100 Points Decanter
I was able to taste this wine over three days, and it further cemented my impression that Woodbridge’s wines are profoundly structured and balanced and while they offer serious upfront pleasure, they will deliver rewarding complexities with long-term cellaring. Upon opening a heady hit of resin, sap, cedar, and graham cracker crust only hints at what is lurking beneath as mineral nuances shortly emerge. Compact and perfectly knit together, there are no gaps, no edges, and the firm, taut sleek tannin prolife is so perfectly integrated as to be weightless. After half an hour, red-toned fruits with intimations of black become more defined, as pure black cherry, with a crunchy outer skin and a juicy, succulent, flesh core. With more time, the wine becomes beautifully perfumed and elegant, offering hints of chocolate. The sweetness of the fruit is tempting and hovers at the surface, intimating more depth. A day later, the wine is still exceptionally fragrant, with mulled spices emerging, building with intensity layered by black and blue fruit and no sense of imbalance. Still perfectly knit and generous. On the third day of tasting, the wine is holding on like a heavyweight champ. It has begun to offer rich, warm earthen humus notes and a real sense of volcanic terroir. It is still broad and expansive with a density of flavour and complexity but manages to remain balletic and almost weightless. Such an impressive feat for a wine that is truly otherworldly.
100 Points The Wine Independent
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Wraith is so floral, with scents of roses and violets over a core of black and red currant jelly, Morello cherries, and wild blueberries plus hints of cardamom, cumin seed, and forest floor. The full-bodied palate is rich and super-concentrated yet bright, elegant, and mineral-sparked, finishing long.
