Winemaker of the year

Gourmet Traveller Wine

Keith Mugford – Moss Wood, 2005 Finalist – Winemaker of the year Written by Peter Forrestal – Gourmet Traveller Wine, June/July 2005

Experimentation and acquisition have defined the wines, but a keen sense of business has seen the vineyards prosper.

The MBA studies have changed the way that Keith Mugford thinks about what he does as a winemaker and as manager of a small family business. He brings intellectual rigour to his analysis of how recent changes have affected Moss Wood. As their four children grew older, Mugford and his wife, Clare, realised they would need to expand if the family business was to move into the next generation – buying nearby Ribbon Vale vineyard in 2000 was the first step. The family has relocated to Perth and Mugford runs the business from there, helped by a weekly overnight visit to Margaret River in addition to a constant stream of phone conversations.

Mugford believes a change of personnel does not necessarily mean a change of direction. Although the former owners, Bill and Sandra Pannell, have been away from Moss Wood for 20 years, they still influence the ethos of the organisation. Their strong culture of doing things well, established from 1969 to 1984, influences how those at Moss Wood operate today. One way in which the organisation is stronger since Mugford ceased to be hands-on is that the winery now has specifications for each wine, whereas beforehand these were carried around in his head. These requirements are now reviewed annually and debated vigorously by all involved in the winemaking process.

As chief winemaker, Mugford sees himself as both a link to the past and a link to the market. While the wines have been refined in recent years – by re-trellising and soil conservation techniques; by the addition of cabernet franc, petit verdot and a touch of merlot to the cabernet sauvignon; by work on post-fermentation maceration to achieve better tannin balance – Mugford still looks to the 1975-77 cabernets as benchmarks for the style. He thinks about each new vintage in terms of how it relates to previous harvests. As a messenger to the market, he is able to inform current directions in light of customer expectations. From his work in marketing, he feels he now has a better overview than was possible when he was in the winery before.

Problems with random oxidation in the Moss Wood chardonnays of the 1990s has seen expermentation with increased levels of fruit exposure, which has begun to have an impact on the 2003/2004 varieties. This, plus earlier picking, has altered the fruit profile of these wines from ripe peach and melon to white peach and nectarine, giving the wines fresher, natural acidity, greater tightness, a more steely backbone and reduced alcohol.

The big challenge following the purchase of Ribbon Vale vineyard has been to assimilate its wines into the Moss Wood portfolio. In the past five years, the vineyard has been re-trellised to improve shoot positioning and fruit exposure and to help manage yields. The impact of this work is evident in the 2002/2003 Ribbon Vale reds, which show a gradual harnessing of the natural tannins of the vineyard so that the cabernet merlot and merlot show power and concentration of flavour, with more restraint and better balance. The semillon sauvignon blanc from the same vineyard has quickly estalished itself as a top blend of its kind from Margaret River.

So far, all the Moss Wood wines have come from single vineyards: the four estate varietals, those from Ribbon Vale, the Lefroy Brook Vineyard at Pemberton (owned by Patrick and Barbara Holt) and the Glenmore Vineyard in Yallingup (owned and managed by Moss Wood winemaker Ian Bell). The improvement in the Ribbon Vale reds has left a gap for an entry-level red, which has been filled by Amy’s Blend – a blend of cabernets.

The 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon is arguably the best wine produced from the estate and the epitome of the variety from Margaret River. Powerful, opulent and complex, it stands as a beacon of what has been achieved at Moss Wood by Keith Mugford and a team dedicated to doing the best they can with an exceptional site, of which they are temporary guardians.

“Keith has worked hard to polish the jewel he acquired in Moss Wood, remaining true to the estate concept, never wavering from the quality path, and at the same time extending and enhancing the portfolio” – HUON HOOKE

Rating: Stars
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Top of the Class

Qantas Magazine – June 2005 Top of the Class – Pore over the eight contenders for our 2005 winemaker of the year

Keith Mugford – Moss Wood The signature Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon epitomises the depth, power and elegant structure of the finest mature Margaret River vineyards. The 2001 is the best yet. Mugford’s recent focus on Chardonnay has seen a dramatic improvement in style and quality. Now more taut and mineral, they also reflect a controlled but freewheeling element of funkiness that Mugford is now confident to encourage.

