Howard Park Wines
Encyclopedia
Howard Park Wines is Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...

's largest family-owned winery owned by the Burch family, which is responsible for such brands as Howard Park, MadFish, and Marchand & Burch. With two established Wineries based in both Margaret River
Margaret River (wine region)
Margaret River is the foremost Geographical Indication wine region in the South West Australia Zone, with nearly 5,500 hectares under vine and over 138 wineries as at 2008. Margaret River wine region is made up predominately of boutique size wine producers; although winery operations range from the...

, Western Australia and Denmark
Denmark, Western Australia
Denmark is a town in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, south-south-east of the state capital of Perth. At the 2006 census, Denmark had a population of 2,732.-History:...

 in the Great Southern
Great Southern Wine Region
The Great Southern Wine Region in Western Australia's South West is Australia's largest wine region a rectangle 200 kilometres from east to west and over 100 kilometers from north to south...

. The Burch family are the first Australians to gain ownership in the production of a French Burgundian Grand Cru.

In 2009 Howard Park was asked to join Australia's First Families of Wine (AFFW) a multi-million-dollar venture to help resurrect the fortunes of the $6 billion industry highlighting the quality and diversity of Australian wine. Howard Park Wines is the only representative from Western Australia to be included in the AFFW. The 12 member alliance includes Brown Brothers
Brown Brothers Milawa Vineyard
Brown Brothers Milawa Vineyard is a family-owned wine company based in Milawa, Victoria, Australia. Brown Brothers was founded in 1889 by John Francis Brown and continues to be owned and operated by his descendants on the original property...

, Campbells, Taylors, DeBortoli
De Bortoli Wines
De Bortoli Wines is one of the larger privately owned companies in Australia. De Bortoli makes a wide range of wines including the sweet white Noble One...

, McWilliam's, Tahbilk
Tahbilk
Tahbilk is the oldest family owned winery in Victoria, Australia, established in 1860.Tahbilk is part of Australian wine alliance Australia’s First Families of Wine a multi-million-dollar venture to help resurrect the fortunes of the $6 billion industry highlighting the quality and diversity of...

, Tyrell's, Yalumba
Yalumba
Yalumba is a winery located near Angaston, South Australia in the Barossa Valley. It was founded by a British brewer, Samuel Smith, who emigrated to Australia with his family from Wareham, Dorset in August 1847 aboard the ship 'China'. Upon arriving in Australia in December, Smith built a small...

, D'Arenberg, Jim Barry, Howard Park, and Henschke
Henschke
Henschke is a family-owned, year old Australian winery located in Keyneton, Eden Valley South Australia. It produces the 'Hill of Grace', one of Australia's Cult wines and considered Australia's second best wine by James Halliday in 2009.-History:...

. The main criteria is that the family-owned companies need to have a "landmark wine" in their portfolios as listed under Langton's Classification and/or 75% agreement by group that a wine is considered "iconic". Others are they must have the ability to do at least a 20-year vertical tasting, have a history going back a minimum of two generations, ownership of vineyards more than 50 years old and/or ownership of distinguished sites which exemplify the best of terroir
Terroir
Terroir comes from the word terre "land". It was originally a French term in wine, coffee and tea used to denote the special characteristics that the geography, geology and climate of a certain place bestowed upon particular varieties...

, commitment to export and environmental best practice, appropriate cellar door experience, and be paid-up members of the Winemakers Federation of Australia.

The wine regions

Margaret River Winery is located outside the small town of Cowaramup
Cowaramup, Western Australia
Cowaramup is a town in the South West of Western Australia, 12 kilometres north of Margaret River in the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River.-Name:...

, the birthplace of what is now the Margaret River Wine Region The vineyard that surrounds the winery named after the owner of Howard Park Wines father, Leston Burch Leston Vineyard is the vine-producing property and home of Howard Park Wines in Margaret River. The vineyard currently consists of about 157 acres (63.5 ha) of vines including Shiraz
Shiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...

, Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...

, Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...

, Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...

, Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone - as in the Loire's Chinon...

, Petit Verdot
Petit verdot
Petit Verdot is a variety of red wine grape, principally used in classic Bordeaux blends. It ripens much later than the other varieties in Bordeaux, often too late, so it fell out of favour in its home region. When it does ripen, it is added in small amounts to add tannin, colour and flavour to the...

 and Carnelian varieties.

