Nose
This wine displays blackberry and mulberry fruits with forest floor like herbal aromas so typical of top Mt Barker Cabernet. There are chocolate and mocha characters supporting the clean fruit.
Palate
The palate is dense and concentrated yet soft and elegant with focussed sweet fruit flavours. There are dark chocolate and dark berries on the palate of rare power and intensity. A firm structure gives backbone to the plush fruit and mouthfilling tannins are silky and supple. Aging will benefit this wine full of youthful potential.
Growing Conditions
The Howard Park Scotsdale wines carry the Howard Park label and therefore are sourced from only the highest regarded vineyards and are given extraordinary attention in the vineyard. Canopy management is designed to maximise fruit exposure to the sunlight and yields are low to achieve flavour and colour concentration with harvest determined according to flavour with little regard for analytical data.
Winemaking
Fermentation occurs in static stainless steel fermenters: either 13 tonne closed static fermenters (predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon) or 4 tonne open top fermenters (mostly Shiraz). The static fermenters have highly aerative pumpovers 2-4 times/daily and the open tops are gently handplunged which is integral in tannin development. The Cabernet Sauvignon is given between 15 and 30 days on skins after completion of fermentation to further develop the tannin profile prior to going to French oak barriques; up to 50% new, 30% 1 year old and the balance 2 years old This wine was matured in the barrel for approximately 18 months and after minimal fining and filtration performed, was bottled .