Rating: Stars
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Ray Jordan guide to wine

Wine writer puts his mark on WA’s best

The West Australian – Saturday, November 6, 2004

The enviable task of tasting more than 2000 top-shelf wines is what confronted Ray Jordan in compiling the latest edition of his annual guide to WA wines.

The 2004-05 edition of Ray Jordan’s Guide to Wine was launched this week at Burswood in front of more than 100 industry guests.

As the WA industry continues to grow, so does the guide – which has expanded to now include more than 1800 wines from 228 producers in its third year.

“It’s encouraging to see some of the newer guys emerging and there are some promising producers there,” said Jordan, The West Australian’s wine writer.

Jordan said he also faced a huge challenge in selecting the winners of his 2004 wine awards, which were announced at the launch and feature in the book.

The wine of the year went to the Moss Wood cabernet sauvignon 2001, which Jordan described as a “deceptive wine that has only just began its journey…a super wine”.

Other award winners included: Leeuwin Estate’s chardonnay 2001, which was recognised as white wine of the year, Alkoomi, which won best overall producer; Woodlands was best small producer; Woodside Valley Estate was named the rising star.

The guide sells for $27.95 and is available from The West Australian, as well as bookstores and newsagents.

Rating: Stars
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Princess Margaret

Article by Gerry Essery from Singapore Tatler – October 2004

Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon has established itself as one of the classic wine styles not only of the Margaret River but of Australia, as Gerry Essery reports.

Suppose you were planning the perfect escapist vacation. You might think perhaps of the Maldives, Bali, or maybe even the isle of Capri. May I suggest an interesting alternative, the Margaret River region of Western Australia? Not far from Southeast Asia, but millions of kilometres from the pain and strain of city life. Situated in the extreme southwestern corner of Australia, the region forms a truncated peninsula surrounded on three sides by the mild waters of the Indian Ocean.

Perth is said to have the best climate in the world. That is not true, the climate of Margaret River is better. It has a mean daily minimum temperature of only 10 degrees celsius. So what does this enchanted land have to offer the visitor? Peace and tranquility in a delightful and peculiarly Australian rural setting; a land of little creeks winding through gentle valleys with an abundance of indigenous shrubs, wildflowers and ancient contorted eucalypts.

This is not the outback, there are innumerable restaurants – many operated by wineries – motels, vineyard cottages and cosy bed and breakfast hideaways; hotels too, including one of the finest five-star properties in the southern hemisphere: Caves House.

Everyone knows that wine is good for you, perhaps that is why this wineland owes its existence to the medical profession. Tom Collins, cardiologist, established the first vineyard, Vasse Felix, in 1967. Dr Bill Pannell started Moss Wood in 1970 and Dr Cullen laid the foundation for Cullen Wines in 1971.

A paper by viticulturist John Gladstones first drew attention to the suitability of Margaret River for the cultivation of the wine. Perhaps this is what induced Pannell to commence his search for the perfect soil structure. He accomplished this by digging exploratory holes all over the area. He found the ideal site at Wilyabrup and persuaded the owner to sell off a block that became Moss Wood.

It is not hard to identify a wine as Australian but to pinpoint its origin is something else again. But Margaret River reds are different; they are as much like those from the eastern states, as a wine from Cyprus is like that of Bordeaux. They are rounder, richer, softer and less tannic and may be drunk with enjoyment while young. They are rather like a cross between the wines of the Napa and those of Chile. Moss Wood produce an interesting Semillon, a rewarding Chardonnay and a creditable Pinot Noir but their piece de reistance is their distinguished Cabernet Sauvignon.

River Tales A small estate located in the Margaret River region south west of Perth, Moss Wood is considered a premium wine producer, its first vintage was in 1973 with its Cabernet Sauvignon, which has since become its flagship.

Owners Keith and Clare Mugford oversee two vineyards – Moss Wood and Ribbon Vale – and the production of eight wines. They have also made the bold decision to increasingly screwcap their bottles to eliminate problems caused by cork taint.

Rating: Stars
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Sealed with Finesse

Smart Investor Magazine – August 2004 By Timmy Tan

One Western Australian winery found in the Margaret River region that is well known for producing quality wines year after year is none other than Moss Wood. How is Moss Wood able to produce such quality wines with such consistency?

Wine connoisseurs are no strangers to Australia’s Margaret River. After all, it is said that this is the premier winemaking region. In fact, wine connoisseur and wine book author Tom Stevenson says that this is the place for wine lovers who seek class and finesse rather than weight and glory. Popular names from the region include Cape Mentelle, Cullens, Devil’s Lair, Leeuwin Estate, Vasse Felix, Willespie, Pierro and Moss Wood.