The Margaret River wine region
Margaret River (wine region)
Margaret River is the foremost Geographical Indication wine region in the South West Australia Zone, with nearly 5,500 hectares under vine and over 138 wineries as at 2008. Margaret River wine region is made up predominately of boutique size wine producers; although winery operations range from the...

 was chosen for what was at that time a highly experimental exercise through studies undertaken in 1955 by Professor Harold Olmo
Harold Olmo
Dr. Harold Olmo was a pioneering viticulturalist and professor at the University of California, Davis where he created many new grape varieties known today as Olmo grapes. In the 1950s, he helped to establish California's first quarantine facility on the UC-Davis campus to permit California...

. In 1961 Dr John Gladstones from the University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...

, published a paper in the Journal of the Australian Institute for Agricultural Science which stated in part "As far as the writer is aware, the Busselton
Busselton, Western Australia
-Growth and development:According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics the Shire had a permanent resident population of 25,950 in 2004 with the town of Busselton accounting for 67% or 17,400 of the total. The Shire's permanent population is expected to continue to increase significantly to...

-Margaret River
Margaret River, Western Australia
Margaret River is a town in the South West of Western Australia, located in the valley of the eponymous Margaret River, south of Perth, the state capital. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River....

 region has never been seriously proposed as suitable for commercial viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...

. Nevertheless, a study of its climate shows that it definitely warrants consideration." The climate of Margaret River is more strongly maritime-influenced than any other major Australian region and has been described as similar to that of Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...

 in a dry vintage. The region produces just three percent of total Australian grape production, although produces over 20 percent of Australia's premium wine market.

Great Southern Winery was established in 1986 in the coastal town of Denmark. The Scotsdale Vineyard established in 1974 is located at the foot hills of the Porongurup
Porongurup National Park
Porongurup National Park is a national park in the Great Southern region of Western Australia , 360 km southeast of Perth and 40 km from Albany....

 range and at 200 to 380 meters above sea level it is among the highest vineyard sites in Western Australia. In 1955, Professor of Viticulture at the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...

 Harold Olmo was in Western Australia studying climatic limitations of viticulture in the Swan Valley. Olmo spent eight months in Western Australia at the invitation of the Western Australian Vine Fruits Research Trust. When he published his report in 1956, one of the recommendations put forward was that Mount Barker
Mount Barker, Western Australia
Mount Barker is a town on the Albany Highway and is the administrative centre of the Shire of Plantagenet in the Great Southern region of Western Australia...

 and the Frankland
Frankland, Western Australia
Frankland is a small town in the Great Southern Region of Western Australia. The town is in the shire of Cranbrook and is situated approximately 360 km from the State's capital, Perth, 42 km west of the Albany Highway, 83 km southwest of Kojonup, 19 km north of Rocky Gully and...

 of the Great Southern area of Western Australia showed great promise for making table wines in the light traditional European style.

The Great Southern wine region
Great Southern Wine Region
The Great Southern Wine Region in Western Australia's South West is Australia's largest wine region a rectangle 200 kilometres from east to west and over 100 kilometers from north to south...

 in Western Australia, is Australia's largest wine region, a rectangle 200 kilometers from east to west and over 100 kilometers from north to south. It has five nominated subregions for wine, namely the Porongurups
Porongurup, Western Australia
Porongurup is the name of a small mountain range in the Shire of Plantagenet in Western Australia and of a small village on the northern slopes of the range. At the 2006 census, Porongurup had a population of 370.The name is derived from the Aboriginal place-name, and consequently arrived with no...

, Mount Barker
Mount Barker, Western Australia
Mount Barker is a town on the Albany Highway and is the administrative centre of the Shire of Plantagenet in the Great Southern region of Western Australia...

, Albany
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....

, Denmark and Frankland River
Frankland, Western Australia
Frankland is a small town in the Great Southern Region of Western Australia. The town is in the shire of Cranbrook and is situated approximately 360 km from the State's capital, Perth, 42 km west of the Albany Highway, 83 km southwest of Kojonup, 19 km north of Rocky Gully and...

 under the Geographical indication
Geographical indication
A geographical indication is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin...

s legislation as determined and authorised by the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation
Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation
Wine Australia , is an Australian Government authority that promotes and regulates the Australian wine industry. It was created in 1981 to replace the Australian Wine Board after the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation Act 1980, now the Wine Australia Corporation Act 1980 was passed...

