Palate
A shiny lemon skin in colour with fragrant notes of gooseberry, passion fruit, black currant bud and lime zest. Juicy yet fine, the palate has a stone fruit richness, fresh citrus, a flint and lemon curd complexity, vibrant acidity and a fine mineral/talc finish.
Growing Conditions
The vintage commenced on the 16th of January 2016 amidst the devastating bushfires in the Harvey and Waroona shires. Whilst several hundred kilometers to the north of Margaret River, such an event put all in the state on high alert. Across the temperate south west of Western Australia, the winter of 2015 was typically dry yet sufficiently wet enough to fill catchments. The spring, less blustery than preceding years and the start to summer, warm to hot. All in all, a promising start.
As summer progressed, the early warmth suggested a rapid fire, short vintage. Then in the third week of January, this prediction was derailed by a significant (65 to 90 mm in one day) and unprecedented deluge. The rain proved more blessing than curse, due to the dryness of the soil profile and the timing of the event.
Winemaking
The winemaking of Howard Park Sauvignon Blanc focuses on the regional fruit expression of southern Margaret River to build layers of flavor and structure. Here the Sauvignon Blanc is distinguished by a rich fruit weight, varietal notes of lemon/lime citrus, blackcurrant, stone fruits and the aromas of passion flower, elderflower and sweet herbs.
In our endeavor to craft an exceptional wine, many winemaking techniques are incorporated in the making of Howard Park Sauvignon Blanc. Most batches are fine cut free run juice, cool fermented in stainless steel to maintain regional character and defined fruit flavours. Special batches are hand-picked, whole fruit pressed and fermented in oak to add complexity and texture. A minor contribution from time on skins imparts a pithy structural edge.
