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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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