Earlier this month I attended a vertical of Howard Park's flagship Cabernet Sauvignon, which despite being one of James Halliday's Classic Wines and on Langtons Classification list for many years seems to fly under the radar, particularly here in South Australia. The Classic Wines Club had planned this event for few months with 14 vintages in hand, and in a lucky coincidence was contacted by Howard Park's mail order manager David Stredwick who was able to attend and generously contribute another 10 vintages to make a complete vertical from 1989 to the as yet unreleased 2012. All wines for the vertical were double decanted and served in Riedel style glassware.
PRE-VERTICAL:
2011 Howard Park Allingham Chardonnay, Western Australia (screwcap): 13% alc. 68% Great Southern, 32% Margaret River. Pale straw/green. Very attractive bouquet to open the evening, peach with hints of lemon backed by cashew/toasty oak, with touches of flint, sweet lime and mineral. The palate's just as good, edgy with a creamy texture although there; no hint of any milky/malo characters, instead there's plenty of peach, apple and lime and racy acidity, finishing with some smoky vanilla. The first vintage of this wine is a top effort, very much moulded in the modern style of the best Australian Chardonnays.
FLIGHT 1:
2012 Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Australia (screwcap): 14% alc. 90% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium to dark red/purple. Gorgeous perfume, jubes, cherry cola, blueberry, cedar, some cinnamon and shoe polish, backed by tight, biscuity oak; a dry, tannic entry leads to a jubey, gravelly mid-palate with biscuity oak again in support, finishing long and elegantly. A classy wine, this is definitely one to look out for.
2011 Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Australia (screwcap): 14% alc. 74% Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium to dark crimson with a hint of purple. There's more noticeable lift compared to the 2012 & 2010 vintages, less perfume and more toasty oak and fruit, very dusty, a little baked and dull. The palate's a little sour in comparison, very dry and earthy with some menthol/tomato skin characters and some heat, the tannins more green tea than gravelly, the structure not in the same league. This is a bit of an ugly ducking at the moment in this vertical; being surrounded by two swans didn't exactly help its cause.
2010 Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Australia (screwcap): 14% alc. 97% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium to dark red/purple. It opens with lovely cedar, herbs and mineral matching blueberry and cherry fruit, touches of dried blood, black tea and cocoa with breathing; a soft entry is followed by a slow build up of gravelly tannins, black jubes, black tea and blackcurrant, finishing long with tight, biscuity oak. A very similar wine to the 2012 vintage, very attractive right now but with a long future ahead.
2009 Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Australia (screwcap): 13.5% alc. 52% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium to dark red. Like the 2011 vintage, there's more obvious VA lift than the 2010 & 2012, the fruit more pop tart than jubey, with cooler hints of dried blood and powerful, biscuity oak. A soft entry leads to a structure that is not as prominent as the other wines in this flight, although it seems to be at a bit of a divide with both green and black tea on the finish. This is a wine seemingly at the crossroads compared to the others in this flight, but it still is attractive all the same.
2008 Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Australia (screwcap): 14% alc. 60% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium to dark red with a hint of purple. Quite leafy, peppermint, coal, and blackcurrants with a dusting of cocoa, again with noticeable VA lift. While the palate's has attractive, bright blueberry/cherry fruit, it's medium-weight with rather clunky, biscuity oak that doesn't quite fit, finishing dry with green tea tannins. It has its good points, but overall I'm not sure where this one is going.
FLIGHT 2:
2007 Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Australia (screwcap): 14% alc. 91% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark to inky crimson. Very complex, a whiff of VA and shoe polish leading to cocoa, cassis, earth, dried blood and green herbs; the palate is superb, sweet blueberries/cherries dusted in cocoa, red and black liquorice with thick, soft tannins that are both velvety and gravelly, the length and balance outstanding. This was the star of the tasting for me, the absolute benchmark for which future vintages will be measured against.
2006 Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Australia: Not made.
