What a pleasure to check in on another top dog Chardonnay from the Burch family (after the Marchand & Burch) that really delivers. This Howard Park Allingham Chardonnay 2018 comes off the family’s Allingham property in Margaret River, the fruit handpicked, hand-sorted, with the juice then wild fermented in barrel (40% new oak) with a shortish 9 months in wood.
It’s a lovely wine too. Custard, milk powder, lots of layers here – the full kitchen sink. But it works. Nutty, golden, this really moreish texture with enough acidity and lots of flavour. The richness expansive, the acidity just right. It feels complete, encompassing, yet vital and simply delicious. Ace.
Howard Park Allingham Chardonnay 2018. Best drinking: I like it now, no hurry though – it will still be healthy in five years. 18.7/20, 95/100. 13%, $89. Howard Park website. Would I buy it? Well worth a bottle.
3 Comments
Doesn’t get mentioned in the same breath as some others from Margaret River despite consistently high scores / excellent reviews … maybe doesn’t age as long as some of the others? (not that that should matter .. but maybe it does to many?)
I don’t get know either. Maybe because it isn’t considered to be Margs – it’s almost a Great Southern hybrid. The quality is obviously there.
I vaguely remember – but may be wrong – that it used to be a blend of MR + GS regions 12-15 years ago when I worked for the distributor (Negociants) … or maybe that was just the Abercrombie Cab?