-By Brenden Robnik (14/08/2025)
The Old & New Showcase in Brisbane explored Chardonnay’s elegance from Chablis to Margaret River. Most wine events play on “versus”, Old World vs New World, France vs Australia, but wine isn’t a competition. It’s a story, a conversation, sometimes a quiet handshake between regions half a world apart.
This night wasn’t about crowning a winner, but discovering what two legendary producers share, and where they differ. From Chablis, Domaine François Raveneau poured impossibly fine Premier Crus in tiny quantities. From Margaret River, Leeuwin Estate showcased its benchmark Art Series Chardonnay. Five vintages of each, no flights, no scores, just discovery.
Raveneau’s Monts Mains began with the 2011: honey, nougat, citrus, and a fine saline edge. The 2013, voted Wine of the Night, was dense yet elegant, stone fruits, orange rind, crushed shell, mascarpone, powerful but graceful. The 2014 showed the most structure: bold, built for decades. The 2016 was the outlier, with oxidative hints over grilled pineapple, orange, and savoury spice. The 2022 was racy and electric, with grapefruit, nougat, waxy texture, and slicing acidity, a classic in the making.
Leeuwin’s 2007 was bright and zesty, oak and tropical fruit in perfect balance. The 2012, runner-up of the night, was generous and structured, briny acidity, ripe fruit, mouth-coating weight. The 2020 was intense and cellar-bound, while the 2021 hit a sweet spot now: classic Leeuwin oak, mineral lift, creamy texture. The 2022 was tight, tense, and in no rush.
Chablis spoke in precision, texture, and minerality; Leeuwin in power, polish, and ageability. Both offered depth and complexity, but in entirely different voices. For me, the 2013 Raveneau and 2012 Leeuwin were the standouts, though every bottle sparked conversation, memory, and quiet awe.
Nights like this aren’t about picking sides, they’re about celebrating expression, and leaning into what makes wine personal, profound, and wildly diverse. Same grape, different worlds, one hell of a night.