Reviews Archives - Moss Wood

Moss Wood 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – Cassandra Charlick, Decanter

An early-morning brightness of purple fruit, mulberry, plum, salted cassis and hints of aniseed, crushed minerality, quartz and graphite. It’s very inviting, with inky black olive brine and nori. The palate is packed with concentration, complexity, succulence, spice and power. Cassis and almost tar-like notes, acidity with jewel-like clarity singing through firm, multitudinous tannins. Think silty gravel, velvety and intense. Layers of detail; this isn’t bright and punchy, though there’s plenty of refreshment in its youth. There’s a delicious little iodine lick, too. Structure and power. Built for the long haul, but drinking beautifully now, open and expressive. A brilliant Cabernet of clarity and purity; the essence of Margaret River. 92% Cabernet Sauvignon from a single vineyard in Wilyabrup, planted in 1969 with the Houghton clone, with 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot. Matured in French oak barrels for 32 months.

97 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – Campbell Mattinson

This is luscious and lovely and loaded with pure, concentrated blackcurrant flavour and yet, crucially, it’s also balanced, fresh, lengthy and ultimately elegant. It’s everything that a great Margaret River cabernet should be. It adds complementary tobacco notes to the swoosh of fruit; there are whispers of bay leaf; creamy oak is played modestly but strategically; and the finish is both intricately woven and firm-enough for the wine to feel complete. Classic wine, classic Moss Wood.

August, 2026

96 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2025 Elsa – Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

A flash of bubble-gum to the aromatics and a raw cedar character to the palate, which lets you know for certain that it was oak-matured or at least partially so. It’s a dry, thistle-and-burr style with gravel, woodsmoke, lemon peel and waxy/lanolin characters teaming throughout. Length is excellent, and brings steel and fennel notes into play. It’s still meshing but the dry structural aspect of the finish and the in-built intensity suggest that it will mature well, and for a good long time too. Drink: 2028 – 2034+

August, 2026

93 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2025 Chardonnay – Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2025 Chardonnay Creative Image

Serious chardonnay. Refined and taut but, at the same time, there’s no mucking around here. Peaches grilled, lemon curd, pears, toast, brine, steel and roasted-and-salted cashews. There’s no flint, no flare, no room for more. This is Margaret River chardonnay served bold, neat and immaculate. Drink: 2027 – 2032+

August, 2026

94 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood 2025 Amy’s Cuvee Blanc – Jane Faulkner – James Halliday, The Wine Companion

Mostly semillon with a glug of sauvignon blanc, and in the glass it’s a light straw gold. Flavourful with toasty oak, nutty lees and plenty of zippy acidity. It’s refreshing, yet there’s definition across the palate, so it feels rich and ripe with a tug of phenolics on the otherwise dry finish.

July 2026

93 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood 2024 Semillon – Jane Faulkner – James Halliday, The Wine Companion

A warm, riper vintage; this an expression of the season – rightly so. Plenty of acidity nonetheless corrals melon, stone fruit, citrus and creamy lees flavours. It’s a little smoky, with more richness and texture than usual.

August, 2024

90 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon – Jane Faulkner – James Halliday, The Wine Companion

When you’re the flagship, there’s always pressure because you must be the best of the best. Well, take a bow. This harnesses all the power of fruit and winemaking, all seemingly effortlessly, and turns it into an elegant, stunning wine balancing savouriness with fruit. Just the right amount of cassis, mulberries, violets and spicy, cedary oak, nori and menthol and more besides. The palate builds yet stays just shy of fuller bodied with fine-grained tannins, refreshing acidity and superb length. Excellent now and with decades ahead of it. Oh and another accolade, this represents the 50th vintage of the wine. Take another bow.

August, 2025

97 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2022 Merlot – Jane Faulkner – James Halliday, The Wine Companion

Merlot with decent glugs of cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon; aged 26 months in French oak barriques, 21% new. It comes across as detailed, structured and fuller bodied but not weighty. While its core is all dark fruits with baking spices and licorice, it’s savoury with tobacco, peat and roasted red peppers. And yes, the oak is impacting in youth – as in it has cedary and woodsy spices – but nothing is out of place. The textural tannins are nicely drying and the finish long. Smart now but even better with cellar time.

August, 2025

95 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood 2023 Pinot Noir – Jane Faulkner – James Halliday, The Wine Companion

This outsider, as in pinot noir in Margaret River, has been part of Moss Wood’s landscape since the ’70s, so it has its own DNA. Lots of strawberry conserve and macerated cherries, all sprinkled with dried mint. Angostura bitters, loads of spices and some nutty, nice oak. It’s refreshing, with lively acidity and supple tannins. Best in the short-term.

March 2026

90 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood 2024 Amy’s – Jane Faulkner – James Halliday, The Wine Companion

The combo of varieties turns out at 72/11/8/9% cabernet/merlot/malbec/petit verdot, and as is the Amy’s way, this is meant to be enjoyed with youth on its side. However, an extra year or so in bottle will see this come together better. Now it’s all upfront cassis and blackberries, pepperberry and juniper, bay leaves and spearmint. Full bodied, with tannins a little raspy and firm, sweet oak and some green walnut bitterness on the finish. Decant it and serve with hearty fare.

May 2026

91 Points

Rating: Stars