. The climate is maritime-influenced Mediterranean, with significant differences reflected between the sub-regions although considerably cooler than other Western Australian wine regions and is known for Riesling
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...

, Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...

, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...

 and Shiraz.

Landmark wines

'Abercrombie' Cabernet Sauvignon a multi-award winning wine at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles
Concours Mondial de Bruxelles
Concours Mondial de Bruxelles created in 1994, labeled the “wine world-championship” with 6000 participating products from the four continents, these samples represent more than 500 million marketed bottles...

 in 2005 was included in the 4th edition of Langton's Classification of Australian Wine at the "Excellent" level. A single barrel of Howard Park Cabernet can fetch as much as $20,500, ranked in the top 20 results at Langtons auction for Western Australian wineries listed equal first place in 2003 receiving $20,000, and in 2005 ranking 3rd place at $20,500 per barrel. While a single imperial bottle of Howard Park Cabernet can fetch as much as $6,000 in 2008 ranking first place for auction results among wineries from Western Australia. While in 2003 a Howard Park imperial was ranked at 12th place at $3,200.

Architecture

The Margaret River winery has received acclaim for its architecture winning the commercial category award from the Royal Australian Institute of Architects in 2000, also judged among Australia's top 12 buildings, incorporating traditional feng shui
Feng shui
Feng shui ' is a Chinese system of geomancy believed to use the laws of both Heaven and Earth to help one improve life by receiving positive qi. The original designation for the discipline is Kan Yu ....

 principles with contemporary Australian design. The design and exact orientation of the winery was fine-tuned by the use of Feng shui under the direct supervision of Professor Cheng Jian Jun of the Department of Architecture in South China University of Technology
South China University of Technology
South China University of Technology is a Chinese university located in Guangzhou, capital of the Guangdong province. In 1999, SCUT ranked No...

, and lecturer at Guangzhou University
Guangzhou University
Guangzhou University is a state university in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, China.- History :Guangzhou University was reestablished on July 2000 by the Chinese Ministry of Education...

, China. Professor Cheng is the author of several books, and has designed over 10 traditional Chinese Temples around China.

Marchand & Burch Wines

Marchand and Burch is a wine making joint venture between Burgundian winemaker
Winemaker
A winemaker or vintner is a person engaged in winemaking. They are generally employed by wineries or wine companies, where their work includes:*Cooperating with viticulturists...

 and biodynamic
Biodynamic wine
Biodynamic wines are wines made using the principles of biodynamic agriculture. Biodynamic refers to both the agricultural methods and the handling and processing of the fruit post-harvest.-Biodynamic viticulture:...

 ambassador Pascal Marchand and Jeff Burch, Vigneron and owner of Howard Park & MadFish Wines. Pascal Marchand is famous in wine circles for his performance taking over from Comte Armand in Pommard
Pommard
Pommard is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in Bourgogne in eastern France.It is famous for its Côte de Beaune wine production. This beautiful village is situated directly south of Beaune along the Route des Grands Crus...

 as winemaker at Burgundy's Premier Cru ‘Clos-des-Épeneaux’
Monopole (wine)
A monopole is an area controlled by a single winery and can be as small as a lieu-dit or as large as an entire appellation d'origine contrôlée, such as Bordeaux or Champagne. Frequently this is mentioned on the label and it is rare for only one winery to produce all the wine from an area...

 Pascal is also known as ex-regisseur for Boisset's
Boisset Family Estates
Boisset Family Estates are France's third largest wine group, and Burgundy's largest wine producer. A family-owned producer and importer of fine wines from France, California, Italy and Canada....

 Domaine de la Vougeraie. The first vintage for Marchand & Burch was in 2007 where a Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Shiraz was produced in both Margaret River and the Great Southern Western Australia and a Meursault
Meursault
-See also:* Communes of the Côte-d'Or département* Route des Grands Crus* French wine-External links:* * In French.* * In French....

, Gevrey-Chambertin
Gevrey-Chambertin
Gevrey-Chambertin is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department of France in the Bourgogne region in eastern France.It lies 15 km South of Dijon. This touristic, winemaking village is situated on the Route des Grands Crus in the Côte de Nuits...

