2000 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Tasting Notes

The 2000 vintage saw several heavy rainfalls occur throughout the Great Southern region of Western Australia during the critical late March period causing splitting and spoilage of some Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Fortunately Margaret River escaped virtually unscathed from the weather and produced fruit of great character and intensity. The 2000 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon is therefore predominantly sourced from Margaret River and is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit was fermented in open stainless steel vats with twice daily pumpovers with active aeration to promote the textural development of the wine. The resultant wine was matured in 100% new French oak barriques for 21 months prior to bottling. No fining and only the minimal course filtration was performed.

The 2000 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon is a dense blood red with youthful purple hues and a black impenetrable heart. The wine has a dense brooding nose with dark fruits: mulberry, dark cherry and cassis. The palate is rich and full, reflecting the predominantly Margaret River origins: dark rich, ripe fruits with elegance and sophistication. The texture of the wine is the highlight; the tannins are mature and soft providing great structural support without any harshness or astringency. This is a young wine which will benefit from some considerable time in bottle.

The 2000 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon has all the structural components to reward long term cellaring. The expectation is that the wine would benefit from 10 years maturation.