Howard Park Allingham Margaret River Chardonnay

Allingham Chardonnay has long been a component of Howard Park’s signature wines, the Allingham site was first planted in 2004 to the Gin Gin clone, planting material that is inextricably linked with Margaret River and its unique expression of Chardonnay. Further plantings followed, with a natural confluence of parts becoming a single vineyard. Indeed, the decision to treat the Allingham site separately was inevitable given the quality of the Chardonnay it yielded. In 2014 Allingham became an autonomous single vineyard bottling, with its signature precision augmented by additional plantings of Dijon clones 95 and 96. Their varying ripening patterns, flavour profiles and physiognomies serving to add further spice and nuance to a potpourri of complexity.

A celebration of tightly furled restraint, over obvious power, the Allingham evinces a structural temerity as much as it showcases Margaret River’s predilection for aromatic intensity. Think stone fruit inflections melded with crystalline ginger and a stream of wet-rock-mineral sluiced with maritime salinity. The oak, judicious; the core of nougatine and roasted nuts, reminiscent of fine Burgundy; the wine’s confident poise, balletic gait and strident length, compelling. This is Chardonnay of the highest order.