Iconic Western Australia winery Houghton is bursting onto the wine scene with their all-new Reserve Range, plus their re-launched Wisdom Range. The most-awarded winery in WA, Houghton’s offerings run the gamut from reds to whites, Pinot Noir to Chardonnay.
Want to impress a group of friends? Bring along a bottle of the new Reserve Range. The Plus Ones got the chance to do just that — taking the Houghton Reserve Sauvignon Blanc and the Houghton Reserve Shiraz to their monthly book club.
Read on for the verdict!
In its 180-year-old history, Houghton has seen only 13 winemakers guide their vintages. Today’s senior winemaker is Ross Pamment, part of the Houghton team for almost 30 years. He says, “Like the 12 Houghton winemakers before the team today, we are committed to crafting wines with meticulous care and forethought, and in a way that brings the unique regional characteristics of the grapes to life, in every glass.”
The Houghton Reserve range epitomises Western Australia’s signature varietals and features a Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc.
TASTING NOTES
Houghton Reserve Range
Houghton Reserve Shiraz
Reserve Shiraz is sourced from the Great Southern region in Western Australia, specifically the sub region of Frankland River. The wine’s style
is medium weight, fresh, bright and peppery, and reminiscent of Northern Rhone Shiraz.
Houghton Reserve Chardonnay
Reserve Chardonnay is predominately from the warmer northern vineyards in the Swan District with overlays of cooler climate parcels from
Margaret River and Pemberton. Fruit is mainly sourced from the oldest plantings in Western Australia of the famed Gingin clone. The style is fresh, and fruit driven with subtle oak influences tending towards the richer, fuller bodied spectrum.
Houghton Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Reserve Cabernet is a blend of Western Australia’s two preeminent Cabernet regions – Frankland River and Margaret River. The style is full flavoured but not heavy, with dominant fruit aromas of blackberries and varietal leafy Cabernet notes typical of Cabernet Sauvignon derived from Western Australia.
Houghton Reserve Sauvignon Blanc
The Houghton Reserve Sauvignon Blanc is from a fine selection of Western Australia vineyards. Brilliant pale straw with a youthful green hue, it offers an intense bouquet of passionfruit, kiwifruit and grapefruit, preserved lemon, white elderflower and hints of vanillin spice. Light bodied, the vibrant and juicy palate displays flavours of blackcurrant, lime segments and pink grapefruit making it a wine perfect to enjoy whilst youthful and fresh.
Houghton Wisdom Range
Houghton Wisdom Chardonnay
Wisdom Chardonnay from the exquisite Pemberton area offers enticing, fresh and vibrant stone fruit flavours of white peach and nectarine with hints of lemon citrus. Subtle nougat, malt and spicy barrel fermentation nuances are equally as pleasing on the nose. The wine is full flavoured with a rich creamy texture and soft acid proving persistence of flavour.
Houghton Wisdom Pinot Noir
Crafted from whole bunches to add spice and complexity, Wisdom Pinot Noir perfumes star anise, red fruits, black cherry and harmonious oak. Sourced from premium vineyards in Western Australia’s Pemberton region, this wine is medium bodied with lovely fruit length, fine tannins and balanced acidity on the palate.
Houghton Wisdom Cabernet Sauvignon
A wine heavily influenced by the rich Margaret River region, Wisdom Cabernet Sauvignon exerts aromas of blackberry, black olive, bay leaf and toasty vanillin oak. Ample fruit depth is carried by fine tannin and balanced acidity to provided elegance, complexity and length to the palate with judicious use of French oak.
So what did the group of bibliophiles think about the two wines? They loved them!
They found the Sauvignon Blanc had a strong, rich flavour, and suggested that it would pair eminently well with cheese. ‘I don’t normally like savs’, said one book-lover (and TPO writer), but I like this’.
As for the Shiraz, the group found it had a slightly sulfuric, even citrusy scent. It doesn’t have huge notes of pepper (which one bookworm commented gets a bit monotonous to always find in a Shiraz). They found it to be medium bodied and very smooth.
The bottles of wine lasted about half an hour — a great sign that the range is perfect for all palettes. Make sure to enjoy it with your friends soon.
– Theresa
Co-founder of The Plus Ones, Theresa can’t decide which she loves more: wine or books. Follow her on Instagram.
The Houghton Wine range is available in major and independent retailers nationwide at a RRP of $14.99, or online at www.houghton-wines.com.au.