For Moss Wood, Mr Stevenson points out that this very winery was the first in the area to perfect pinot noir. The esteemed wine specialist and critic Robert Parker has even given the Moss Wood 1997 Pinot Noir an 88-point raiting, underscoring the fact that wines from Moss Wood are relatively good to drink. But it is the Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon 1996 that takes the cake, having been awarded a 93-plus point rating from Mr Parker and being mentioned as one that should “prove to be a great classic from Down Under”.

The Cabernet Sauvignon is the flagship wine for Moss Wood and 2,500 cases of such wine are produced every year out of its total production of 11,000 cases. Moss Wood owner Keith Mugford hopes that this will be increased to 3,000 cases. Some 500 cases of pinot noir are produced yearly. The Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon does not come cheap, with a recommended retail price tag of around S$110 per bottle. Limited availability is one factor but it is quality that counts. “In the wine market, quality is a significant driver of price.” notes Keith Mugford owner of Moss Wood. “Our cabernet sauvignon is very consistent,” he adds.

So what makes a Moss Wood different from the rest? “From the business point of view, what we have are our Moss Wood vineyards. The flavours are unique to us. The characteristics and even textures of the wines are based on our own wine-making styles. These are our competitive advantages. To ensure repeat customers, we have to make wine as good as we possibly can. Our philosophy is about being distinctive and maximising quality every year. We aim to maximise the quality of the grapes with the right amount of crop with maximum exposure to the sun and the right trellis systems. We also employ fermentation techniques very carefully,” says Keith Mugford.

The original Moss Wood vineyard covers 10.61 hectares and is sited on a gentle, northeast-facing slope. The soil varies, from a sandly loan to a gravelly, red-brown loam over a clay subsoil. In early 2000, the Mugfords acquired the 7.5-hectare Ribbon Vale vineyard, just in time to make the 2000 vintage. Both vineyards are not irrigated. Grapes are also sourced from other vineyards such as Amy’s Vineyard (formerly known as Glenmore Vineyard), Lefroy Brook Vineyard in Pemberton and Green Valley Vineyard.

THE FLAVOURS OF MOSS WOOD

If getting your hands on the Moss Wood 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon is difficult, how about seeking out the 2001 vintage? The wines are matured in oak barrels for two years before being bottled. With the 2001, the bouquet will deliver dark plums, violets, red berry and subtle cigar box oak perfumes while the wine will have a silky texture displaying ripe and concentrated fruit flavours of mulberry, cherry, fleshy plums and gripping tannins. This elegant wine can age well but if even if enjoyed now the cabernet sauvignon will prove to be approachable and supple.

One striking characteristic of the Moss Wood Pinot Noir is the high alcohol content of more than 14%. Every vintage made since 1993 has an alcohol level above 14% and this can overcome the delicate fruit characters of this variety. It is said that this is acceptable if the wine is made in a climate where grape ripeness is barely adequate. However, this is not so for wines in Margaret River. According to production notes from Moss Wood, to produce the flavours at lower levels of ripeness, it has a programme to improve fruit exposure right through the season and has set yields to a maximum of 35 hectolitres per hectare, similar to the requirements of the great vineyards of Burgundy.

The wines are racked into barrels for malolatic fermentation and remain in French oak barriques for 22 months. The Moss Wood Pinot Noir 2001, for example, was fined, filtered and bottled in March 2003. The nose of the Moss Wood 2001 Pinot Noir, is quite floral, displaying dark cherry, plum and quince jelly, coupled with spicy and sappy complex notes. Interestingly, the tasting notes highlight that such a bouquet is “reminiscent of Thai herbs like coriander and match with linen and linseed characters”.

The wine has depth and balance as it provides the palate with dark fruits and apricots with medium weight and lively acid initially. Firm tannins on the mid and back palate provide structure, while there is soft oak and lingering ripe strawberry fruit on the finish. Drink now or cellar the wine? Well, pinot noir can age for at least 10 years. The Moss Wood Pinot Noir is expected to show its full potential at seven years from its vintage and provides peak performance between 10 and 15 years.

