Woodlands Cabernet Franc Merlot 'Emily' 2021

One of the most distinctive wines in the Woodlands Wines portfolio, Emily is a rare Margaret River interpretation of a classic Right Bank Bordeaux blend. First produced in 1989 by founder David Watson and his friend Peter Anderson, the wine was inspired by the great wines of Saint-Émilion and created from the estate's remaining parcels of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec.

Woodlands itself was established in 1973 by David and Heather Watson on Caves Road in Wilyabrup — one of the first five vineyards planted in Margaret River — with the aim of making wines to emulate the great vineyards of Bordeaux. Since the purchase of Woodlands Brook Vineyard in 2007, with its Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot on a gentle north-facing slope of sandy loam, Emily has been both a tribute to the Right Bank and an expression of that site.

The somewhat cooler 2021 season allowed an extended harvest and produced a powerful, dense Cabernet Franc, which leads this vintage. The wine was matured for 14 months in 300L French oak barrels, 40% of them new. David Watson rates it among the very best Emilys, likening its gravelly blackcurrant fruit to the 1989.

The blend comprises:

45% Cabernet Franc
45% Merlot
8% Malbec
1% Cabernet Sauvignon
1% Petit Verdot

Intense deep crimson in colour. The nose shows strawberry, black cherry and chai spice, with the oak prominent for now but set to settle with time. The palate is very powerful: Cabernet Franc's violet and blackcurrant lead, backed by vanilla, cocoa and sweet spice. The tannins are very fine but firm at this stage — a wine built for long-term cellaring.

“Lovely gravelly blackcurrant fruit - reminiscent of the 1989 Emily. This is one of our best Emily’s.” — David Watson

95 Points — Jane Faulkner (published 6 July 2023)
“Cabernet franc and merlot are the driving force of Emily, making this a supple, approachable wine, a supple and approachable wine. The tannins are rather fine yet expand across the medium-bodied palate where a cascade of dark fruits, spice, warm earth and florals have left a mark. In a way, this is the most subtle and restrained Woodlands wine. Don’t hold back.”

Tasting Notes

Strawberry, black cherry and chai spice
Violet and blackcurrant
Vanilla, cocoa and sweet spice
Very fine, firm tannins
Powerful and built for the cellar

Food Pairing Perfect with braised pork cheek stew, Yorkshire pudding and mushroom gravy.

Wine Details

Producer: Woodlands Wines
Wine: Emily
Region: Wilyabrup, Margaret River, Western Australia
Vintage: 2021
Blend: 45% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot, 8% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot
Maturation: 14 months in 300L French oak barrels (40% new)
Style: Right Bank Bordeaux-inspired Blend