2005 Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Australia (screwcap): 14% alc. 79% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, 1.5% Margaret River Merlot, 1.5% Margaret River Cabernet Franc. Medium to very dark crimson. A touch greener than 2007 vintage with some menthol and more obvious cedar/charred oak on the nose to go with the familiar cassis, earth and dried blood characters; the palate's soupy, a touch gamey, some menthol here too, the mid-palate full of black liquorice and thick, velvety tannins that run through to the finish. Another strong vintage.
2004 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Western Australia (screwcap): 13.5% alc. 81% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Margaret River Merlot. Medium to very dark crimson. A startlingly herbaceous wine in this flight, with prominent green capsicum, fresh sage and thyme characters with the usual cedar, cocoa, dried blood and cassis on both the nose and palate; the structure is long but rather slender, with slightly bitter green tea tannins. A real odd wine in this vertical, although some panellists did love the style.
2003 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Western Australia (screwcap): 14% alc. 49% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Margaret River Merlot, 4% Margaret River Cabernet Franc. Medium to dark crimson. Another solid vintage, with cocoa, cassis, pencil shavings, dried herbs; the palate quite doesn't have the weight or length of the better vintages of this flight, but it is well balanced with familiar, gravelly tannins and decent length.
2003 Howard Park Best Barrels Merlot, Margaret River (screwcap): 14% alc. The 2006 Abercrombie wasn't made, so this flight was presented blind with this wine as the ring-in. Medium to dark crimson. Quite stocky and gamey to begin with obvious, charred oak, a little sourness to the cassis fruit, some cocoa, bitter chocolate and dried herbs with breathing. The palate is startlingly different to all the other wines in the vertical, very ripe, full of black liquorice, cocoa and mint, the tannins very lean and not at all gravelly, the finish bordering jammy. An interesting wine, definitely outside of the square.
FLIGHT 3:
2002 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Australia (screwcap): 13.5% alc. 63% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Margaret River Merlot, 2% Margaret River Cabernet Franc. Medium to very dark crimson. Very exotic, earthy and savoury, cocoa, sous bois, mulberry, black tea, chocolate coated peanut brittle, black tea and a little charred capsicum. The medium to full weight palate is as exotic, unusual and attractive, slightly leafy, medium to full-weight with soft, velvety tannins and a fat mid-palate, the balance near perfect. The unusual 2002 vintage conditions have conspired to result in a very unusual albeit attractive wine (just like the Cullen Diana Madeleine): this is a yummy wine to drink right now, there's no other way to really put it.
2001 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Australia (screwcap): 14.5% alc. 71% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Margaret River Merlot, 1% Margaret River Cabernet Franc. Medium to very dark red/garnet, a little lighter than the 2002 vintage. More grunt/less elegance than the 2002 vintage, with familiar cedar, cassis, earth and dried blood characters, sous bois with breathing; the palate's big and minty with gravelly tannins, but also noticeable mid-palate heat, finishing long with choc-mint and a little cocoa. A little disappointing given the reputation of the vintage, although my gut feeling it we caught it at a flat spot in it's long life. This is one to definitely wait on.
2000 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Australia (cork): 14.5% alc. 76% Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium to very dark crimson. No obvious VA here on the nose, but there are the usual characters of pencil shavings, cocoa, earth and blackcurrant, a little dried blood; the palate's chocolatey and deep, bigger than the 2001 but there is also some minty heat here too, finishing a little short with black tea tannins. An almost wine, lots of things are right but as a package it comes up a little short.
1999 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Western Australia (cork): 14.5% alc. 49% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Pemberton Merlot. Medium to dark garnet. Quite leafy and herbaceous, very much the same style as the 2004 vintage, the nose full of capsicum, peppermint, white pepper, cherry cola, fresh and dried herbs; the palate's very leafy, quite oaky, and a little lean compared to the 2000 vintage, dominated by chalky tannins and awkward green banana/vanilla oak. An odd wine that doesn't really match up to the high standard of the label; not a good sign for the 2004.
1998 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Australia (cork): 14% alc. 56% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Great Southern Cabernet Franc, 12% Great Southern Merlot. Medium to dark garnet. Matches the profile of the majority of the wines in this vertical, cassis, earth, cocoa, cherry cola, pencil shavings and a little dried blood; the palate's a little leafy but well balanced with fine, black tea tannins that linger on the finish. Drinking well now.
