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 In late 2011 Huon Hooke was shown a vertical of Woodlands Cabernet Sauvignons from 2008 to 2001. Each wine was decanted half an hour prior to tasting.
At Woodlands we are very proud that 4 of the 8 wines tasted were Huon's highest rated Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River in that year.
His notes are shown below, and we encourage you to visit Huon's website huonhooke.com to read more of his reviews.
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon – 95 Points (Rated 3rd of 42 2008 Cabernet Sauvignons tasted from Margaret River)
Deepish purple-red. Blue and red fruit aromas, touches of spice and herb, still a baby and the real payoff will come in three or four years. Soft, tannins, good fleshiness, nice depth and balance, roundness and texture. Some acidity showing. Blueberry dominates the palate flavours, even in this young wine the oak is not a noteworthy part of the aroma or flavour - it's superbly judged. More power and intensity than the Margaret.
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon – 95 Points (Rated 10th of 43 2007 Cabernet Sauvignons tasted from Margaret River)
Deepish purple-red, youthful colour. Nutty, blueberry and sappy aromas, very fragrant, but still nascent and only starting to build layers of complexity. Very taut, refined, medium-bodied, but intense flavour and elegance, acid is a trifle shrill; a delicate wine and perhaps lacks the power and sheer guts I expected of an '07. Still, a delightful wine with good flavour, line and length.
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon – 92 Points (Rated 5th of 19 2006 Cabernet Sauvignons tasted from Margaret River)
Medium to deep red-purple, slightly lighter colour compared to its neighbourig vintages. Very fragrant, intense, refined and complex to sniff: violets, red fruits, crushed leafy nuances from the cool year, but seems properly ripe. Some oaky notes too. Raspberry fruits are reminscent of cabernet franc. Lively acidity, tangy through the palate, a faint dip in the middle, and finish is balanced and quite long. A more delicate but intense and linear wine that is full of charm.
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon – 96 Points (Rated 1st of 38 2005 Cabernet Sauvignons tasted from Margaret River)
Medium to deep red-purple. Spicy red fruits and violets, blueberry/blue fruits too; nice tinges of oak well in harmony. Complex and detailed, with distinctive cabernet character and pin-point ripeness. Very intense, yet very elegant in mouth; fine-grained tannins, lovely texture and mouth-feel, great line and length.
2004 Cabernet Sauvignon – 94 Points –(Rated 3rd of 24 2004 Cabernet Sauvignons tasted from Margaret River)
Medium to deep red-purple, good colour, bright. Lovely fragrant raspberry/red-fruit aromas, violets and cedar notes too. Complex, multi-layered, lots of detail here. Intense and rich in the mouth, fleshy and penetrating, powerful and with an extra degree of fleshiness and gravitas - possibly partly due to more new oak. Great length and finish: a very satisfying drink. Superb wine.
2003 Cabernet Sauvignon – 94 Points (Rated 1st of 6 2003 Cabernet Sauvignons tasted from Margaret River)
Deepish red-purple, very good colour for age. Charred vegetable, cigar-butt, ashy and barbecued meat aromas, with some herbal elements. Palate is refined and tight, intense and linear, with good acidity and piercing presence. Very fine texture and profile, line and length. Some density too. Very good wine.
2002 Cabernet Sauvignon – 96 Points (Rated 1st of 4 2002 Cabernet Sauvignons tasted from Margaret River)
Deepish red with a purple tint: excellent colour retention for its age. Dusty, crushed leafy cabernet aromas, fresh and bright and clean and young for its age. Intense and refined, piercing flavour and acidity, yet very elegant in the mouth; medium-bodied and long. Lovely drinking.
2001 Cabernet Sauvignon – 94 Points (Rated 1st of 2 2001 Cabernet Sauvignons tasted from Margaret River)
Deep red/brick-red, no purple tint remaining. Rich, baked fruit aromas, a whiff of alcohol fuminess and no sign of herbaceous characters. Complex charcuterie and roasted meats aromas, toasty and deep, ripe and rich. Intense flavour, lively acidity - which sticks out a little - and superbly long flavour. A riper, more robust Woodlands style, but still elegant and fine. In hindsight, an atypical vintage.
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