WOODLANDS | Clémentine | 2017
cabernet sauvignon | malbec | merlot | petit verdot | cabernet franc

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The other wine that we are going to review today hardly requires any introduction, as this is one of the most famous labels from the lands of Down Under – Clémentine 2017 by Woodlands. The story of this famous winery started in 1973, when the estate was established by David & Heather Watson on Caves Road in Wilyabrup, and was one of the first five vineyards to be planted in the Margaret River wine region. Clémentine is the flagship, cabernet-based blend of the Woodlands Brook Vineyard, first released in 2015, named after the daughter of the current estate owners – a blend of five grape varieties: cabernet sauvignon (56%), malbec (16%), merlot (13%), petit verdot (9%) and cabernet franc (6%), where cabernet sauvignon forms the wine’s main body and structure, malbec is all about up-front richness and black fruit flavors, merlot builds a more refined mid-palate, petit verdot add more floral notes, tannin extract and enhances the wine’s color depth, whereas cabernet franc offers a leaner and a more dynamic finish. In order to soften the tannins and add extra complexity to the final blend, the wine has been aged for 16 months in french oak barriques. But enough with all that theory, that said and without further ado, let’s take a look at the wine tasting results.
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:

//Visual
colour: deep ruby color
clarity: bright indigo shades

//Olfactory
intensity: powerful & expressive
fruit profile: black fruits | blue fruits
__black fruits: black plum | blackberry | blackcurrant | black cherry
__blue fruits: blue plum | blueberry
fruit character: overripe

//Flavor
non fruit: spice | oak | earth
__spice: cloves | anise | cinnamon | nutmeg
__oak: roasted oak | black tea | sun-dried oakwood | sweet tobacco | oaktree bark
__earth: black soil | dust | pencil lead
primary layer: fruit & oak

//Palate
sweetness: dry
acidity: high
alcohol: medium+
tannin: medium+
__grip: fine
balance: good
__dominant: acidity
body: supple | medium+

//Taste
fruit profile: blue & black fruits
fruit character: ripe
non fruit: spice & oak
finish: medium
aftertaste: crisp

//Scoring
WOODLANDS | Clémentine | 2017
variety: cabernet sauvignon | malbec | merlot | petit verdot | cabernet franc
country: Australia | Western Australia
region: Margaret River | Wilyabrup
rating: 92.3

//Conclusion
maturity: developing | age for another 2 or 3 years
verdict: fine | highly recommended

//Prediction
predicted RP rating: 90

//RP Rating
actual RP rating: 92

//All Ratings
The critics’ rating distribution:

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This is definitely a fine wine of Australia and, with a total of 92.3 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.

Verdict: this is a quite crisp, lean and supple wine that is still in its development phase, therefore a wine that will definitely benefit from another 2 to 3 years of bottle ageing. On the nose the wine displays overripe blue and black fruits in the foreground, supported by a quite nuanced, spicy-oaky background and a subtle earthy layer in between. On the palate the wine delivers exuberant acidity, ripe and fine-grained tannins and a touch of alcoholic warmth that is showing through on the mouthfeel. All in all this is an expressive, rich and slightly angular wine, that in its current youthful state lacks a bit of harmony and finesse on the palate. Judging by the wine’s structure, our recommendation is to drink it sooner rather than later, as we firmly believe that it is always better to drink a wine a year too soon than a day too late. This is a wine that will pair lovely with meaty dishes that are rich in natural umami flavours, like for example a black angus filet mignon or an old-fashioned filet mignon steak. Cheers!

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© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation.