Howard Park Great Southern Riesling 2025

Hailing from two subregions of the Great Southern – Mount Barker and Porongurup – this 2025 release is notably floral and reminds me of eating pink musk sticks as a kid. Rosewater, sweet tonka bean, Meyer lemons and custard apple. A really elegant and detailed wine. In the mouth, the acid is present but feels resolved – but is still perky and salivating nonetheless. The fruit is concentrated, with mandarin pith and more musk sticks, while a martini-brine character adds savoury texture to the mouthfeel. I just think Riesling is one of Australia’s best and most consistent varieties. It almost always overdelivers, and for under $40, this is a bargain. Drink with Albany rock oysters – or as an aperitif.

Cyndal Petty

Wine Critic at Winepilot

A hopeless romantic for wine and food, Cyndal is nearing 15 years in hospitality while still (just) under 30. A Chef-turned-Sommelier and award-winning wine professional, Cyndal recently left a Group Sommelier role where she curated seven wine lists across multiple venues and led the wine team to Gourmet Traveller Wine Bar of the Year—just months after opening. Now freelance, Cyndal is a wine consultant, event host, wine judge, and wine writer. Passionate about sharing wine’s story with the world, she brings a fresh voice and creative solutions to the industry. After studying and traveling through most of her 20s, she’s now based in WA’s southwest, proudly embracing her role as a WA coastal cowgirl.

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