Boasting an address on Caves Road, Margaret River, Woodlands was initially established by David and Heather Watson in 1973. It’s actually one of the region’s six oldest vineyards. The first plantings were 6.5 ha of cabernet sauvignon, which was augmented by smaller plantings of merlot, malbec and cabernet franc between 1974 and 1976. Another couple of acres of cabernet and chardonnay were added in 1985, while some pinot noir was also planted in the early 1980s. These early vineyards were deliberately planted on cooler south-facing slopes in a bid to maximise the elegance and lightly herbal qualities of the cabernet family. With the next generation of Watsons showing plenty of enthusiasm for the business, a new vineyard comprising 2.5 ha of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and malbec was developed in 1995. These vines are on a warmer north-facing site, and are largely responsible for the exceptionally attractive and remarkably affordable Cabernet Merlot, this issue’s Wine of the Month. Cabernet loves gravel soil, and beneath Woodland’s 30 cm of topsoil lies a 30 cm deep bed of gravel overlying white clay. Drainage and root development present no problem at all. Today the property has 10 ha under vine. Woodlands was operated by David Watson as very much a part-time concern, although from time to time it was responsible for small volumes of exceptional wine. Its focus has changed dramatically since 2002, the year that his son, Stuart, began as its full-time winemaker. ‘I look for elegance, fineness and tightness in cabernet sauvignon’, says Stuart Watson. ‘If I compare the latest two vintages of Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon, I actually prefer the finer and slightly more herbal wine made in 2002.’ Woodlands’ flagship wine has long been its Cabernet Sauvignon, usually named after an individual close to the Watson family. In its context, the 2001 ‘Kevin’ is a powerful and sumptuous wine supported by some slightly edgy oak. The 2002 ‘Emile May’, due for release in January, is fine, silky and supremely elegant, with a dusty, leafy note to its aromas and some intense, penetrative fruit on the palate. It’s finely focused and will mature for well over a decade. Only 200 cases of this wine were made. The 2001 release sells ex cellar for $79. A similar quantity was made of the Margaret Reserve Cabernet Merlot 2003, a blend of 55% cabernet, 29% merlot and 16% malbec. Smooth and supple, it delivers some delightfully vibrant cherry/berry flavour framed by tight, firm tannins. It finishes with a hint of cedar and goat’s cheese and sells for $38 ex cellar. With only six rows planted in their vineyard, the Watsons still release a tiny make of 50 cases of Cabernet Franc. The 2004 wine is juicy, fine-grained and elegant, with a dusty, spicy and slightly confectionary perfume of red cherries, raspberries and floral undertones over restrained vanilla oak. Smooth and supple, it’s long, even and silky, medium to full in weight, presenting a lightly herbal expression of red plum cherries and berries tightly wound around dusty tannins. It’s $55 at the cellar door. ‘I find that even a small amount of cabernet franc in a blend with Margaret River cabernet makes the wine look hard-edged’, says Stuart Watson. ‘That’s why we tend to keep it out of our blends and release it by itself. The small scale of the make mean it’s a labour of love, but our customers enjoy the feeling that they’re buying such a limited-run wine.’ Another fascinating 50-case run is the Woodlands Malbec. I really like the 2002 and 2003 vintages of this wine, but find the 2004 edition to be a little too vegetal and sour-edged for a top rating. If you’re into malbec, do keep an eye out for this maker. The 2004 sells ex cellar for $55. The Watsons have just finished investing ‘a bucket of money’ into their vineyard, and Stuart is delighted with the results in the barrel from the 2004 and 2005 seasons. As many others before him have noted but possibly not expressed with such clarity, ‘It’s surprising the wine you can make when you have good fruit’. Look out for Woodlands in future. It might be the best surprise of your year.
