2021 Woodlands Clementine, Margaret River

Deep, bright red-purple colour, good for its years, the bouquet likewise shows complex black fruits and cedar, leather, cigarbox and tobacco aromas, while the palate is full bodied and firm with lavish tannins and serious structure. Long, long carry. Impressive wine. Drink to 2036.

95 points Huon Hooke for The Real Review, November 2025

Split between 45/23/22/10% cabernet sauvignon/malbec/merlot/petit verdot. Tasted early in its journey and it’s still coming together. A core of ripe mulberries and blackberries, choc-mint, menthol and lots of sweet/charry oak, which has yet to amalgamate. Fuller bodied with densely packed tannins yet a vibrancy within. Just too young, so come back to this in another year or so for a much more aligned drink. Drink to 2035.

92 points Jane Faulkner for Halliday Wine Companion, August 2024 

From the cool 2022 season, this vintage of Clémentine is a 45/23/22/10 blend of Wilyabrup Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot from the Woodlands Brook vineyard. Matured for 18 months in French oak barrels of which 39% were new, the result is a full-bodied red with complex black fruit flavours courtesy of the generous inclusion of Malbec and Petit Verdot. You could enjoy this now after a generous time in the decanter, but is no doubt going to look its best after a few more years in the bottle and has structure and tannins for extended cellaring.

About this producer

Woodlands was established in 1973 by David and Heather Watson. It was one of the first five estates to be planted in Margaret River, today drawing fruit from the original vineyard on Caves Road as well as the nearby Woodlands Brook vineyard, both in the northern Wilyabrup sub-region and the latter somewhat further away from the coast.

The vineyards cover 28 hectares and are dry-grown and hand-tended. The original Woodland vineyard is today certified organic, while Woodlands Brook is organic-in-conversion, with viticultural practices at both sites also including nods to biodynamic principles.

Woodlands remains a family-owned producer, with brothers Andrew and Stuart Watson continuing their parents’ work.