Western Australian wine: sparkling, racy, restrained & rich

Photo credit: WA Government European Office

Save perhaps for restrained (!), my description might well refer to the mining magnates who have made Western Australia the economic powerhouse of Australia.  But in fact I’m talking about Howard Park’s Western Australian wines.  As Jeff Burch puts it, “I like to paint on a large canvass” and, since acquiring the label in the 90s, he and his wife Amy have extended its reach from Great Southern to Margaret River and Burgundy.  Moreover their Western Australian range now encompasses sparkling wines pitched squarely at said magnates.  Which is why you won’t find it over here!

The couple (pictured at their Margaret River cellar during my visit in 2009) were in town last week to present a Western Australian wine dinner on behalf of the state’s Agent General, Kevin Skipworth.    Rising to the occasion beautifully they kicked off the evening with their top fizz followed by select pairings of older and current vintages.   Here are my highlights (prices are for vintages currently on the shelf and sold by Howard Park’s importer Enotria’s retail arm, Great Western Wines).

Howard Park Grand Jete 2009 (Mount Barker, Great Southern)

Grand jete, a ballet term, means great leap.  And I have to admit that, since I first tasted Howard Park’s sparkling wines in 2012, this indeed represents a great leap given it’s aged for 48 months on the lees before disgorgement with partial malo and barrel fermented base wines to ratchet up the complexity.  This blend of  54% Chardonnay/ 46% Pinot Noir has lovely yeasty, biscuity autolysis to its persistent bruised apple fruit; fine bead and freshness too. Very good.  Slipped down all too easily and lingered. 12.5%

Howard Park Riesling 2013 (Great Southern)

From magnum this is a very classic, racy Great Southern Riesling.  Tight, crisp and bone dry with cool elderflower florality and a salty lick in the tail of its vibrant beam of acidity.  Very promising.  Keep it for at least a couple of years to let it unwind (and it will age for much longer).  £15.95 (2011 vintage)

Howard Park Riesling 2005 (Great Southern)

Howard Park 2013 Riesling to the left, the 2005 to the right

It always amazes me how Great Southern Rieslings evolve from such an austere style to a peachiness, like this wine.  More generous than you would expect but with a tickle of salted lime and good acidity for persistence and line to its honeyed finish.

Howard Park Chardonnay 2012 (Great Southern)

Howard Park’s Chardonnays have slowly but surely been evolving into a more elegant, restrained style and, I must say, this vintage (delicately) treads new waters compared with previous years.  No doubt in no small measure due to the fact that it’s 100% sourced from Great Southern with no Margaret River component as before. Amy Burch additionally attributes this to winemaker Janice McDonald’s skill with this variety (McDonald joined Howard in the run up to harvest in January 2011 so this will have been the first vintage in which she was firmly in the saddle).   The oak influence is less pronounced (30% new for 9 months) and the (ripe citrus) fruit focused and intense but not the whole picture; there’s a nice riff of gunflint/sulphides which gives it greater lift and energy than I’ve hitherto experienced.  Lovely and very drinkable.  I suspect it will keep for longer than the 2006 which looked a little solid and lacked a bit of pzazz/energy. UK RRP 13% c. £24.50 (2011 vintage)

Howard Park Ambercrombie 2010

Howard Park Abercrombie 2010 (r); Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 (r)

Sourced 97% from Mount Barker, Great Southern and 3% from Margaret River this continues the new tradition (since 2008) of very perfumed, fresh, elegant Cabernet Sauvignons (100%).  From magnum it’s impressively youthful with surely a long life ahead.  It sports delicious cedar-dusted cassis, mulberry and plum fruit with a lift of dried herbs and savoury balsamic undertones.  A fine but plentiful charge of tannins confirms that this is one for the cellar. £45 (2009, single bottle price).

Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 (Margaret River)

Apparently this is the only vintage of this wine to be 100% Margaret River sourced.  It’s a deep, youthful hue, still inky.  In the mouth its impressive core of rich cassis and juicier blood/sour plum fruit is layered with savoury notes of boot polish (in a good way!), bitter chocolate, mint and tufa minerality/raw porcini which are seamlessly interconnected by a web of fine tannins.  Really on song and with plenty yet to give.