The Old & New Showcase – Raveneau & Leeuwin Estate, Brisbane
Exploring Chardonnay’s elegance from Chablis to Margaret River
Why Compare When You Can Connect?
There are plenty of wine events that lean into the idea of “versus.” This wine versus that one. Old World versus New World. France versus Australia. But here’s the thing — wine isn’t a contest. It’s a story, a conversation, and sometimes even a quiet agreement across oceans.
That’s the thinking behind our Old & New Showcase, a night designed not to declare a winner, but to explore what two legendary producers — from two vastly different regions — might share. And yes, where they diverge too.
The Stars of the Night
Enter Domaine François Raveneau and Leeuwin Estate — two Chardonnay icons. Raveneau needs no introduction in the world of Chablis, producing impossibly fine Premier Crus in minuscule quantities. Leeuwin Estate, meanwhile, is one of Australia's benchmark wineries, with its Art Series Chardonnay standing tall for decades at the top of the country’s Chardonnay game.
We tasted five vintages each from Raveneau’s Monts Mains Premier Cru and Leeuwin’s Art Series. No flights. No scores. Just side-by-side discovery.
🥂 The Wines
Domaine François Raveneau – Monts Mains Premier Cru
2011 – Texturally rich with notes of honey, nougat, and citrus. A hint of sea spray closes things out with a fine saline edge.
2013 – Group Wine of the Night. Dense yet elegant. Stone fruits, orange rind, crushed shell, and mascarpone. Powerful but graceful.
2014 – The most structured of the lineup. Big, bold, and in no rush. Needs time — decades, even.
2016 – The outlier. Slightly oxidative with grilled pineapple, orange, and a savoury streak. Mature in feel.
2022 – Young, racy, and electric. Grapefruit, nougat, waxy texture and a slicing acid line. A classic in waiting.
Leeuwin Estate – Art Series Chardonnay
2007 – Holding brilliantly. Bright in colour, zesty in energy, with oak and tropical fruits beautifully integrated.
2012 – Group runner-up. Generous and structured. Briny acidity, ripe fruit, and mouth-coating weight. Drinking beautifully.
2020 – Still a baby. Big wine from a big vintage. Structured and intense — one for the cellar.
2021 – The sweet spot right now. Ready to go. Classic Leeuwin oak, mineral lift, and creamy texture.
2022 – Not quite ready to party. Tight, tense, but promising. Needs time for the pieces to come together.
Takeaways
What we learned — or were reminded of — is this: Chablis brings precision, texture, and minerality, while Leeuwin brings power, polish, and ageability. Both deliver depth and complexity in their own language.
The highlights? For me, Raveneau 2013 and Leeuwin 2012 were the clear standouts — but every bottle sparked conversation, memory, and a quiet sense of awe.
Final Thought
Events like this aren’t about picking sides. They’re about celebrating expression. About leaning into what makes wine personal, profound, and wildly diverse — even when made from the same grape.
Thanks to everyone who joined the journey. Same grape. Different worlds. One hell of a night.