2022 Howard Park
Scotsdale Cabernet Sauvignon

Distinguished Sites
Cabernet Sauvignon from our Abercrombie vineyard, located in the Mount 
Barker subregion of the Great Southern, is crafted to highlight the distinctive 
varietal and regional qualities of our best sites. Planted to the Houghton 
clones of Cabernet in 1976, in this cooler, continental climate, the vineyard sits 
on a north facing, elevated slope where it captures ample sun to fully ripen 
Cabernet Sauvignon.
TASTING NOTES
Gravel, graphite, olive, tobacco and star anise emanate from a rich core of 
red and black fruit, painting the perfect picture of cool-climate Cabernet 
Sauvignon. Cedary oak aromas seamlessly flow into an endless cascade of 
berries with raspberry, blackcurrant, mulberry, and brambleberry forming a 
mesmerising bouquet. Poised and refined, the palate unveils plush red fruits, 
bestowing a sense of opulence, while supple tannins and fine acidity provide 
length, structure and vibrancy. Subtle hints of wild blueberry on the palate 
impart a welcome freshness counterbalancing the broader strokes of black 
plum, cassis and Christmas cake. A wine of nuance and finesse, it envelops 
the palate with luxurious, ripe fruit, complemented by French oak spice and 
finely woven tannin. 
VINTAGE
In 2022, beautiful dry and sunny conditions were entrenched throughout 
January and February, removing a great deal of the disease pressure that 
rain and humidity can bring and allowing a predictable insight into ripening 
patterns across most varieties.
While summer set the scene for another consistent and memorable vintage, 
certain varieties paid a penalty for difficult conditions earlier in the growing 
season. The wet winter of 2021 lingered unduly, smothering the renewal of 
spring and delaying the onset of budburst and flowering in the vineyards. The 
consequence was reduced yields in our estate vineyards in the Great Southern.
Consistent fine weather at the tail end of the growing season ensured that 
the potential developed in the vines was maximised by picking at optimum 
levels of ripeness. Superb balance between sugar, acidity and flavour across 
all varieties gives us great optimism for the evolution of wines from the 2022 
vintage.
VINEYARDS
Vineyard: Abercrombie Blocks 1A, 1B & 2. 
Location: Mount Barker, Great Southern. 
Soils: shallow lateritic gravels over sandy, clay loam. 
Aspect: North easterly slope Clone: 
Houghton, planted 1976
WINEMAKING
Small parcels were hand-picked and hand sorted to remove any unwanted 
material before fermentation. Fermentation occurred in closed stainless steel 
fermenters and small open top fermenters. Selected parcels remained on 
skins after fermentation to further enhance the tannin profile while others 
were pressed at dryness to capture fruit vibrancy. Each batch was matured 
separately in order to build a wine history over time. The wine underwent 
malolactic fermentation and matured in French oak (~ 25% new) for 18 months 
prior to blending, fining and bottling.