The 2008 growing season started with the dry winter of 2007 leaving many dams at below adequate levels for comfort for the forthcoming growing season. Fortunately the spring was wet and cool which preserved soil moisture. Even and warm temperatures in early summer resulted in even shoot growth giving excellent ripening potential in the canopies for moderate yields. The 2008 season will be regarded as a classic Western Australian vintage; Cabernet Sauvignon ripened to perfection without racing, colours were opaque and tannins ripe. The Cabernet Sauvignon’s from the 2008 vintage will be long lived examples of their styles. Harvest commenced in mid March.
This fruit is sourced from two vineyards in the northern Yallingup sub-region of the Margaret River. The Cabernet Sauvignon vines on both properties have reached a maturity and natural balance that is starting to produce grapes of great concentration and quality. The Cabernet Sauvignon parcels were harvested and transported to our Denmark winery. Chief Winemaker, Tony Davis, after observing the 2007 vintage, had implemented the upgrading of the Denmark Winery with new state of the art equipment; 4-tonne open top fermenters, a vibrating receival bin, sorting tables, peristaltic must pumps and a large Bucher basket press. Handpicking, natural fermentation and extended maceration have now become standard practice with the Howard Park winemaking team.
The fruit was sorted and crushed to open fermenters, fermented using natural yeast and hand plunged 2-4 times per day. Once the wine was considered in balance (extraction of colour, tannin and flavour), the wine was then basket-pressed directly to a mix of new and older French oak barriques. Maturation took place in these barrels for 18 months before bottling.