Tasting Notes 🍇

• Colour: Deep ruby with youthful violet rim.
• Aromatics: Blackcurrant, blackberry, bay leaf, dried herbs, cedar and mocha.
• Palate: Lush dark fruit (cass­sis & blackberries), coffee, Vincotto, black olives and nori. Raspberry-sorbet acidity drives through, with lightly drying, chalky tannins rounding out a long finish.

Winemaker’s Note

“The 2024 vintage was early, compressed and fast-paced. Fruit continued to ripen rapidly and early attention to detail in the vineyard paid dividends.
Picking dates needed careful consideration to ensure physiological maturity with vibrancy of fruit expression, and the narrow windows of opportunity to harvest required skillful scheduling of vineyard and winery teams. All varieties reached full maturity earlier than we are used to, and lower yields in some varieties and vineyards led to a concentration of aromas and flavours. This bodes well for some superb quality wines from 2024 in both Margaret River and Great Southern.

Viticulture & Winemaking

🔹 Region: Margaret River, Western Australia
🔹 Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
🔹 Site: Sourced from select vineyard blocks in Wilyabrup and north to Wildwood Road, capturing ripe flavours, supple tannins and Margaret River’s distinctive perfume. 
🔹 Vintage: 2024 
🔹 Winemaking: Each block vinified independently. Fermentation on skins, malolactic in tank followed by 18 months in French oak. 
🔹 Alcohol: 14.0% (or around that typical range) 

Sustainability & Vineyard Focus 🌱

The Howard Park team emphasises sustainable vineyard practices and premium site selection, underscoring the quality underpinning their regional expressions. 

Storage & Serving Tips ❄️

🔹 Serving Temperature: 16–18 °C – lets the aromas open and tannins soften.
🔹 Decanting: Aim for 30-45 minutes to release aromatics and integrate texture.
🔹 Cellaring Potential: Drink now through to ~2033 – the structure supports medium-term ageing.

Food Pairing Suggestions 🍽️

🔹 Beef and bacon burger with polenta fries – matches the wine’s generous fruit and structure.
🔹 Chargrilled ribeye with rosemary and cracked pepper – highlights the herb and dark fruit notes.
🔹 Charred portobello mushrooms and aged cheddar (vegetarian friendly) – complements savoury texture and tannin.
🔹 Slow-cooked lamb shank with red currant glaze – mirrors the cassis and richness beautifully.

FAQ Wine Terms 🧐

❓ Why does this Cab offer such great value?
It delivers hallmark Margaret River Cab complexity and structure at a price point that undercuts many similars with less pedigree.

❓ What makes Margaret River Cabernet special?
The maritime climate, long ripening season and premium site selection create Cabernet that is both perfumed and poised—a rare combination.

❓ What does “chalky tannin” mean?
It’s a textural description referring to fine, powder-like tannins that support structure without heavy astringency—offering elegance rather than aggressiveness.

Learn About Howard Park Wines

At Howard Park Wines, our success hinges entirely on the quality of our fruit. Over the past 35+ years, we’ve meticulously cultivated our vineyards, selecting each site to optimise the quality of grape varieties grown there.

Since 1986, our viticultural team at Howard Park Winery has developed an intimate understanding of vineyards in these regions, leading to the careful acquisition and development of four properties – Leston and Allingham in Margaret River, and Mount Barrow and Abercrombie in the Great Southern – where every aspect is managed by our in-house team.

Leston now serves as the hub for all winery operations, including the architecturally acclaimed cellar door, constructed in 2000.

It also houses the original Howard Park Winery rootling nursery, utilised by the viticultural team to expand clones and varieties for future plantings, and to propagate from proven vine stock. The nursery produces up to 40,000 rootlings annually and is currently stocked with Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Noir clones from Burgundy. It represents a state-of-the-art addition and a rarity in Western Australia.

Read the latest Ray Jordan Howard Park Wine Reviews Here

If we don’t stock your favourite Howard Park wine we can order it in for you. Email us at info@partnersinwine.com.au