Other wine varities produced at Moss Wood that should be sampled include the Moss Wood ‘Ribbon Vale Vineyard’ Merlot and the ‘Ribbon Vale Vineyard’ Cabernet Merlot. Tannins play a major role on the impact of the merlot grape and it is understood that the team at Moss Wood aims to produce merlot with fine, ripe tannins rather than tannins which are too extractive and ‘grippy’. Both the Moss Wood Merlot and Cabernet Merlot have cellaring potential of seven to 10 years.

Wine enthusiasts should not forget the whites produced by Moss Wood such as the Semillon and the Chardonnay. The Moss Wood Semillon 2003 should prove interesting. Based on tasting notes, the wine has a fine to medium weight palate, is fresh and crisp with fruit characteristics of lemon, grapefruit and green apple combined with fig, and the complex notes are reminiscent of dough and yeast, thereby giving the impression that the wine was matured in oak when it was not.

While approachable when young and fresh, the Moss Wood Semillon can be aged for at least another 15 years. At up to three years of age, the Moss Wood Semillon has fresh, fruity and lively flavours. It then undergoes a sleepy, dull stage between three and five years. Between five and six years, it should pick up rich, honey and toasty characteristics and such traits will be at their peak between 10 and 15 years, remaining until the wine is at least 20 years old.

“Overall, the reds have better ageing quality as they are much more complex than the whites. The reds may be much more satisfying to some. Profit margins on the reds are also higher but so are the costs for making the reds,” says Mr Mugford. Pairing the wines with Chinese cooking is not difficult. At a specially organised dinner, both the white and red wines paired well with the delicious spread prepared by chefs at the Teochew Restaurant Huat Kee, a Chinese restaurant specialising in traditional Teochew dishes.

THE CORK AND THE SCREW

The Moss Wood Chardonnay 2003 falls short as compared to the 2001 and 2002 vintages but is said that it has more ‘minerality’ and clearly defined acidity than the 2002. The Chardonnay is expected to improve over short – to medium-term cellaring and it should age well with optimum drinking at around 2015. The Moss Wood Chardonnay 2003 was bottled in January 2004. What is noteworthy is that 70% of the production was bottled under screw caps and the remaining 30% under cork (which is mainly meant for the export markets).

Even the Moss Wood Merlot and Cabernet Merlot red wines are bottled under screw caps. Some 70% of the bottles of these reds are sealed with Stelvin screw caps. If the trend is in favour of screw caps, then it would appear that the corkscrew will soon be left on the wayside. “There is no scientific reason to use corks,” says Mr Mugford. “In 200 individual tastings with five different wines, the wines in cork-closed bottles did not taste better than those in Stelvin-closed bottles. Only one wine in a bottle closed with a cork tasted better than one closed with a Stelvin. Occasionally, the wines closed with cork nearly matched those closed with Stelvins but they were mostly lower in quality. Wines in Stelvin-closed bottles are very consistent with taste virtually identical.”.

Will the wines develop well when sealed and bottled with Stelvin screw caps? “Wines will still age well with the Stelvin. With the Stelvin screw-cap closures, there is more consistency of the wine in terms of ageing. For example, the Moss Wood Semillon when left undisturbed for one year still tasted fruity. When wines are in the barrels, oxygen is dissolved between 0.2 to 0.5 milligrammes per litre. In the bottle, it is two milligrammes per litre or 10 times more oxygen than in the barrel,” notes Mr Mugford. “There is a 5% failure rate when corks are used. Would you tolerate such failure in cans of beer or coca-cola? If not, why would you tolerate that with wine? The solution is to have the bottles sealed with Stelvin screw-caps. The failure rate of using Stelvin screw-caps is very slight unless the seals itself have been damaged. Consistency is assured. There seems to be very little downside in using Selvins.”

Only 30% of Moss Wood wines will now be sealed with corks and these are mainly for the more conservative export markets. All Moss Wood wines exported to Japan are sealed with Stelvin screw-caps. “Our Japanese agent said that he only wanted those bottled with Stelvin screw-caps,” explained Clare Mugford.

“When dining at a restaurant, ensure that the bottle is opened at the table. Anyway, the wine will still have to be poured for you,” says Mr Mugford. Will consumers get used to the fact that wines, especially from Moss Wood are no longer sealed with corks? “The only thing that some may miss is the ‘pop’ when the bottle is opened,” says Mr Mugford. But how many would insist on the romance of tradition associated with cork-closures? After all, isn’t the enjoyment of any wine in the drinking?

