2022 Howard Park Scotsdale Cabernet Sauvignon, Great Southern

This charms immediately with its heady aromas, following through with poised flavours and such an even palate. Nothing overt, just blackberries and cassis, cedary, spicy oak and inky/stony nuances with a juiciness and suppleness across the more mid-weighted palate. Lovely fine tannins and acidity in tow. It feels unforced, almost gentle. Ready now but will develop more detail with age.

95 points Special Value Jane Faulkner winecompanion.com.au

Howard Park Scotsdale Cabernet Sauvignon from Great Southern is a powerful, finely structured and beautifully pure expression of cool climate Cabernet, shaped by one of Western Australia’s most respected family estates. The Scotsdale vineyard sits high in the hills of Denmark where ocean cooled winds, long daylight hours and ancient granitic soils create fruit with depth, aromatics and impeccable natural acidity. These vineyard blocks are some of Howard Park’s most prized Cabernet sites, producing small, thick skinned berries that deliver intensity without heaviness. Great Southern has long been a secret weapon for Australian Cabernet and Scotsdale is one of the region’s flagship wines, showing purity, poise and longevity.

The winemaking is precise and restrained. Fruit is hand picked and sorted before fermenting in small batches with gentle extraction to preserve fine tannins and varietal clarity. The wine is then aged in high quality French oak barriques, a portion new, which add structure, spice and subtle sweetness without overshadowing the vineyard expression. Howard Park’s philosophy for Scotsdale has always been to craft Cabernet that feels both classical and cool climate driven, letting the natural perfume and savoury detail of Great Southern shine.

In the glass the wine is a deep garnet purple. The nose unfurls with cassis, blackberry and black cherry alongside violets, dried herb, graphite, cedar and a touch of bay leaf. Beneath the dark fruit lies a mineral edge that speaks directly to the granite and gravel soils of the region. As it opens, hints of tobacco leaf, cocoa, mulberry and subtle oak spice emerge, giving the bouquet lovely depth and complexity.

The palate is elegant, medium to full bodied and beautifully balanced. Dark berries glide across the tongue supported by firm but silky tannins and bright acidity that keeps the wine lifted. Flavours of blackcurrant, plum skin, dark cherry, mocha, graphite and savoury herbs weave through the mid palate. The finish is long, fine and gently earthy with lingering cassis, cedar and a clean mineral line. The structure and cool climate drive make this a Cabernet built for the cellar, easily capable of ageing ten to fifteen years, gathering more savoury nuance along the way.

Pair it with roast lamb studded with rosemary, grilled ribeye, venison, braised beef, mushroom ragù, aged cheddar or herb roasted root vegetables. Its structure and freshness make it a superb food wine.