2015 vintage. Really well balanced at this point. Medium body. No sharp edges or outstanding, individual components screaming to be noticed. Pretty well blended and viable now and should stay as such for the next 7-10 years. Silkiness up top, rhubarb + caramelized cranberry mid-palate and recent storm woodlands on the finish. Consistent producer both white and red Burgs. 3.15.23. — 9 months ago
2015 vintage. Big. Full. Needs time. Lots of time. If drinking now, give it at least a two hour decant pre-consumption. Medium bodied with plenty of grip. Plenty of cherries, oak, plum with a splash of woodlands air and an infinitesimal schwing of Hawaiian Punch. Maan, these La Granges generally need two decades to resolve/settle down/marry/divorce. — 2 years ago
2017 vintage. Plummy, summer oak woodlands/forest nose. Medium body. Slightly more fruit-driven than the excellent 2016 that was sleeker with a little more acidity and a long-ager. This effort is still really nice and another beautiful entry into the historical, Antinori wine library. 4.5.23. — 8 months ago
Slightly heavy, but good — 2 years ago
From 375ml.
N: Chocolate covered morello cherries. Deep nose, sappy pine forest, damp. A hint of clove. Balsam.
P: That’s one fully engaging wine, Deep and bright, a world of browns. Really refreshing, and unctuous, woodlands, prunes, cinnamon. It goes on. — 2 years ago
Delicious — 4 months ago
This is Woodlands best Cabernet Cuvée named after family members or friends - in this case Thomas. Mid to dark crimson with a youthful purple rim. 96% Cabernet, 3% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Franc. A classic Margaret River Cabernet showing mulberry and bay leaf (without the herbaceousness ) cedar and blackcurrant. More elegant than blockbuster. A touch of astringency to separate it from the truly great Margaret River vintages. — 5 months ago
Woodlands premium Cabernet every year is named after a family member. Shelley Anne is the wife of Stuart Watson, winemaker and part owner. The nose is herbal with notes of blackberry. I reckon I could pick this as Margaret River Cabernet in a blind tasting. On the palate vanillin oak is noticeable which is surprising at 15 years of age. Next night that vanilla oak was still poking through, which will probably always be there. The normal descriptors of bay leaf and cigar box somewhat subdued by the oak. One of my favourite Cabernets in Australia but not as much in 2008. 4 left in the cellar. It will be interesting to see any changes in the next 5 years. See previous note from November 2018. The 2009 the following year was an absolute stunner. Had another bottle of the 2008 37 weeks later on 12th November. Always a great bottle with a good BBQ Steak. Very Margaret River herbaceous and to be ultra critical this needs more mid palate fruit with blackberry and cassis to get a few more points. — 10 months ago
Bob McDonald
See previous note from February 2023. A full bodied Margaret River Cabernet - cassis and herbs. This is really good. From the dress circle Wilyabrup area of northern Margaret river with neighbours like Moss Wood, Woodlands, Vasse Felix and Cullen etc. Barb said woody notes (not meaning oak influence). All the best Margaret River Cabernet attributes with the texture and mouthfeel of an excellent Barossa Shiraz. We both loved this wine. Have the last one in mid 2025. — a month ago