Rating: Stars
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Small Triumphs

Article by Huon Hooke in Good Drinking

The winery may be boutique, but its wines are big, bold and beautiful.

Moss Wood is one of our icon wineries, no doubt about it. Having remained a family owned, independent, boutique winery, it has however moved ahead in many subtle ways.

First in the number of wines it produces when Bill and Sandra Pannell sold Moss Wood to Keith and Clare Mugford in 1984, the 19 hectare property at Wilyabrup produced just four wines, cabernet sauvignon, semillon, chardonnay and pinot noir. Now it has 10 wines – seven from vineyards the Mugfords own, the rest from other people’s vineyards.

Second, all the wines are good to excellent in quality, with a serendipitous variety of styles.

There are for instance, two chardonnay’s, the Moss Wood estate and the Lefroy Brook Vineyard, each with a distinct personality. The Moss Wood estate ($55) is full bodied, rich and complex. Key flavours are nuts, smoke, butter, vanilla and peach. Lefroy Brook ($35), from the Pemberton region, south of Margaret River, a substantially cooler location – makes a distinctive cool climate style. It is more fruit-driven and evokes flavours of grapefruit, lime, herbs and subtle hints of the nutty, butter characters of oak and malolactic fermentation.

In the 2003 vintage, released in 2004, both are fascinating but there’s no doubt the estate wine is the grandest. Let it breathe for a few hours, let the temperature rise a bit, and you’ll find a wonderfully complex, decadent wine. I have often found this wine too oaky at first taste, which usually means straight out of someone’s fridge. That’s too cold for most chardonnays and one such as this, matured in 100 per cent new oak, will be more disadvantaged than most. Give it time, or give it air and don’t over chill, and it’s a ripper.

A similar contrast is found with the three cabernet based red and it’s cabernet on which Moss Wood’s fame primarily rests. The last release estate cabernet, the 2001 ($88 cellar door more than $100 retail) is likely to go down as one of the winery’s best. It’s rich, bold, concentrated wine, not overripe but flirting with the spectrum of flavours and certainly 14.5 per cent alcohol suggests it’s no wallflower. Keith Mugford recently told a group of tasters at Vintage Cellars Double Bay that “2001 was a great year for cabernet. I can’t recall ever having a better wine in the cellar than this”.

That’s no sales pitch because unhappily if you haven’t got any, the wine long ago sold out. (The good news is that the 2002, while a very different wine from a touch cooler year – refined elegant and more classic – is to be released on July 1). The Moss Wood estate cabernet style is fleshy, concentrated but smooth with supple, fully ripe tannins. Key flavours are cassis, coffee bean and tobacco, sending cigar boxy with a little age. It seldom has any of the herbaceous characters common to the region. Ask why and Keith humbly replies that the vines are unirragated and the soils are such that the vines are sustained, even through the region’s typically dry summers. Yields are low, averaging 8.5 tonnes per hectare. It’s the site. In other words terroir.

In contrast the Amy’s Vineyard Cabernet, which is grown on production manager Ian Bell’s family vineyard, Glenmore at Yallingup, the northern end of Margaret River has a more herbaceous style and can be a trifle green some years.

Grand Plans

In the 1990s, Keith and Clare Mugford decided Moss Wood had to expand to cater for its growing (and increasingly frustrated) customer list. The chance was to buy land and plant another vineyard, or buy an existing one; they bought John James’s Ribbon Vale Vineyard in Wilyabrup in 2000. The same unirrigated, hand-pruned, hand picked approach applies; the grape varieties comoplement Moss Wood’s with sauvignon blanc, merlot and a different clone of cabernet sauvignon. Since 2000 the wines have appeared under the Moss Wood label.

Rating: Stars
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Peter Forrestal

Article: Peter Forrestal from Decanter Western Australia 2004 Go West

Margaret River Area under vine: 2,200 ha (hectares)

Varities: Chardonnay, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc; Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot

Leading producers: Cape Mentelle, Cullen, Leeuwin Estate, Howard Park, Moss Wood, Pierro and Voyager Estate. Also Brookland Valley, Cape Grace, Devil’s Lair, Edwards, Evans & Tate, Gralyn, Suckfizzle and Xanadu.

Much of the recent developments in Margaret River have come via the corporation of the heart of the region, which has resulted in major rises in production and wine quality. However, two new areas of Margaret River have also been developed – Jindong in the north-east and Karridale in the deep south.

