Reviews Archives - Moss Wood

Moss Wood 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon – Ken Gargett, The Wine Pilot

This stunning Margaret River Cabernet has 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot included. The team talk of some of the difficulties encountered by Margaret River wineries during this year, but everything is relative and a difficult vintage here seems to be the dream of many other regions. It was a year that finished extremely well, though, with a longer than average ripening period. Yields were down but in the end, some stellar fruit was harvested. Maturation was in French oak, 16% new, for around seventeen months.

A deep maroon hue, there are notes of spices, herbs, black fruits, cloves, cassis, graphite, chocolate and tobacco leaves. A touch of biscuity oak, very well integrated, this is a wine of focus and intensity, and at all times it is immaculately balanced. Utterly seamless and seductive, there is a line of fine acidity running the full journey and the silkiest of tannins on the finish. This will easily sail through the next fifteen to twenty years, providing immense pleasure along the way. A superb Cabernet.

98 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon – Ray Jordan Wine

This was a very good vintage in Margaret River after the slightly more challenging ’21. This has the refined elegance and prettiness that is the Moss Wood DNA. The colour is quite pale compared to some previous vintages, but don’t be fooled into thinking this is some shrinking violet. Violets, yes, but plenty more in an engine room that is balanced and poised as the tannins and almost lyrically laid oak harness the exquisitely bright fruit. So well balanced. A wine of immense charm and appeal. I defy you to stop after the first sip.

98 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2024 Chardonnay -Ray Jordan Wine

The warmer vintage is certainly reflected immediately in the bright golden colour. This is a rich and textured chardonnay from the Ribbon Vale vineyard. Honeycomb and light cereal characters emerge on the nose and palate. There’s an underlying savouriness that sustains through to the very long finish. Beautifully balanced with a crisp acidity controlling the finish. The higher altitude vineyard contributes to more of the lively citrus, white peach, and grapefruit nuances.

94 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2024 Elsa – Ray Jordan Wine

Warmer year equates to a wine of rich, deep flavour. Typically, bright aromatics, but I find the texture and mouthfeel captivating in this latest Elsa sauvignon blanc. Floral stone fruit and lightly grassy tropical characters on the nose. The palate then reveals a subtle honeysuckle and light butterscotch, almost like a chardonnay, with a cute beeswax character. Richly layered palate with a very long, focused finish. A 10% new oak contribution adds the final flourish to a terrific wine.

95 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2024 Elsa – Fergal Gleeson, Great Wine Blog

Moss Wood Elsa 2024 captures the fun, freshness and fruit forward character of Sauvignon Blanc but with extra gravitas courtesy of high quality oak.

There’s Sauvignon Blanc and then there’s Sauvignon Blanc for Chardonnay drinkers!

In a low yielding, warm and fast vintage Elsa has concentration and the playfulness we all enjoy in the variety – ripe kiwi, pineapple, lime tart, some spiced pear.

Fermentation and 9 months aging in new oak provide wight, breath and texture. A little seriousness…

But there is no escaping that it’s delicious!

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2024 Chardonnay – Fergal Gleeson, Great Wine Blog

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale (RV) Chardonnay is one of 2 single vineyard Chardonnays from Wilyabrup released by the Domain.

The RV vineyard is higher altitude and cooler than Moss Wood Vineyard, typically resulting in a higher acid style.

2024 was a warm, dry vintage with grapes picked in mid February, 1 month earlier than average.

Grapes are handpicked and sorted, fermented in steel and oak. It’s a complex wine undergoing malolactic fermentation and ageing in 47% new French oak.

RV 2024 is a full-bodied Chardonnay with white and yellow peach flavors. It’s early days for wine of this quality but it’s balance is already clear – fruit, integrated with high quality oak and a great acid line driving everything along.

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon – Fergal Gleeson, Great Wine Blog

Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon is one of Australia’s most respected, desired and resaleable wines!

The 2022 marks Moss Wood Cabernet’s 50th vintage. Another winery might make a brouhaha about that. But if you’ve spoken to Keith and Clare Mugford you’d know they don’t do that sort of thing!

They just do what they’ve been doing since 1979. Getting on with making great wines without any fuss.

The aromatics are predictably beguiling-berries red and black, pencil lead and graphite.

Those fruit notes are also on the palate along with all the varietal complexity you could hope for – cigar notes, black tea, bay leaf, polished tannins all sitting inside a medium bodied frame.

Moss Wood predict full maturity at 25-40 years from now. A mind-boggling wait! But one of the strengths of this site and the winemaking is how enjoyable it is on release.

If you haven’t tasted Moss Wood Cabernet, treat yourself, it really is as good as you’ve heard. And the 2022 is an exceptionally strong instalment.

Rating: 5 Stars

Moss Wood 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon – The Cellar Post

Beautiful definition and purity on the nose that shows fresh cassis, blackberries, and black plum, with cedar, pencil shavings, subtle vanilla and mocha nuances. Medium-full, superb freshness and concentration on the palate, dark fruit with a vibrant streak of purple, excellent oak spice, clove and tobacco, firm tannins and vibrant acidity. Structurally this is excellent. Powerful and elegant. A wine that’s begging for decade in the cellar before rewarding in spades over the following 20+. Brilliant.

97 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon – Gary Walsh, Wine Front

94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. Here we have a classic Moss Wood Cabernet, and maybe, though don’t mind me, it puts me in mind of the 2001 for richness and presence.

It’s a powerhouse Cabernet and classic Moss Wood in terms of intensity and regal carriage. Black fruit, dried cranberry, cedar, nutmeg, dried flower perfume, tobacco, and damp earth. It sweeps through the palate with grilled nuts, toast, fresh blackberry, a whole lot of sweet grainy tannin and black tea perfume, acidity is balanced and present, and the finish crackles, thunders and goes very long. Quite a wine. Outstanding.

96 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood 2022 Pinot Noir – Huon Hooke, The Real Review

Moss Wood Pinot Noir bottle image with atmospheric background.

Margaret River isn’t one of the great pinot noir regions, consequently there are very few made there. This is the best Moss Wood pinot noir I’ve tasted for many years.

Youthful red-purple colour, bright and deep. There are cherry, ginger and iodine/peat aromas which are bright and fresh and fruit driven, while the palate is excitingly intense and bright fruited, with a core of ripe fruit sweetness and assertive but nicely balanced tannin structure. The wine fills out beautifully on the finish and rolls on for a very long time. Very impressive pinot noir now and will age well.

95 Points

Rating: 5 Stars