Woodlands ‘Margaret’ Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2007 (Margaret River, WA)
$33, Screwcap, 13.5%
Winery Website

Firstly, I have to admit a certain bias with this label. The Woodlands style sits very easily with me, with the savoury, medium bodied, cellar worthy, terroir driven wines never failing to excite me. Woodlands is thus, along with Meerea Park, well represented in my cellar.

What I’m trying to say is that this wine, this winery, this style, is The Shit, and I’ll tell anyone who cares to listen. I actually tried some of the components that went into this particular wine from barrel just under two years ago, guided by the Bordeaux loving proprietor, big Stuart Watson himself. At the time he was so excited by the 07 wines he could barely contain himself…

To the wine – purple red in colour, the nose is classic Margaret River Cabernet blend: Blackberry and blackcurrant, rosemary, spice, leather & fragrant herbaceous overtones, backed by low level, edge smoothing oak. Its so perfect and pure and awesome-o. The palate? The palate just relays the perfection of the nose, with red berries, cedar, gum leaf & tannins that go on and on. Its almost perfectly ripe erring on the leafy side (which I like) and sits at the ideologically perfect 13.5% alcohol mark.

Already a lovely drink, already balanced (in the true style of great wines) and it will continue to evolve for a decade without quibbles. The price? at $33 (ex cellar door by the 6 pack) this is a back the truck up bargain.

Buy it right now. 19.0