2007 Howard Park Riesling Reviews

“Pale straw. Lime, pear, quinine and minerals on the nose, with a subtle floral nuance adding complexity. Light-bodied citrus flavours are firm and dry, picking up mustard seed and mineral qualities with air. A clean, juicy wine with good finishing lift and cut. ”

Josh Raynolds, Stephen Tanzers International Wine Cellar - 16-07-2008
Full Review

“As Howard Park states - this wine will greatly reward the patient enthusiast. Secondary characters will start to develop after two years and will continue to add complexity to this wine for at least 10 years. As it stands the wine is very pale, limey on the nose with a flowery edge with the palate offering great acidity, cool pure flavours and, as mentioned, great capacity to age.”

88 Points
Andrew Barrow, www.spittoon.biz - 22-04-2008
Full Review

“I reckon this is one of Australia's very best Rieslings. It has a beautifully expressive, elegant limey nose, with a bit of floral perfume. The palate is bone dry but not at all phenolic or rough, with concentrated, delicate (but not fragile) citrussy, minerally fruit. There is a hint of grippy tannin on the finish, which is pretty dry and perhaps a little bitter (but not overly so). A versatile, stylish and potentially long-lived Riesling of great appeal.”

92 Points
Jamie Goode, wineanorak.com - 09-04-2008
Full Review

“Classic pears, pure and developed. Refined minerality accompanies the fruit giving it structure and elegance. Vibrant and luscious, aromatic and classy with a hint of spice. Fresh lively acidity supports it all well and with distinction. A really deliciously drinking Riesling with a soft supple lemon and lime laden finish. Drink to 2015. ”

92 Points
Paul Ippolito, www.paulippolito.com.au - 29-01-2008
Full Review

“WINE STAR TOP 100 To my mind, Australian Riesling is the most likely variety to come close to perfection. Taking that thought a step further, the Howard Park Riesling 2007 is that close to this idea of perfection it is not funny. The Howard Park has line, it has length it teases with the merest hint of tropical fruit, perhaps showing its WA roots before smacking you with a citrus crunch of lime, lemon and if you sniff it for as long as I did, some pear. The perfection continues in the mouth where these beautiful characteristics are balanced with a no-beg-your-pardon mouth-puckering acidity that leaves you doing all sorts of tricks with your mouth and tongue long after the wine has disappeared. By a measure, this is an exceptional wine at, what must be said, is a ridiculously low price.”

Bert Werden, WineStar - 03-01-2008
Full Review

“Howard Park's new winemaker Tony Davis has turned out two cracker Rieslings in his first vintage at the winery. The flagship Howard Park Riesling is usually quite shy in its first year and tends to grow in the bottle. Panel members saw lemon zest, elderflower and orange blossom aromas and flavours in a tight and stylish wine with much to enjoy now, but at its best a year or 10 away.”

Tasting Panel, Scoop Magazine - 01-01-2008
Full Review

“Ah, warm weather beckons and so does riesling. Can't do much better than this offering with its citrus blossom, especially lime and delicate musk-rose notes and apple and lime juice on the palate. Attractive softness and chalkiness on the mid-palate before a refreshing finish with crisp acidity. Just lovely.”

Jane Faulkner, Epicure - 01-11-2007
Full Review

“Year-in, year-out one of Australia's best rieslings and it has a future as long as that of the Bay of Fires thanks to its screwcap. As usual, it has flawless aromas and flavours of passionfruit, lime and apple, the palate long and perfectly balanced, the aftertaste as fresh as a spring day. One of the champions of Great Southern Riesling. Drink now - 2020 ”

96 Points
James Halliday, The Weekend Australian - Top 100 Wines - 01-11-2007
Full Review

“Continues with the tight minerally slaty style established a few years ago. It's a classic Aussie riesling with penetrating acid sustaining the crisp, fine quite delicate palate. Nice floral touches with a little spice.”

92 Points
Ray Jordan, 2007/2008 Guide to West Australian Wine - 01-11-2007
Full Review

“...winemakers...are now making rieslings that are better and more consistent than at any time in our history... It's a pity, therefore, that more people couldn?t fit into the barrel room at Howard Park for the international riesling tasting held recently. If they could, I'm sure we would have a lot more converts to this wonderfully versatile and beautiful variety. In Australia, our greatest rieslings traditionally have come from Eden Valley and the Clare-Watervale region north of Adelaide. But other areas such as Victoria's Drumborg, and more recently Tasmania where a blurred Aussie Germanic style is emerging, and WA's Great Southern, produce rieslings of exceptional quality. In each of these areas, there is a strong sense of site and terroir expressed in riesling. It emerges in its structure, its subtle and instinctive aromas and its range of flavours from pristine crystalline limey citrus, through a crunchy wet slate to a smoky spiciness. A highlight of the Howard Park tasting was the quality of the WA wines. Now I know they are good but even in this exalted company, they excelled. In particular - and remember these are tasted blind - the Howard Park riesling was outstanding and a near perfect example of the variety from the Great Southern. ”

Ray Jordan, The joys of riesling West Weekend magazine - 27-10-2007
Full Review

“From the esteemed Howard Park stable, this riesling comes from vineyards in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. It opens with smoky, minerally aromas and zippy lime and tropical fruit. The palate shows more concentration than most of the region's rieslings with intense, tangy flavour and a persistent, zesty finish. Drink over four years. ”

Ralph Kyte-Powell, Epicure, The Age - 16-10-2007
Full Review

“I tasted this over a couple of days and had the most fun drinking a glass with fresh prawns and lobster. Riesling is such a lovely refreshing grape. It smells of freshly squeezed limes and a bit of lemon with a sprinkle of bath salts. Quite intense. On the palate light and fine with penetrating lime and lemon, citrus zest, crunchy acidity and bone dry slatey texture. It is very precise with good line and long dry finish. A very pure "essence of riesling" style that will cellar a treat. Drink 2009 - 2020 ”

95 Points
Gary Walsh, www.winorama.com.au - 09-10-2007
Full Review