Woodlands Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Clémentine Eloise’ 2016

Each year our Cabernet Sauvignon is named after a family member or friend. 2016 marked the birth of Andrew and Marie’s daughter Clémentine Eloise Watson. “Birth” year wines are always very special for us – our 2016 vintage joins the rare club of 1978, 1981, 1983, 2002, 2012 and 2014. We believe 2016 may go down in history as Margaret River’s greatest vintage.

A perfect warm summer was interrupted by 90mm of rain in mid-January, after which per the great conditions continued. Our unirrigated vines loved the drink and went on to produce wines of class and restrained power, balanced by great natural acidity. Our Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from our original plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc found on our south-facing slope. The soil Sauvignon profile of this slope is generally sandy loam over gravel and clay. These four small plots receive the greatest number of sunlight hours on our vineyard, but the east-west orientation of the vines ensures a slow fruit maturation. These are the last batches we harvest each year – and in 2016 the harvest ran from the 22nd of March to the 1st of April, yielding 5.8 tonnes per hectare.

Our 2016 is a captivating dark crimson, sitting in the glass with confidence and ease. The nose is magnetic and engaging, with a spirited crunch and vibrant red fruits interlaced with violet and black rose tea. A backdrop of dark cherries and blackcurrant mixes with scented aromatics of mace and sandalwood. The palate is pristine and polished, and sheathed in a velvet veil of tannin, promising years in the cellar. We thoroughly recommend cellaring until at least 2022, and it will continue to cellar well until 2040.

A timeless and elegant Cabernet- like the movie “Casablanca” it dances, unravels and weaves, and tells a story you will want to watch time and time again..

“Each year, the Woodlands Cabernet Sauvignon is named after a different family member. The 2016 Clementine Eloise Woodlands Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon boasts wonderfully pure cassis aromas, with subtle underpinnings of vanilla and baking spices. It’s medium to full-bodied, plush and silky, adding notes of raspberries, mulberries and vanilla along the way to a long, mouth-watering finish. The Cabernet Sauvignon (94% of the blend) comes from the estate’s original 1973 plantings, while the balance is 4% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc.”– 95 Points – Robert Parker

“This picturesque little vineyard planted in 1973 opposite Metricup Road is one of the finest small producers in Australia, with the trio of founder David Watson and sons Stuart and Andrew producing a remarkable range of wines. The wines, especially the cabernets and cabernet blends, are consistently exceptional, reflecting both region and site, worth going to the cellar door to check out some special limited-release wines.The latest cabernet is a sensational wine. One of the most beautifully elegant of these super-premium top-drawer Woodlands cabernets. This was a vintage known for its hefty tannins, yet the management in the vineyard and winery has harnessed these to be part of an elegant wine of blissful refinement. Perfumed notes of black fruit and violets. The palate is so beautifully woven with effortless power and palate length. The chalky mouthfeel adds further appeal.”– Wine of the Year, Red Wine of the Year, Cabernet of the Year, 99 points, Ray Jordan.

“Eloise one of The Damned more operatic songs, which is likely apposite for the style of wine we have here. Deep, black fruit, dark mint chocolate and nougat, cedar, vanilla and toast oak, latent floral perfume under all that.Tense, powerful, black fruit, some redcurrant freshness peeking though,  in with tobacco and perfume. A spine of firm tannin, crisp acidity, backed up with plenty of oak. Choc-nougat flavour in the long aftertaste. Very tight. Needs a decade or more. Alcohol: 13.5%, Posted on 17th March 2020” – The Wine Front.

“Deepish red colour with a tint of purple and a reserved, subtly fragrant bouquet of multi-faceted floral aromas, roses to the fore, with red rather than dark fruits, raspberry included and subtle spice touches. The palate is all about elegance and detail rather than power or concentration for their own sake. The tannins are especially refined. A very stylish wine indeed. (Grown on the original Woodlands Vineyard on Caves Road, planted 1973) 17 MAR 2020 Drink: 2020–2040” – 96 Points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review.