2008-2011

Warm remained the trend through calendar year 2007 and we experienced a trouble-free spring, with rain at the right times, no wind or hail damage and slightly warmer temperatures, such that flowering was a week earlier than average. A mild to warm summer followed, with no extreme heat and we anticipated steady ripening and an early vintage. On or about 1st February, Mother Nature decided it was time for a change and so we began a beautiful, extended autumn. Ripening slowed and we had one of our most orderly vintages ever. The individual blocks all ripen slightly differently, although the variations are not huge, especially in warmer years.  In 2007, all the Cabernet blocks were picked on three consecutive days. In 2008, the same blocks were picked over 3 weeks, as we waited patiently and took each one off as it reached full ripeness. The resulting wine has classic mulberry and red currant fruit aromas, combined with pretty violet scents and is notable for its long and balanced tannin on the palate. It’s at least a decade away from full maturity.

The cooler trend continued through 2008 and although spring conditions were generally benign, there were hailstorms around and we had a particularly nasty day on 24th October. As a result, yields were down by about 50%, courtesy of below average results for both bunch weights and bunch numbers. Those hailstones took a toll. Flowering was about a week later than average, but a consistent warm summer followed. The average temperature from flowering to harvest was 20.7°C, slightly warmer than usual and allowed Cabernet Sauvignon to reach full ripeness in 117 days.

Stylistically, the ’09 is similar to earlier low-crop years like 1981 and 1986, showing a similar concentrated tannin, although it’s riper than both its older siblings and has more generous red currant fruit notes. It has at least another decade to reach full maturity.

The spring of 2009 was kind to us and we experienced largely good conditions, although the weather was certainly changeable. September was quite damp. It rained on 25 of the 30 days and we received 124mm.  October was the complete opposite, when we received 12mm on 8 days, but Mother Nature promptly swung the wheel back the other way in November, when she delivered 53mm over 10 days, including some spectacular thunderstorms on the 12th, but luckily, they didn’t come over the top of us and we missed the hail. Cabernet Sauvignon began flowering in the last week and so missed the majority of the rain and temperatures were never cool enough to cause a problem. Conditions were so favourable that Cabernet Sauvignon produced an above average crop of 8.26 tonnes per hectare.

With higher crop levels, it’s always good to have a warm summer, to give the vines the best chance of taking the crop to full ripeness. This is largely how it turned out and we enjoyed an average temperature across the season of 19.8°C. As we progressed into March, temperatures began to ease and we experienced some showers, slowing things down. Having started on 12th March, the last blocks didn’t come off until 10th April, by which time we were starting to look anxiously at the weather forecasts. With a median harvest date of 27th March, it had taken 116 days to reach full ripeness and made a wine in the style of 1996 and 2004, with the fruit notes of the former and the tannin weight of the latter.

Warm conditions continued through calendar year 2010, with somewhat dry conditions, resulting in rainfall down 12% to 880mm. Rainfall during the winter was excellent and soil moisture was at maximum as we moved into spring.  However, after the first 2 weeks of September, Mother Nature turned the tap off. The rain eased and temperatures rose and so flowering conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon were excellent. Accordingly, crop levels were a very respectable 8.04 tonnes per hectare, not quite as good as 2010 but still above the long-term average of 7.28 tonnes per hectare.

Warm conditions continued through the summer, similar to 2007 and 2008.  The season average was 21.0°C, so good for Cabernet Sauvignon and which delivered a final ripeness of 13.4° Baume in 111 days from flowering. Not surprisingly, the 2011 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon has plenty of ripe, black currant and blueberry fruit aromas and a similar firm tannin to 1983. It currently shows some secondary development but is still evolving and has at least 3 decades ahead of it.