By Fergal Gleeson

Howard Park Wines have always had a sense of style!

Whether it’s sabering hundreds of sparkling wine bottles to launch a new release of Jete method traditionelle or flying over French winemaker Pascal Marchand to discuss Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from their exceptional Marchand & Burch range.

So it was more than a little exciting to catch up with second generation Nat Burch and Chief Winemaker Nic Bowen, recently at Aria at Circular Quay in Sydney, as they took guests through a selection of Howard Park Wines spanning 35 + years.

Foundations

Howard Park’s journey started in 1986, when ex Wynn’s Winemaker John Wade saw the potential of Great Southern and made a Riesling and a Cabernet in a winery (or should we call it a shed?).

Great Southern is one of the remotest wine regions in Australia, a not inconsiderable 5 hours from Perth. But John Wade could see something special in the climate and soils.

The Burch family bought in in 1993 and the businesses has grown with the acquisition of vineyards in Great Southern and Margaret River, the build of an award winning cellar door, the Mad Fish range of everyday wines, the aforementioned Marchand and Burch Australian/French wine collaboration and the Jete range, West Australia’s most ambitious sparkling wine program.

The Wine Makers

Current winemaker Nic Bowen reflects that he feels like his standing on the shoulders of giants referencing their previous winemakers.

The tasting was assembled in brackets by each of Howard Park’s five winemakers from John Wade’s to Nic’s current releases.

He is not wrong about the talent and credentials of Howard Park’s winemakers over the decades. After John Wade came Michael Kerrigan, who has gone on to found Hay Shed Hill.

Tony Davis, came from Yalumba and Millbrook and has since founded Snake & Herring.

The highly awarded Janice McDonald came from Devil’s Lair and was a founder of Stella Bella. Janice was a key player in Howard Park’s growth from 2011 to 2021.

The Wines

But what about the wines? Here are some of my highlights – 

Riesling

Howard Park 1992 Riesling was drinking beautifully, delicate and fine with honey and preserved lemon flavours. A 30 + year old Riesling still looking so good? It shows the synergy of Riesling and Great Southern.

The very fine ‘22 Riesling is currently on release at $35 and back vintages to 2010 are also available to purchase on Howard Park’s website.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet is the winery’s flagship and a Langton’s Classified ‘Outstanding’ wine. We tasted the ’01, ’08, ’13 and ‘18. The last three were among my favourites.

Nic banters that it’s a ‘death match’ every year on what proportion of Great Southern vs Margaret River fruit goes into the final blend.

A key differentiator of Howard Park from most other West Australian premium wine producers is their ownership of vineyards in both regions. Abercrombie 2018, a great vintage in the region, is currently on release at $150.

Shiraz

There is so much Shiraz in Australia that Frankland River gets lost in the din. Outside of Western Australia it’s not well known apart from by wine insiders.

However Frankland River  Shiraz has a mix of fruit power, finesse and spice to hold’s own with any Australian region.

Howard Park Scotsdale Shiraz, ’04 and ’22 ($40), a mix of Frankland and Mount Barker tell the story emphatically.

Jete Sparkling Wine

The 2017 Grand Jete ($54) is a delicious sparkling wine that has spent 54 months on lees with a happy balance of complexity and freshness.

Nic Bowen trained under Ed Carr, the guru of Australian sparkling wine at Arras. And his expertise in this technically complex winemaking style along with consumer demand will see expansion of the range.

Expect to see more of Howard Park Jete in Sydney and Melbourne in future years. There is also a NV Brut ($42) and Rose ($46) and Petit Jete NV ($32), a slightly sweeter expression.

The Future

The indefatigable drive, sense of adventure and investment from Jeff and Amy Burch have led the Burch Family to the prominent position of one of Australia’s most successful wine families.

They are a founding member of the ‘First Families of Wine’ a group that includes Yalumba, Tyrells, d’Arenberg and Henschke amongst others formed to showcase the quality of Australian wine to export markets.

The next generation, Nat and Rich Burch, are gradually assuming the reins and along with Winemaker Nic Bowen are already making their mark.

The current releases from the accessibly priced Regional Range – Flint Rock and Miamup $25-30 through to the top shelf icon wines Allingham Chardonnay and Abercrombie Cabernet show that Howard Park will continue to be a ‘tour de force’ bringing exciting Western Australian wines and lots of fun to the world for many years to come!