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Xavier Bizot can make wine anywhere he pleases, he is a Bollinger and grew up amongst the Vignobles Superieurs of Champagne. Bizot has chosen to make wine alongside Brian Croser's family, from grapes harvested off three magnificent sites, on two paradoxically varied terrains. Planted to the salubrious Terra rosa soils atop an invaluable archeological dig at Wrattonbully, rich with the undisturbed fossils of ancient Cenozoic sea animals, Crayeres Vineyard was established right across the road from Tapanappa's illustrious Whalebone. The weather here is astonishingly similar to Bordeaux and makes an awesome Cabernet Franc. Xavier Bizot and Lucy Croser are also fortunate to take their pick of properties in Adelaide Hills. To wit, Charles (Chilly) Hargrave's distinguished old vines at Summerton and a highly opportune slice.. The twin tales of terre a terre»
Crafted from small parcels of single vineyard, Gippsland fruit, treated to the traditional old world regimens of whole bunch and wild yeast ferments. These are a range of new world Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to match the classic Cru La Bourgogne, the cool ripening climes provide the perfect chill to encourage velvet tannins. Home Block Chardonnay, a big burgundian style with weighty palate and outstanding length, driven by powerful orchard fruit complexity, supported by textural and seductive, creamy oak richness. Exclusively Myrtle Point grown Pinot Noir, its bright sassafras, cherry fruit complexity is supported by charming pastoral elegance, a touch of barnyard, French oak sophistication and the soundest structure... All that's good from gippsland »
Clonakilla are one of our nation's most eminent vineyard wineries, a tiny production operation, established by a CSIRO scientist at Murrumbateman, very near Canberra. It turned out to be a fortuitous planting, with a climate not dissimilar to Bordeaux and northern Rhone, the Clonakilla property now occupies a rank next to the mighty Grange on the prestigious Exceptional Langtons Classification, it yields vintages of Australia's most invaluable Shiraz. At $26.99, the estate's entry level belies its stature and excellence within the pantheon of great Australian wine, an essential experience this week for all enthusiasts, a canny choice for shrewd and judicious aspirants of elite new world Shiraz... Here's what our most picky pundits prefer»

Woodlands Wilyabrup Cabernet Franc Merlot CONFIRM VINTAGE

Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Cabernet Franc Malbec Margaret River Western Australia
Very few vineyards yield the quality of fruit that merits vintaging into a statuesque wine dominated by the prettily fragrant Cabernet Franc. Woodlands were established from the ground up with a view to achieving limited harvests of the arcane Bordeaux varietals, only a few hundred cases of good red wine per vintage. There are now two estate vineyards, located within two kilometres of each other in Wilyabrup Valley, dry grown and farmed through traditionally organic techniques. The sanctity of soil yields a vividly varietal Cabernet Franc of finite peerage.
An assemblage of fruit harvested off Woodlands Brook Vineyard in the Wilyabrup Valley of Margaret River. Grapes are picked in small batches, row by row as each parcel achieves complete and optimal ripeness. A special hopper lifts fruit into the air before gently shaking the bunches into the destemmer, which in turn removes stems by swinging a cage from side to side. This process is much more gentle on the fruit, ensuring that shot berries, dry and unripe grapes remain on the stems and out of the wine. Upon completion of ferments, batches are filled to a high proportion of new French oak barrels for fourteen months maturation.
Woodlands
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Woodlands
Woodlands is a ten hectare vineyard located in the Wilyabrup region of Margaret River established in 1973 by David and Heather Watson and remains family owned and operated

Woodlands vineyard was one of the first five vineyards to be planted in the Margaret River Wine Region. David and Heather aimed to create wines to emulate the great vineyards of Bordeaux, namely Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet based blends. Woodlands came to fame early on with the release of the 1981 Andrew Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine took out trophies for Best Red Wine at the Perth Wine Show, the Mt Barker Wine Show and the National Wine Show. This wine was the first from Margaret River to achieve a National Red Wine Trophy. Subsequent Cabernets made by David Watson won trophies and critical acclaim across the country.

Woodlands

In 1992 Woodlands production virtually ceased while David and Heather brought their children up in private schools in Perth, and fruit was sold to other high profile producers in the region. In 1999, with the children out of school, Woodlands began to produce wines again, making the most of its fully mature vines. Woodlands now has an annual production of 4000 cases, specializing in red wine. David’s son Stuart has been the winemaker at Woodlands since 2002.

In 2005 Woodlands won Trophies at the Margaret River Wine Show and the Winewise Small Vignerons Awards. Woodlands also won gold medals at the National Wine Show, the Margaret River Wine Show (2 golds), the Perth Royal Wine Show, the Rutherglen Wine Show (2 golds), the Winewise Small Vignerons Awards, and the Boutique Winemaker’s Awards.

Winemaking is minimalist at Woodlands, the emphasis being on small open ferments and excellent barrel selection. Woodlands still aims to emulate the great wines of Bordeaux, and today stands closer to its goal then ever before. The Wilyabrup sub-region is in the heart the Margaret River wine-growing region, and contains most of Margaret River’s oldest and most respected wineries.

Woodlands

In 1973 cuttings were taken from the Moss Wood vineyard located across the road, and an initial planting of eight acres was made in rows heading east-west along the contour of the property - 3 meters between rows and 1.75 meters between vines. The initial planting comprised 3 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon. A further 5 acres was planted between 1974 and 1976, comprising Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. The old block was completed in 1985, with 4 acres of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon planted. Subsequent plantings now sees Woodlands with a total of twenty six acres (ten hectares) of vines.

The soil at Woodlands is composed of 30cm of top soil, a bed of 30 cm of gravel extending to 60 cm of gravel and then a bed of white clay, ensuring excellent sub soil drainage for root development. Woodlands is located within its own valley, with slopes rising in each direction and the Woodlands Brook running through the centre. Woodlands vineyard is dry grown and maintained by hand. Attention in the vineyard includes cane pruning, bunch thinning, hand plucking the leaves around the fruit zone, crop thinning and hand picking.

"The quality of the grapes, with a priceless core of 6.8 ha of 30+ year old cabernet sauvignon, more recently joined by merlot, malbec, cabernet franc, pinot noir and chardonnay, has never been in doubt. Whatever the shortcomings of the 1990s, these days Woodlands is producing some spectacular wines in small quantities. The larger volume Cabernet Sauvignon is also of very high quality. Some behind the scenes consultancy advice has played its part, and Woodlands is now a major player in the top echelon of Margaret River producers. " -James Halliday

Woodlands