FLIGHT 4:
1997 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Western Australia (cork): 14% alc. 35% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Pemberton Merlot, 10% Pemberton Cabernet Franc. Medium to dark crimson. Dusty and perfumed, cassis, coffee and cedar oak, obvious black liquorice, mint and game characters indicating strong Merlot influences; the palate is bright and tangy with soupy/cassis fruit, chocolate and smoked meats, the tannins soft and silky, finishing with cedar and caramel. While not a highly rated vintage this is drinking superbly right now, a very pleasant surprise.
1996 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Western Australia (cork): 14% alc. 65% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Pemberton Merlot, 3% Pemberton Cabernet Franc, 10% Great Southern Shiraz. Medium to almost dark garnet. Very leafy and gamey, with barnyard, cassis, smoked meats and tobacco, at times very Bordeaux-like; it's around medium to full-weight, finishing minty with fine tannins and crisp acidity. A bit of a kinky vintage in this vertical, on this form I'm not sure if it is one of the better ones: maybe it was an atypical bottle?
1995 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Australia (cork): 14% alc. 80% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Pemberton Merlot, 5% Pemberton Cabernet Franc. Medium to dark garnet/brick. Heavily oxidised, reeking of fireplace char, vegemite, lavender, tanned leather and burnt tobacco, the structure remains but the fruit is long gone. Apparently this vintage has a history of being a suspect one due to the high level of volatility; on this form, it's one to definitely avoid.
1994 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Western Australia (cork): 13.5% alc. 80% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Pemberton Merlot, 5% Pemberton Cabernet Franc. Medium to very dark red/garnet. Attractive, inky nose at first, soupy and stocky, iodine and pencil shavings, shoe polish, dried blood and ground chilli; with breathing it shows signs of oxidation, the cassis fruit of the palate a little sour, the tannins very dry and beginning to stick out. Drink up.
1993 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Western Australia (cork): 13.5% alc. 75% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Pemberton Merlot. Medium to almost dark garnet. Very earthy and a touch green, capsicum, pencil notes and ground paprika, the palate lighter-weight with chalky, green tea tannins and banana/vanillin oak on the leafy finish. It's hanging in there, but on this form I'd drink sooner than later.
FLIGHT 5:
1992 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Western Australia (cork): 14% alc. 80% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Margaret River Merlot, 5% Great Southern Cabernet Franc. Medium to almost dark red. There's a decent amount of cassis/cherry fruit on the nose but there's also a strange, metallic/millipede character along with sous bois, some more dampness with breathing; in contrast the fruit on the palate is completely gone leaving just the structure, most likely stripped by be some kind of cork/fungus taint.
1991 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Australia (cork): 14% alc. 85% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Margaret River Merlot, 5% Great Southern Cabernet Franc. Medium garnet. Cedar, earth, cassis and smoky bacon on the nose, while the palate is very earthy with soft tannins and tangy fruit, finishing minty; while fully developed it's good but not stunning, lacking the length, depth and complexity of the best wines of the vertical.
1990 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Western Australia (cork): 14% alc. 70% Mt Barker Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Margaret River Merlot, 5% Margaret River Shiraz, 5% Mt Barker Malbec. Medium to dark garnet/brick. Quite funky and gamey like the 1996 vintage, barnyard, cassis, some strawberry, clove and smoked meats, slightly medicinal but on the right side of a thin edge; in style it's almost like something in between Burgundy and Bordeaux right now, the tannins fine and chalky, the length very good. Another one to drink soon on this form.
1989 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon, Western Australia (cork): 13.5% alc. 95% Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Margaret River Merlot. Medium brick/brown. Fully developed, sous bois, roast coffee, sweet musk, potting mix and leather; the palate still has surprising sweetness, with gravelly but soft, velvety tannins and subtle oak, finishing long, silky and sweet. Despite its age it still seems very true to the house style, a lovely way to finish a superb tasting.
Cheers
Ian
