TN: Howard Park Chardonnay 2016
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2025 10:35 pm
G'day
I've had a few of these over the years. This was the first tasting note, from a vertical tasting of HP Chardonnay I hosted in 2017:
2016 Howard Park Chardonnay (Mt Barker 46%, Margaret River 54%, 13.0% alc). Bottled in December 2016 and not yet released, this is a very pale straw colour. The nose starts off with some cedary oak, and quickly leads into primary fruit, with grapefruit, citrus, nectarine and honeydew melon. There’s also some lime zest and white flowers. A couple of tasters noted that the nose is lively, with the fruit ‘jumping out of the glass’. The palate shows good fruit weight, and supporting zingy acid (one taster commented on a slight spritz). There’s a little tannic grip from the oak, and the wine finishes long. The group considers this to be quite tight at the moment, but is looking very good for drinking in a year or so.
Eight years further on, it has (not surprisingly) developed considerably. Deep yellow tending to gold in colour. The nose shows developed /baked peaches and nectarines, savoury notes including pastry and cedar, and a little lemon cordial. The palate is full and almost zesty, with lemon pith, more nectarines and cedar, with a nice line of acid and considerable length.
I was concerned that this might be getting a little past it, but I should have relied on history - this is in no danger of falling over soon. Time for another vertical tasting, I think!
Cheers
Allan
I've had a few of these over the years. This was the first tasting note, from a vertical tasting of HP Chardonnay I hosted in 2017:
2016 Howard Park Chardonnay (Mt Barker 46%, Margaret River 54%, 13.0% alc). Bottled in December 2016 and not yet released, this is a very pale straw colour. The nose starts off with some cedary oak, and quickly leads into primary fruit, with grapefruit, citrus, nectarine and honeydew melon. There’s also some lime zest and white flowers. A couple of tasters noted that the nose is lively, with the fruit ‘jumping out of the glass’. The palate shows good fruit weight, and supporting zingy acid (one taster commented on a slight spritz). There’s a little tannic grip from the oak, and the wine finishes long. The group considers this to be quite tight at the moment, but is looking very good for drinking in a year or so.
Eight years further on, it has (not surprisingly) developed considerably. Deep yellow tending to gold in colour. The nose shows developed /baked peaches and nectarines, savoury notes including pastry and cedar, and a little lemon cordial. The palate is full and almost zesty, with lemon pith, more nectarines and cedar, with a nice line of acid and considerable length.
I was concerned that this might be getting a little past it, but I should have relied on history - this is in no danger of falling over soon. Time for another vertical tasting, I think!
Cheers
Allan