Woodlands Wilyabrup Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2021

Drink now or cellar for up to 10 years. No need to decant before serving. One of the very first vineyards to be planted in Margaret River, Woodlands was founded by David and Heather Watson in 1973. Inspired by their love of Bordeaux-style Cabernet blends, the couple dreamed of creating magnificent red wines of their own from the virgin terroir of the Wilyabrup Valley. Today the winery is considered one of the best in Australia, and in 2021 it was listed in Wine & Spirits magazine’s Top 100 Wineries of the Year. Woodlands has a total of 10 hectares of vines which are all farmed organically and vinified using vegan-friendly methods. In this punchy red Cabernet is blended with Merlot along with a smaller proportion of Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. To ensure only the best fruit goes into the bottle, the grapes are carefully sorted berry by berry on arrival in the winery with the final blend matured in French oak barrels for 14 months. Exuberant notes of cassis, blackberry and dark plum burst out of the glass, followed by undertones of sage, dried violets, and toasted oak. On the palate there’s a generous full body, firm tannins, and a long finish with lingering dark berry flavours and hints of spice.

Price: £16.48 from 8wines UK