The 2000/2001 growing season was almost perfect. The winter was very dry and the summer, perhaps, a little too hot but for those growers with balanced, more mature vines and realistic crop loads, fruit quality was outstanding.
The Riesling fruit was picked in early March from vineyards in Mount Barker and the Porongurup’s, in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. As usual, to preserve the citrus-flavoured acidity, the Riesling was picked early in the season but, as a result of the warm, dry conditions, attractive hints of richer, slightly tropical fruits accompany the traditional lemons and limes.
The fruit was given a very gentle crush – just sufficient to burst the individual berries. The resultant “free-run” was kept separate, being the finest quality juice, free from harsh, bitter phenolics. The Howard Park Riesling was selected from the best batches of fermented free-run juice, blended and bottled. This style of wine represents the purest expression of the fruit, a reflection of fruit quality.