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Margaret
River, Western Australia
Part
5:
Howard Park
Miamup
Road
PO Box 283
Cowaramup
WA
6284,
Australia
Phone: (618) 9756 5200 Fax: (618) 9756 5222
E-mail: margaretriver@hpw.com.au
Website: www.howardparkwines.com.au
Tony Davis and Nathalie Burch
Last
visit of the day was at Howard Park. The cellar door here is striking:
it’s modern and spacious with a bit of a sense of corporate
extravagance to it. I wouldn’t go so far as call it ostentatious,
but it gives the impression of a well funded, ambitious venture.
But
despite first impressions, Howard Park isn’t a show property for
some corporate wine giant. It’s a family-owned business, and I met
with Nathalie Burch, daughter owners Amy and Jeff, together with new
chief winemaker Tony Davis, who recently (January 2007) replaced
Michael Kerrigan at the helm here.
Let’s
look at the figures. There are two bases in Western Australia. The
first here in Margaret River processes 2000 tons a year; the second,
in Denmark, does 1000 tons. There’s a 60:40 split white to red, and
roughly 15% of production goes through the prestige Howard Park label,
with 85% under the Madfish label. 40% of production is exported.
But
let’s focus primarily on the wines. It’s an impressive portfolio,
with the Madfish label over-delivering and quality and the Howard Park
wines hitting some real heights. The two Cabernets are among Australia’s very best.
Madfish
Riesling 2006
Very bright and limey on the nose with a touch of honey, too. The
palate is quite generous with fresh, crisp fruit. This is fermented to
dryness and then adjusted with a portion of juice that is held for
backblending, and the result is a very attractive wine. 88/100
Howard
Park Riesling 2006
Quite refined, and less showy on the nose than the Madfish. Tight,
savoury and herby with good acidity. Concentrated with nice fruit and
good acidity. Lots of power here, but it’s refined. Tony says that
he is not looking for characters that are going to get oily or
keroseney with age. 90/100
Madfish
Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2006
Very bright and fresh with a limey nose and a bright, fresh, crisp
palate. Really attractive and balanced. Stylish wine. 89/100
Madfish
Unwooded Chardonnay 2006
Slightly honeyed, with soft, clean fruit. Palate shows tropical
fruit underpinned with a bit of minerality. Some complexity here, but
it’s mostly about the fruit. 88/100
Howard Park Chardonnay 2005
Focused ripe tropical fruit nose: clean, fruity with nice
toastiness, some herbs and the fruit to the fore. The palate is
complex and rich with spicy toastiness, some herbal notes and high
acidity keeping things fresh (no malolactic here). Complex and long
– a sophisticated style. 91/100
Madfish
Pinot Noir 2005
Until recently there had only been two clones of Pinot Noir to
choose from in
Western Australia
, one of which is a
Champagne
clone. Now, Dijon clones have become available. This Pinot is sourced
from Great Southern and Pemberton. Very bright and rich, with fresh
cherry fruit and a herby edge. Lovely cherryish, spicy palate which is
fruity and delicious. Strawberry and cream texture. A good-time wine.
88/100
Madfish
Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc 2004
Pure blackcurrant fruit nose with some red berry fruit. Forward
and bright. The palate has nice supple berry fruit that’s quite
bright and juicy. I get some leafy Cabernet characters, but they are
ripe. Lots of fruit; quite fine. 88/100
Madfish
Shiraz 2004
Sweet liqueur-like spicy nose. The palate has lovely dense spicy
fruit. Ripe and full with great concentration of sweet ripe berry and
black fruits. Lively with good acidity and a vivid, spicy tarriness.
An attractive modern-styled wine. Quite a bit of Great Southern
material in here along with
Shiraz
from selected sites in Margaret
River. 90/100
Howard
Park Leston Shiraz 2004 Margaret River
Focused nose of dark, spicy blackcurrant fruit with a smoky, spicy
edge. The palate is generous and concentrated with masses of dark
spicy blackcurrant fruit showing a spicy edge. The palate is generous
and concentrated with masses of dark spicy fruit backed with high
acidity, giving it a lively feel. Nice focus and weight to this pure,
dark wine. 93/100
Howard
Park Scotsdale Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Great Southern
From north-facing gravelly well-drained soils. Pure intense
blackcurrant fruit nose is smooth and elegant with some chocolatey
richness and brooding spicy minerally gravelly focus. The palate is
concentrated and full with pure, smooth blackcurrant fruit. Supple and
quite elegant with a lovely purity to the fruit and a nice spicy
structure. Superb stuff. 94/100
Howard
Park Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2003 Western Australia
Smooth blackcurrant fruit nose is quite stylish: it’s fresh with
some chocolatey richness. The palate is concentrated, dense and smooth
with lovely spiciness and well integrated oak. Still youthful and
primary with firm tannic structure. Should be a long-lived wine.
94/100
UK
agent: Bibendum Wine (www.bibendum-wine.co.uk)
Wines tasted 04/07
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these wines with wine-searcher.com
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