundingly clear in their style and show an abundance of personality, which fits hand in hand with the expression of site and terroir. The Artus Chardonnay (100% Gingin clone) is a big, rich, opulent affair and will appeal to those who like density, generosity and volume in their Chardonnay. Having said that, the 2021 Artus will likely appeal to drinkers on both sides of that fence. The Purus Chardonnay is made from Dijon clone fruit and is a scintillating, piercing wine that will attract the exact opposite kind of drinker. Flowers, rocks and mineral abound in this wine.

The Morus Cabernet is a a dense, muscular style of Cabernet, which, since the 2020 vintage, is sealed under screw cap. This has done wonders (I believe) for the freshness of the wine, and I am very excited to see these same wines in a decade to really get a handle on the impact of the closure.

Owner/winemaker Bruce Dukes purchased the 35-hectare Wilyabrup vineyard in 2018.

Drink: 2024 - 2037