Howard Park Wines

Howard Park Wines was established in 1986 by Jeff and Amy Burch in Mount Barker, Great Southern, Western Australia. The founding represented one of the most important quality-driven contributions to the emerging Great Southern wine region (which had been gazetted as an Australian Geographical Indication only in 1980 and was rapidly establishing its identity through the 1980s). The original Howard Park focus was on Mount Barker Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon, varieties for which Great Southern's cool climate, high-altitude vineyards, and granitic soils were particularly well suited. The Burches built Howard Park around a quality-first commercial philosophy and explicitly positioned the estate to compete at the top tier of Western Australian fine wine alongside the established Margaret River cohort. Howard Park's founding-era success directly contributed to Great Southern's recognition as a serious fine-wine region, and the producer has since become Great Southern's most internationally recognised producer. Heritage Mount Barker founding remains the producer's identity anchor across nearly four decades of operation.

• Founded 1986 by Jeff and Amy Burch in Mount Barker, Great Southern, Western Australia
• Great Southern had been gazetted as an Australian Geographical Indication only in 1980; Howard Park founded during the region's establishment phase
• Original focus on Mount Barker Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon; positioned to compete at the top tier of Western Australian fine wine
• Heritage Mount Barker founding remains the producer's identity anchor across nearly four decades

In 1996, the Burch family expanded Howard Park to Margaret River, acquiring estate vineyards in the South West Australia Zone that would become the source for the flagship Howard Park Cabernet-Merlot. The Margaret River expansion gave Howard Park a unique dual-region footprint among Western Australian producers: heritage Mount Barker Great Southern for Riesling, Shiraz, and Cabernet, plus modern Margaret River for the flagship Cabernet-Merlot Bordeaux blend. The dual-region structure allows Howard Park to source the best fruit characteristics from each region (Great Southern's cool-climate Riesling precision and structural Cabernet from granitic soils; Margaret River's maritime Cabernet-Merlot Bordeaux-blend complexity from lateritic gravels) and is the producer's defining structural advantage in the Western Australian fine-wine landscape. The Margaret River vineyards centre on estate sites at Wilyabrup and surrounding sub-zones, providing the Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec components for the flagship blend.

• Expanded to Margaret River 1996; estate vineyards in the South West Australia Zone became the source for the Howard Park Cabernet-Merlot
• Unique dual-region footprint: heritage Mount Barker Great Southern plus modern Margaret River
• Sources cool-climate Riesling and structural Cabernet from Great Southern; maritime Cabernet-Merlot Bordeaux blend complexity from Margaret River
• Margaret River vineyards centred on Wilyabrup and surrounding sub-zones; Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec components

Howard Park's two flagship wines anchor the producer's reputation at the top of Western Australian fine wine. The Howard Park Riesling is sourced from estate vineyards in Mount Barker and Porongurup (the two coolest sub-regions of Great Southern, defined by elevation and granitic soils), and the wine is one of Australia's most respected Rieslings, competing at the top tier alongside Clare Valley Polish Hill (Grosset) and Eden Valley Hill of Grace-area Rieslings. The Howard Park Riesling has been produced continuously since the 1986 founding, an unbroken 39-vintage run that demonstrates extraordinary consistency. The Howard Park Cabernet-Merlot, sourced from the Margaret River estate vineyards acquired in 1996, is a Cabernet-dominant Bordeaux blend that carries Langton's Classification 'Excellent' status (the second-highest tier in the Langton's system, just below 'Exceptional'). The wine offers Margaret River's classic structured Cabernet-Bordeaux blend profile at the very top tier of Western Australian collectability. Both flagships are featured in industry classifications and international wine media as defining expressions of their respective regions.

• Howard Park Riesling: Mount Barker and Porongurup sourced; one of Australia's most respected Rieslings; continuous 39-vintage run since 1986
• Howard Park Cabernet-Merlot: Margaret River sourced flagship Bordeaux blend; Langton's Classification 'Excellent' status
• Riesling sources from the two coolest Great Southern sub-regions: Mount Barker and Porongurup
• Cabernet-Merlot is Cabernet-dominant Bordeaux blend with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec components

Beyond the Howard Park flagships, the producer operates two additional programmes that have shaped its commercial and quality identity. The MadFish label, launched in 1992, is the mid-tier accessible programme sourcing from multiple regions across Great Southern and Margaret River, and has become one of Western Australia's most successful mid-priced wine brands. MadFish covers Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay across multi-region sources. The Marchand & Burch programme, launched in 2007, is a collaboration between Jeff Burch and Pascal Marchand, the Quebec-born Burgundian winemaker who served as winemaker at Domaine Comte Armand (Pommard) for 14 years before establishing his own consultancy. Marchand & Burch produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from selected Margaret River and Great Southern vineyards using Burgundian techniques (whole-cluster fermentation, native yeast, French oak), and the wines have earned recognition as some of Australia's most authentically Burgundian-influenced Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The collaboration represents the Burch family's commitment to exploration beyond traditional Western Australian varietal expressions.

• MadFish label launched 1992; mid-tier accessible programme; one of Western Australia's most successful mid-priced wine brands
• MadFish covers Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay; multi-region sourcing
• Marchand & Burch launched 2007: collaboration with Pascal Marchand (former Domaine Comte Armand, Pommard winemaker)
• Marchand & Burch produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay using Burgundian techniques (whole-cluster, native yeast, French oak)

Howard Park is a member of Australia's First Families of Wine, an alliance of 12 multi-generational Australian wine families established in 2009 to represent the country's heritage fine-wine producers internationally. Membership alongside Yalumba, Tyrrell's, Brown Brothers, Henschke, McWilliam's, De Bortoli, Tahbilk, Campbells of Rutherglen, Taylors, Wakefield, Jim Barry, and d'Arenberg places Howard Park among Australia's most respected family-owned wineries despite its relatively younger founding (1986) compared to most members. The Burch family ownership remains intact across nearly four decades, with the estate operating four primary vineyard sites (Leston and Allingham in Margaret River; Mount Barrow and the original Mount Barker site in Great Southern). The producer has been continuously rated 5 stars by James Halliday and has been recognised by Wine Enthusiast, Decanter, James Suckling, and the major Australian wine media. The architectural-award-winning Howard Park cellar door in Margaret River (completed 2000; designed by Marcus Collins) is a destination in itself, and the producer maintains a Great Southern cellar door at the original Mount Barker site that anchors the heritage identity.

• Member of Australia's First Families of Wine (12 multi-generational Australian wine families) since 2009
• Burch family continuous ownership across nearly four decades; four primary vineyard sites across both regions
• 5-star Halliday rated; recognised by Wine Enthusiast, Decanter, James Suckling, and major Australian wine media
• Architectural-award-winning Margaret River cellar door (2000; Marcus Collins); Great Southern cellar door at heritage Mount Barker site