The Woodlands Margaret is, true to its name, a realisation of all that is great about Margaret River, arguably Australias home of the Bordeaux style. Sourced from the Woodlands Vineyards in Wilyabrup this is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 8% Malbec. Considering the price of the Watson familys flagship, the Margaret offers truly outstanding value.

This wine shows the style of the vintage and quite likely the impact of the small crop. In such years, Cabernet Sauvignon in particular, has a complex but somewhat subdued nose, where the wine hints of the underlying power and complexity but takes years to reveal its true colours. So here we see smouldering red currant, black currant and mulberry, with a floral, violet lift, sitting over cedar and tar. On the palate there is concentration and length - dark fruits combining with firm tannin and leather and tarry notes.

Colour and Condition: Deep brick red hue; bright condition. Nose: A really youthful appeal, with an immediate impression of dark fruit aromas black berries, mulberries and black currants. A second viewing shows the beginnings Merlots darker side, with tar, leather and earth just starting to add complexity into the background. Palate: The classic Merlot palate, with rich, dark berry flavours like black jubes filling the front and mid palate. Firm tannin then takes over and gives the wine a linear, astringent but not too aggressive finish, which is juicy and concentrated.

A concentrated dark fruit spectrum with an abundance of ripe blackcurrants, cherries and a hint of cassis. Coffee bean, dark chocolate and black olives lie beneath. Subtle dustiness combines with a seductive violet lift, enhancing the varietal fragrance and increasing complexity. A dense and layered palate with incredible texture. The generosity of the palate is carefully laced with a fine and structural acid line. Dark cherries and currants weave through smokey and mocha notes, finishing with long tactile tannins.

Cherubino Wines Cherubino Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River Winemaker Larry Cherubino of Cherubino wines has built a reputation for making superlative quality expressions of Western Australias trophy varieties. The namesake Cherubino Cabernet Sauvignon is a testament to his deft hand. Rich and redolentand one for the oak acolyteswe can see it rewarding for the next two decades or more in the cellar. Made with hand-harvested Margaret River fruit, the grapes undergo six weeks of maceration before being pressed to tank. Deep and intense dark berry and cherry aromas abound, with soft, silky tannins guiding the way. Shop Cherubino Wines >

Still very youthful, the quality French oak riding high in the saddle. This is a wine of excellent quality, ticking every box. Its texture and balance are admirable, the varietal character likewise.