The 2014 Cuvee d'Elevage Cabernet is an outstanding expression of a northern Margaret River Cabernet. Only the best fruit parcels combined with finest French oak lead to a perfumed bouquet of Cassis, ripe berries and cedar. The complex palate shows ripe and silky tannins, pure fruit intensity with red berries and cassis. Its finely structured with long lasting finish of cigar box and vanilla. Drink now or until 2028.

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.