Woodlands Clementine Cabernet Malbec Merlot, Margaret River
‘Clémentine’ is sourced entirely from the Woodlands Brook Vineyard, part of Woodlands since 2008. It is also on this property that Andrew and Marie fell in love, leading to their daughter ‘Clémentine’!
Notes from the Winery
A complex blend of earthy, forest-wood and leafy aromas here with dark plums, cherries, dried blackcurrants and a herbal edge. The palate has such smoothly delivered, concentrated dark-berry flavors, layered with spiced currants, chocolate and plums. Great depth and power here. A blend of 56% cabernet sauvignon, 16% malbec, 13% merlot, 9% petit verdot and 6% cabernet franc.
96 points, JamesSuckling.com (March 2020)
Cabernet sauvignon takes the lead (56%), with decent amounts of malbec and merlot plus petit verdot and cabernet franc. Excellent dark purple-garnet; expect blackberries and mulberries, hints of spices and rosemary and while the oak (17 months in barrel, 30% new) adds to the flavour profile, it'll continue to melt into the wine, now a touch drying on the finish. Plenty of juicy fruit though across the fuller-bodied palate. It's not a big wine just neatly composed.
95 points, Wine Companion (February 2019)
Beautiful perfume, cassis and plummy notes, bay leaf, white pepper, ferrous notes, game meat and subtle bandaid notes. The palate is succulent and firm, cassis and bay leaf, pepper again, ferrous notes too. Feels very elegant, a touch rustic, and the finish shows licks of tart, lemony character lending an additional pucker over tannin. Has charm and presence.
92 points, The Wine Front (September 2020)
The 2017 Clementine Woodlands Brook Vineyard is a Cabernet-dominant blend, with 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Malbec, 13% Merlot, 9% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Franc. Violets, cassis and black cherries are joined by oaky notes of cedar and vanilla on the nose, while the palate is medium to full-bodied, rich and velvety. I marginally preferred the complexity of the 2018 Emily, although the 2017 Clementine is perhaps more classic.
92 points, Wine Advocate (January 2020)
Deep, dark red/purple colour, with a new-leather patina of fresh oak overlying black fruits, the palate tightly, firmly structured, with lingering grip and concentrated fruit. A solid, robust wine, with lots of oak and tannin as well as richness, which needs time to unfold all of its goodies.
93 points, The Real Review (September 2020)
Margaret River
Located three hours south of Perth, Margaret River is Western Australia’s most prestigious wine-growing region. Serious vineyard development began only in the late 1960’s following the publication of a report by John Gladstones in 1965 stating that the area had a similar climate to Pomerol or St Emilion, with low frost risk, plenty of sunshine and equable temperatures within the growing season promoting even ripening. Margaret River’s climate is warm and maritime, with some cooling influence provided by southeast trade winds. The soils derive from granitic and a gneissic rock over which laterite has formed. The region can be divided in three sub-regions: the cooler south between Yallingup and Karridale with predominantly lateritic gravelly loamy sands and sandy loams; the warm and sunnier Willyabrup in the centre with predominantly gravelly loams, but some gritty sandy loams and granitic gravels; and Margaret River in the north with similar soils, but slightly cooler temperatures. This is entirely consistent with style; the wines from Willyabrup being more generous than the highly structured wines of the north and the elegant styles of the south. Margaret River is best known for high quality Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blends and top notch Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux blends. Over the years, the region has established an astonishing reputation illustrating a consistency in quality and a strongly focused winemaking culture.
