Nose
The expression of Shiraz from the temperate Margaret River region combines the ripeness and opulence of warmer climates with the spice and elegance typical of cooler ones. The aromas of red fruits imply warmth and richness as oak chimes in with its inviting mocha and cocoa notes.
Palate
Round and opulent, the palate’s boundless soft red berry fruits and plush mouthfeel is refreshed by chewy, vibrant tannins. The Howard Park Shiraz’s share opulence and ripeness of fruit with a fine and supple tannin balance.
Growing Conditions
The 2015 vintage is another very good vintage from the Margaret River region. However, it was not without its challenges. Whilst disease pressure was low in the late spring, yields were reduced due to bouts of blustery wet weather and cold nights at flowering which interrupted berry set and development. The early summer was wonderfully warm but the delayed flowering in the native red gums, meant the birds were hungry.
The autumn period, was spotted with cyclonic derived, intermittent and lingering rain in late March, which slowed the harvest and cooled the season. This extended ripening period enhanced fruit flavours and gave softer, ripe tannins in all red varieties.
Winemaking
Harvest occurred late March 2015. Small parcels are hand-picked and all batches are sorted to remove matter other than grapes, prior to fermentation. Fermentation occurs in open vat and closed stainless steel fermenters with diligent cap management to extract fine fruit tannin and strong varietal flavour. Select parcels of wine are run to barrel between 2 & 3º be to capture new barrel characters from the final degrees of fermentation. The remaining blocks are pressed at dryness to retain fruit vibrancy. Each batch is matured separately in order to build a wine history over time. The wine is matured for a minimum of 18 months in 40% new and 60% older, French oak barriques, hogsheads and puncheons. After a light egg white fining and filtration, the wine is bottled.
Food Pairing
Hints of ginger, anise and pepper add elegance and spice.
