Howard Park

"We have a simple philosophy: premium wine can only come from excellent fruit. Put simply, we go to wherever the fruit grows best." Jeff Burch, Owner

Howard Park's great strength is the diversity of terroirs it works with in Western Australia. Rather than being a purely Margaret River or Pemberton operation, the company has grown up with links, friends and vineyards across the state giving them a wide range of soils, climates and potential grape varieties to experiment with.

Today, the company owns two separate wineries, one in the heart of Margaret River and one in Denmark in the Great Southern. The two work both in parallel and in cahoots with one another. The Leston (Margaret River) and Scotsdale (Great Southern) single vineyard series showcase the differences between the two sub-regions, while wines like the flagship Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay source fruit from both areas. Combining riper, more rounded and fleshy fruit from Margaret River with the incisive, minerally notes the Great Southern fruit provides is a winning idea.

The star varietals are Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Riesling is every bit as good as any of the more famous names from the Clare or Eden Valleys. Austere, pure fruit with a steely backbone, it is both delicious young and also a superb candidate for the cellar. Even at 10 years old, it keeps its freshness, verve and drive.

The Cabernets are classic WA: ripe and bright but with a freshness and lift that stands them apart from Southern Australian examples. Bordeaux-esque notes of capsicum and cedar further emphasise this more European style. Elegant and food-friendly, they are outstanding examples of Australian fine wine.