Description
Howard Park, one of Western Australia’s pioneering wine families with a 30 year history and two generations of tireless work of the Burch family, they specialise in the state’s premier grape-growing regions of Margaret River and the Great Southern. They are also part of Australia’s First Families of Wine (AFFW), an exciting collective of 12 multi-generational family-owned wine producers.
Winemaker Janice McDonald and the family are still celebrating after winning Gourmet Traveller Winemaker of the Year for 2018. Peter Forrestal, of Gourmet Traveller said “Janice McDonald is an astounding winemaker: demanding of herself and others; rigorous; painstaking in her attention to detail.”
Margaret River is Australia’s most spectacular wine region with breathtaking coastline, Karri forests and maritime climate perfectly suited to premium grape growing. 100% estate grown fruit Howard Park makes beautiful wines with depth of fruit, balance and structure that overdeliver across the board.
This wine is part of Howard Park’s Distinguished Sites range. Cabernet Sauvignon from their Leston vineyard, located in the heart of Margaret River, is crafted to highlight the distinctive varietal and regional qualities of their best sites. In the temperate climate of Margaret River, Cabernet Sauvignon is at home. Here the maritime influences temper the extremes of seasons, and allow Cabernet Sauvignon to thrive.
About the 2021 vintage from the winemaker “In the cool and temperate climate of the South West of Western Australia, the winter of 2019 gave less than average rainfall, and an expectation that yields from the 2020 vintage would be low. As the earth gradually faced more to the sun, spring uncoiled its impulsive nature, followed by a temperate warm, dry summer – setting the stage for a promising outcome. With veraison came the flowering of the native marri blossoms to avert the attention of our indigenous resident bird population away from the fruit. Such an event negates one annoyance at least. The middle autumnal period continued to be dry, with a mild to warm temperature which began to impact vintage in early March as all varietiesreadied for an early harvest. Our intake was regular and moderated with a good progression from early whites to late reds; boasting dry, warm conditions throughout. 2020 is yet another vintage from Western Australia with little complaint as we empathised with our eastern state colleagues, so ravaged by wild fires. In summary, the vintage is very good yet slow to show its true potential. Early varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay show good varietal purity, with subtle, lasting flavours and the later reds such as Shiraz show good depth of flavour, good perfume, fine tannin and poise.”
“Small parcels were hand-picked and hand sorted to remove any unwanted material before fermentation. Fermentation occurred in closed stainless steel fermenters and small open top fermenters. Selected parcels remained on skins after fermentation to further enhance the tannin profile while others were pressed at dryness to capture fruit vibrancy. Each batch was matured separately in order to build a wine history over time. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation and was matured in French oak (~ 25% new) for 18 months prior to blending, fining and bottling.”
“Beneath lifted notes of cedary spice, graphite, and sweet earth lies a tantalising tapestry of opulent red and black fruits with undertones of black olive, dusty cocoa and freshly ground coffee. Black currant, mulberry, chocolate-enrobed strawberry, cranberry and plum rise to the forefront accompanied by savoury herbs, cinnamon quills and a whisper of red liquorice. The fruit on the nose is gracefully mirrored on the palate where a seamless interplay of velvety texture and lively, saline acidity is underway, cradled by a supple tannin framework. While the wine’s core fruit richness and juicy acidity promise graceful evolution over the next decade, this wine’s current appeal is undeniable.”
95 Points, Jane Faulkner, Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion “You can lose the better part of a day or night submitting to this tip-top cabernet. It’s no wallflower, packed to the rafters with flavour from currants, cassis and blueberries, a little earthy, very spicy with black olives, menthol and charry-cedary oak. It’s structured and detailed, the fuller-bodied wine bolstered by the oak tannins, a touch drying but not so obvious with food, which this needs – very good drinking regardless.”
RRP $51 *Our Price $42.99*
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