Wine overview
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Variety
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
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Region
53% Mount Barker, Great Southern and 47% Wilyabrup, Margaret River
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Cellaring
Will mature into one of the outstanding vintages of this lineage after more than ten years ageing under ideal cellaring conditions.
‘Abercrombie’ is the definitive Cabernet Sauvignon of Howard Park Wines. Since the first release in 1986, a multi-region five-vineyard Western Australian blend, this wine has been a true reflection of the best fruit chosen from a selection of the oldest vineyards in Western Australia’s Margaret River region and cool climate Mount Barker and Porongurup sub-regions of the Great Southern. Produced from the top 1% of available Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and then only in the years when grapes of extraordinarily high quality are available.
Named after Jeff Burch’s Great-Grandfather Walter Abercrombie, this Howard Park flagship Cabernet Sauvignon is noted for its outstanding structural complexity and exceptional elegance. It combines the austere dusty earth and blackcurrant aromas from Mount Barker, with the classic rich fruit and chocolaty palette of Margaret River. Together they produce an elegantly balanced cabernet sauvignon with mature ripe tannins backed up by quality French oak. Careful long term cellaring will realize this wine’s full potential.
The ‘Abercrombie’ Cabernet Sauvignon is listed with Wine Ark in the Top 30 of Australia’s most collected wines and Langton’s Classification of Australian Wine rates the Abercrombie as ‘Excellent’ denoting ‘high performing wines of exquisite quality’. The wine has also received many top ratings from wine writers including James Halliday and Robert Parker.
Reviews
“I’m a big fan of the Abercrombie – a 100% Cabernet – which, since the winemaking tweaks of 2008, really flies. Ever so perfumed, it beguiles from the get go with its cedar, cassis and floral nose, all of which notes follow through on a graceful but firm, bright-fruited, juicy palate. A fine sheen of tannins lends wonderfully fluidity and length to the finish. Terrific.”
Sarah Ahmed, www.thewinedetective.co.uk
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"Juicy, long, complete and seamless...the 2008 and 2009 releases are Howard Park's finest ever wines."
John Jens, Community News
“2009 was the pinnacle of a run of five great vintages in the West, and with an almost equal share of Great Southern in the blend, this wine shows that the blessings flowed beyond Margaret River. It’s everything that you’d expect of the finest vintages of Abercrombie, yet, simultaneously, more vibrant lift, deeper black fruits, lower alcohol (13.5%), more precise poise, more textural tannins, greater energy and more epic persistence. It will unravel for decades.”
97 Points
Tyson Stelzer, Wine Taste Weekly
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“This is a magnificent cabernet. Bright blackcurrant and blackberry aromas, medium-to-full bodied with high-energy tautness. It’s all elegantly framed and has tremendous structure.”
95 Points
Huon Hooke, '100 Top New Releases' Gourmet Traveller Wine
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“Blackberry, blackcurrant and cherry pie with a large serve of dusty cedar/mocha oak along with aniseed and subtle eucalyptus highlights. Medium weight but unashamedly firmly structured and tannic – pure and regal Cabernet Sauvignon with mighty length of flavour. Tasted over three days, each impression being more impressive than the last. Long term. Drink 2018 - 2035”
95 Points
Gary Walsh, www.winefront.com.au
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“This important red has high expectations attached to it every year it is released. One of the country’s best red wines, it delivers consistency and quality and a certain style of Cabernet year in year out. Priced accordingly, it is at the top end of the wine drinking experience for aficionados. Rest easy folks as 2009 will be no exception in the high expectations being again delivered stakes. I think it is an absolute cracker of a wine, albeit a young one. It has all the potential and restrained power there with its classic blackcurrant nose, just sitting there waiting to be slowly unleashed upon the drinker. Big but not OTT. Fine, grainy tannins, oak, enough to go the distance. Classic coffee, mocha oak at that. This has all the hallmarks of a very fine wine to follow. Oh and it drinks very well right now for those who can’t or don’t want to wait. Try it with a big juicy aged steak, medium rare.”
95-96 Points
Paul Ippolito, www.paulippolito.com.au
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“Deep purple-crimson; made from old vine cabernet from Great Southern/Margaret River...This is classically powerful Cabernet Sauvignon, its fruit and tannins grappling with each other; over time the tannins will lose the battle and at the point of surrender, a truly great wine will emerge. Drink to 2035."
96 Points
James Halliday, James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion 2012 edition
Technical Notes
The 2009 growing season began with average winter rain and a wet and warm spring which extended well into December and made for a late start to a gentle summer. These wet conditions, coincided with flowering and contributed to poor fruit set and consequent low yields in most varieties.
A warm March allowed for full ripeness in all varieties. After a cool few weeks and rain in early April, the Indian Summer returned and remained well into May. Albeit protracted, the vintage finished in warm and dry autumn conditions that proved near perfect for ripening.
The 2009 season has produced a great vintage across Western Australia: all red grape varieties ripened fully, colours are intense and deep, tannins ripe and supple.The 2009 season has produced a great vintage across Western Australia: all red grape varieties ripened fully, colours are intense and deep, tannins ripe and supple.
The grapes for Abercrombie are hand-picked sorted and fermented in a mix of small static fermenters and open stainless steel vats. The wines are hand-plunged and pumped over as required to balance the extraction of colour, tannin and flavour development. The structure of both the Margaret River and Great Southern components allowed for extended maceration of the wines on skins for four weeks once alcoholic fermentation was complete. After maceration, each fermenter is basket-pressed to French oak barriques for 18 months of maturation which allows for integration of the oak and grape tannins. After minimal fining and filtration, the wine is bottled in October 2009 and released 8 to 10 months after bottling.
Tasting Notes
The deep and dark ruby colour implies the intensity and richness that is abundantly delivered on bouquet and palate. Full of dense and very ripe blackberry and blackcurrant fruits with hints of sweet mint, freshly rubbed savoury herbs, earth and truffle. The fruit power and opulence of the palate is deftly cradled by well integrated ripe fruit, firm acidity and fine oak tannins. A wine of great presence that will age with grace.
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Cellaring
Will mature into one of the outstanding vintages of this lineage after more than ten years ageing under ideal cellaring conditions.
Awards
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Vintage |
Award |
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2009 |
Grand Gold Medal - Concours Mondial de Bruxelles |
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2009 |
Silver Medal - Decanter World Wine Awards |
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2008 |
Silver Medal - Decanter World Wine Awards |
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2005 |
Silver Medal - New Zealand International Wine Show |
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2004 |
Gold Medal - Sydney International Wine Challenge |
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2004 |
Silver Medal - International Wine Challenge |
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2004 |
Silver Medal - Concours Mondial de Bruxelles |
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2004 |
Silver Medal - San Francisco International Wine Show |
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2003 |
Gold Medal - Concours Mondial de Bruxelles |
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2002 |
Gold Medal - Concours Mondial de Bruxelles |
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2002 |
Silver Medal - International Wine & Spirits Competition |
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2001 |
Gold Medal - International Wine Challenge |
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2001 |
Silver - International Wine & Spirits Competition |
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