LAST year WA’s Margaret River Region celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 1967 planting of its first vineyard, Vasse Felix, by Perth cardiologist Dr TomCullity. Medico Dr Bill Pannell and his wife Sandra in 1969 established the area’s second vineyard, Moss Wood, and in the 1970s they produced cabernet sauvignons that made the wine world sit up and take notice.The Pannells sold the business in 1984 to their winemaker Keith Mugford and his wife Clare, who have maintained MossWood’s cabernet sauvignon excellence and added other fine reds like this 13.5 per cent alcohol, deep purple, potpourri-scented, plush mulberry front palate-flavoured merlot.The middle palate has plum, spearmint, cloves and savoury oak and a chalky tannins finish.

(Published January 27th, 2018)