Today we continue our visit to Australia’s Margaret River via the wine in our glass. We’re fast falling in love with the wines from this far corner of Australia and the more research I do the more excited I become to visit this part of Australia. We received this wine as a tasting sample.
Howard Park was established in 1986 by John Wade who named the winery after his father. Wade saw great potential in the Great Southern region, which lies to the east of Margaret River along the Southern Ocean. Meanwhile, the Burch family purchased a property in Margaret River to develop as a vineyard. Seven years later Jeff Burch, a friend of John Wade’s, bought into the winery and eventually bought out Wade’s interest.
The Burch family now owns two vineyards in Margaret River and two in Great Southern with a winemaking facility and cellar door (off Miamup Road) in Margaret River. The Burch Family Wines includes MadFish and Marchand & Burch in addition to the Howard Park label.
2016 Howard Park Miamup Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Margaret River — pale yellow in the glass with aromas of tart gooseberry and melons. The flavors tend more toward tart pineapple, and stone fruit, but gooseberry notes wind through the flavor profile. The wine is light in the mouth with bright acidity. Herbaceous flavors linger on the finish. 13% abv. SRP $23
Tart gooseberry flavors and aromas are more noticeable when the wine is very cold, so if you don’t prefer these flavors allow the wine to warm a bit before you begin enjoying it. This light, bright Sauvignon Blanc Semillon is perfect for warm afternoon sipping.
Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon are sourced from the family’s Leston Vineyard in Margaret River. Multiple vineyard blocks are harvested and vinified separately and most are cool fermented in stainless steel. Select lots are whole fruit pressed and fermented in neutral oak to add complexity and structure. The wine is blended and bottled only 4 months after harvest.
I was curious about the meaning of the word miamup, which appears on the wine bottle label, so I did a bit of research and discovered an interesting post about the Aboriginal culture of the Margaret River region. In it the author, Mia Lacy, shares her experience with Josh Whiteland an Aboriginal guide in the area. At the end of the article she includes a list of Noongar words and their meaning. I’ll not tell you the meaning of miamup, instead I hope you will read the article; it’s very interesting. I’ve put a tour with Koomal Dreaming & Cape Cultural Tours on my list of things to do when we visit the region.
Thanks again to Winebow for the opportunity to taste this wine.
Cheers!
