The archetypal west coast Bordeaux style, a vibrant
cepage of Cabernet and Merlot, Malbec and Franc, picked off the first vineyards ever planted to Margaret River. A component from the younger Woodlands Brook site contributes structure and aromatics. Woodlands remains an enigma, as the vineyard team place great trust in the quality of fruit, the finished wine can be both pretty and powerful. Vinified exclusively of Wilyabrup parcels, painstakingly hand sorted, berry by berry, the graceful tannins continue to soften, as the fruit begins to sing.
Woodlands Brook is currently planted to six hectares of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot on a north facing slope of loam soils. Grapes are hand picked, batches are gently crushed and separately fermented to retain integrity of varietals, most parcels are treated to a closed fermentation, a process called upon to retain the intensity and power of fruit. Other smaller batches are treated to open ferments, a technique which enhances aromaticness. Some batches can be treated to full or partial malolactic to add complexity and enhance the integration with oak. Woodlands is transferred to a selection of French oak barriques to be aged fourteen months before assemblage.
TASTING NOTESIntense crimson in colour. The nose shows brooding characters of mulberries, blackberries and dark cherry combined with toasty French oak notes. Best described as classic and refined, the palate is very rich and dense, with considerable weight and power. Woodland finishes with ripe fine grained tannins.