, a Grand Cru Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
Chambertin-Clos de Bèze is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée and Grand Cru vineyard for red wine in the Côte de Nuits subregion of Burgundy, with Pinot Noir as the main grape variety. Chambertin-Clos de Bèze is located within the commune of Gevrey-Chambertin, together with a group of nine Grand...

 and Grand Cru Mazis-Chambertin
Mazis-Chambertin
Mazis-Chambertin, sometimes written Mazy-Chambertin is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée and Grand Cru vineyard for red wine in the Côte de Nuits subregion of Burgundy, with Pinot Noir as the main grape variety. Mazis-Chambertin is located within the commune of Gevrey-Chambertin. It is situated...

 were produced in Burgundy. The wines have been well received in the Australian wine press, listed in James Halliday's 2010 Australian Wine Companion in the Top 10 Best New Wineries in Australia and judged as Australia's top Chardonnay of Australia in 2010.

MadFish Wines

Howard Park Wines first released the MadFish label in 1992 with the MadFish
Premium White, soon followed by the MadFish Premium Red in 1993. The name Madfish is derived from a local seaside inlet based 15 kilometers from the town of Denmark called Madfish Bay, so called because of often seen desperately jumping fish, seeking to escape hungry feeding dolphins whilst the bay’s calmness is broken when two tides meet. The artwork for the label was originally designed by the late Maxine Fumagalli, a Noongar artist from Western Australia's Great Southern. Awarded a Double Gold Medal and listed as one of the top four label designs in the International San Francisco Wine Competition. Her design reflects the native viewpoint of unity between land, sea, stars, animals and people, hence the inclusion of all these elements in the label's design. This traditional aboriginal water turtle design on the label is a symbol of perseverance and tolerance. Since its release the label has grown into one of Australia's most recognized wine brands, with an extensive range of contemporary style wines made from cool climate fruit.

See also

  • Australia's First Families of Wine
  • Langton's Classification of Australian Wine
  • West Australian wine
    West Australian wine
    Australia’s biggest State extends the western third of the continent, although the winemaking regions are almost entirely situated in the cooler climate south-western tip of the State...

  • Great Southern (wine region)
    Great Southern Wine Region
    The Great Southern Wine Region in Western Australia's South West is Australia's largest wine region a rectangle 200 kilometres from east to west and over 100 kilometers from north to south...

  • Margaret River (wine region)
    Margaret River (wine region)
    Margaret River is the foremost Geographical Indication wine region in the South West Australia Zone, with nearly 5,500 hectares under vine and over 138 wineries as at 2008. Margaret River wine region is made up predominately of boutique size wine producers; although winery operations range from the...

  • Burgundy wine
    Burgundy wine
    Burgundy wine is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône River, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here - those commonly referred to as "Burgundies" - are red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes or white wines made from...

  • Cru (wine)
  • Côte d'Or (escarpment)
    Côte d'Or (escarpment)
    The Côte d'Or is a limestone escarpment in Burgundy, France that lends its name to the department which was formed around it...

  • Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
    Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
    Chambertin-Clos de Bèze is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée and Grand Cru vineyard for red wine in the Côte de Nuits subregion of Burgundy, with Pinot Noir as the main grape variety. Chambertin-Clos de Bèze is located within the commune of Gevrey-Chambertin, together with a group of nine Grand...

  • Mazis-Chambertin
    Mazis-Chambertin
    Mazis-Chambertin, sometimes written Mazy-Chambertin is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée and Grand Cru vineyard for red wine in the Côte de Nuits subregion of Burgundy, with Pinot Noir as the main grape variety. Mazis-Chambertin is located within the commune of Gevrey-Chambertin. It is situated...

  • Gevrey-Chambertin
    Gevrey-Chambertin
    Gevrey-Chambertin is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department of France in the Bourgogne region in eastern France.It lies 15 km South of Dijon. This touristic, winemaking village is situated on the Route des Grands Crus in the Côte de Nuits...

  • Meursault
    Meursault
    -See also:* Communes of the Côte-d'Or département* Route des Grands Crus* French wine-External links:* * In French.* * In French....

  • Tropfest
    Tropfest
    Tropfest is the world's largest short film festival.Tropfest began in 1993 as a screening for 200 people in a cafe in Sydney but has since become the largest platform for short films in the world. Tropfest Australia takes place in February each year in front of a live audience of approximately...


External links

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