The move to plant large vineyards at Jindong by the likes of Evans & Tate and Vasse Felix caused a furore among established vignerons. This former potato-growing area has less severe growing conditions than other areas and, consequently, the wines lack the concentration and depth of flavour generally associated with Margaret River. They have, however, opened up a market for less expensive wines. Karridale is cooler, with a longer, slower ripening season than areas further north, so the wines are less full-bodied. White tend to shine, although warmer sites have produced some impressive Shiraz. Alexandra Bridge, Hamelin Bay and Suckfizzle are names to watch.

In the early days, there was much experimentation in Margaret River to determine which varieties best suited the region. The best are still Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, and there is a consensus that top Chardonnays will be increasingly sourced from areas south of the Margaret River township, such as Leeuwin, Cape Mentelle, Voyager and Devil’s Lair, while the finest Cabernets will come from the gravelly loam soils of Wilyabrup, from Cullen, Moss Wood, Gralyn, Howard Park, Brookland Valley, Lenton Brae and Cape Grace.

Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc blends remain very popular, especially those from Cullen, Suzfizzle, Pierro, Moss Wood, Ribbon Vale, Edwards and Lenton Brae. There have been major increases in plantings of Merlot – without startling results; and Shiraz – look for Gralyn, Flinders Bay and Voyager.

Rating: Stars
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The West Australian

Reviews: Ray Jordan reviews from The West Australian.

Good Drops Fresh 18 March 2004. Moss Wood Semillon 2003.

Beautiful fragrant lemon scents merge with a faint smoky mineral background. Little traces of herbal character add to the complexity on the nose and palate. This is a fresh and vibrant wine with stacks of typical flavour that runs deep and long. Will continue to improve in the bottle. 90/100. Drink: Now to 2012. Food: Scallops with chilli and coriander.***1/2.

Chill Factor Fresh – 20 May 2004 Moss Wood Amy’s Vineyard cabernet sauvignon 2002

This is quite atypically Moss Wood compared with the traditional style from the Metricup vineyard. The fruit comes from the vineyard of Moss Wood production manager Ian Bell. There’s a nice mix of integrated fruit and oak on the nose. On the palate there’s more medium bodied with fine tannins and bay leaf characters dominant. It has classic cabernet structure with a slightly assertive finish. You could put this with some cheddar or parmesan cheese.

The Magnificent Dozen Fresh – 6 May 2004 Which wines couldn’t you live without? We choose our ‘desert island’ survival pack.

I approached this column with mixed feelings. When your editor asks for your best of the best, you suddenly face the possibility of exposing yourself to the world . . . well, the world that reads this column.

I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve been asked that same question, what’s your favourite wine? My response has always been that I drink what takes my fancy at the time and I have no real favourites. It’s an approach that’s served me well until now. And it’s an honest response – believe me.

Some days it’s a crisp riesling, on others a complex, finely balanced chardonnay or a full-bodied shiraz, or perhaps an elegant, stylish cabernet. To bring it down to just a few is a tough assignment. But with the threat of no ?best of the best?, no payment for the column this week, I decided I’d better stand up and be counted. And with more of a squeak than a roar, here I am, standing up.

So here’s the scenario. I’ve put myself on the proverbial desert island. You know the drill, just me, the palm trees and a box of wine. I don’t know whether that rescue boat will ever come, or whether I’ll make a TV series about it with a bunch of very silly people and an even sillier plot. These could be the last dozen wines I drink on this earth, so they had better be bloody good.

Now clearly, if I was really in this predicament, I’d probably ask for a dozen bottles of cognac, get good and loaded, and meet St Pete and the big Guy at the pearly gates with a stagger. But for this exercise I’m going to pick a mixed desert island dozen from the wines that continually give me the most enjoyment with a track record for consistency and quality of the highest order…..

….I’d also have to have a Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon. No dozen would be complete without this quintessential small vineyard cabernet. Soft, generous and multi-layered, it continues to produce a style that is distinctly Moss Wood……

RECOMMENDED * Chandon Brut Rose * Richmond Grove Riesling * McWilliams Lovedale semillon * Leeuwin Estate Art series chardonnay * Bannockburn chardonnay * Grange * Cullen Diana Madeline cabernet merlot * Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon * Rockford Basket Press shiraz * Clonakilla shiraz viognier * Seppelt Show Reserve Sparkling shiraz * Morris Old Premium Liquer Muscat

Rating: Stars
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