Monday, March 23, 2009

Howard Park Leston Cabernet Sauvignon

The top level producers of Margaret River now charge between $70 - $100 per bottle for their leading Cabernet brands. It is therefore no wonder that they have all added higher volume second tier products. Most of them have remained fairly obscure, but Howard Park has embarked on building separate brands with not one, but two labels: the Leston for Margaret River fruit and the Scottsdale for Great Southern fruit. So how good is the wine?

Tonight I had a bottle of the 2001 Leston Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine has lively redcurrant flavours and it is medium bodied. The taste is attractive and supported by a good mouthfeel. The tannins are present, but not overbearing and the acidity keeps the wine fresh, even at eight years. This wine is great with food and will drink well for many more years. The Leston may be on its way to the recognition it deserves.

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