It made for a challenging assignment when I had to choose just one wine to be my wine of the year in my annual West Australian Wine Guide 2020. In the end I came down with the Woodlands, which I have to say has claims to be finest yet in this distinguished line of great wines. The Woodlands was also judged best red wine and best Cabernet Sauvignon, a mighty feast.

One of the most beautifully elegant of these super premium Woodlands Cabernets. This was a vintage known for the heft of its tannins, harnessed to be part of an elegant wine of blissful refinement. Perfumed notes of black fruit and violets. The palate is so beautifully woven with effortless power and length.

Each year, the Woodlands Cabernet Sauvignon is named after a different family member. The 2016 Clementine Eloise Woodlands Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon boasts wonderfully pure cassis aromas, with subtle underpinnings of vanilla and baking spices. It's medium to full-bodied, plush and silky, adding notes of raspberries, mulberries and vanilla along the way to a long, mouthwatering finish. The Cabernet Sauvignon (94% of the blend) comes from the estate's original 1973 plantings, while the balance is 4% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc.