Wine Reviews
Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Merlot – Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Deep, bright red-purple colour; cedary oak, briar and pencil-shavings aromas overlie tobacco varietal cues, while the palate is medium-full bodied and well-balanced, with harmonious supple tannins and lovely early drinking qualities and … ageing potential. Oak is quite evident but it’s a very smart merlot
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Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Deep, bright purple-red colour; smoked meats and mulberry, a hint of humus on the nose. Very bright and lively on the palate, fresh and zesty with crisp acid/tannin structure and lots of appeal. Will become softer with age but right now its bouncy liveliness would go well with food. 2026–2038…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Merlot – Winsor Dobbin, Wine of the Week
Many merlots in Australia are made in a soft and simple style; as easy quaffers. Not so his one from the cabernet masters at Moss Wood in Margaret River. It is full of verve and texturally complex, a nod to the great merlot-led wines of Bordeaux’s right bank. More structured…
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Moss Wood 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Deep purple-red colour, smoky, broken-rock, pencil-shavings aromas and the palate is full-bodied and densely textured with deep flavour and length. Traces of smoked meats. A firm and upright cabernet with masses of chewy but supple tannins that endure long on the follow-through. A high-potential cabernet that has everything ahead of…
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Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2025 Elsa – Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot
The 2025 Elsa Sauvignon Blanc Semillon delivers a flamboyant upfront mix of guava, hay, lemon rind and lanolin aromas wrapped up in a tight blanket of spicy oak. Firm edged acidity provides impact before this wine fleshes out into a full-bodied and expressive package. Lots to like and enjoy over…
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Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2025 Chardonnay – Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot
The 2025 Ribbon Vale Chardonnay is a delight showing an energetic core of seamless pear and apple aromas with an exotic twist. Creamy textured and full flavoured with some savoury nutty tones and beautifully integrated oak, this wine is delicious and here for a good time, not a long time.…
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot
The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon is extraordinary. Tasted first from barrel, it was a picture of restrained power and nothing has changed with seamless and perfectly composed aromas of cassis and red currant with a gentle lining of dried herb. This is a wine of elegance, pinpoint balance and precision rather…
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Moss Wood 2008 Chardonnay – Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot
A glorious mature Margaret River Chardonnay, this is deep gold in color, offering obvious depth and maturity. The nose exhibits notes of hazelnuts, stewed peaches, honeysuckle, and gunflint. Fully developed and utterly delicious; there is power and intensity, and yet we still have refinement. Immeasurably long, this is finely balanced…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Merlot – Andrew Caillard, The Vintage Journal
Medium deep crimson. Fresh dark plum, redcurrant, cedar, black olive aromas and flavours with herb garden/ star anise notes. A core of sweet fruit with underlying cedar/ fine grainy tannins and hints of vanilla oak. Finishes grippy firm with some sappy notes. Very buoyant and expressive but probably best to…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – Andrew Caillard, The Vintage Journal
Medium deep crimson. Attractive cassis, blackberry pastille. dark chocolate aromas with some cedar notes. Inky deep with abundant blackcurrant, blackberry fruits, underlying vanilla, roasted chestnut notes, fine grainy – touch al dente tannins and fresh long tangy acidity. Finishes velvety firm and juicy. Still elemental but lovely richness and volume.…
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Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2025 Elsa – Andrew Caillard, The Vintage Journal
Pale colour. Very attractive waxy, lemon curd, honey aromas with hints marzipan. Supple and minerally with ample waxy, lemon curd, tonic water, touch leafy flavours, looseknit chalky textures, lovely mid-palate volume and fresh long crisp acidity. Some aniseed notes at the finish. Ready to drink. 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Semillon.…
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Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2025 Chardonnay – Andrew Caillard, The Vintage Journal
Pale colour. Fresh tropical fruit, lemon curd, grapefruit aromas with underlying cashew nut, vanilla notes. Well concentrated lemon curd, grapefruit, hint pineapple fruits, fine lacy touch al dente textures and some underlying marzipan, vanilla notes. Finishes crisp and fruity. A very pleasing style. At the middle of fermentation, the wine…
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – Andrew Caillard, The Vintage Journal
Deep crimson. Intense blackcurrant, espresso, roasted chestnut aromas with hints of black olive/ spice. Inky deep and generously concentrated with ample cassis, black cherry, mocha flavours, superb roasted chestnut/ marzipan notes, and classical fine-grained tannins. Builds up claret/ cedar firm with a lovely pure black currant plume. The oak is…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
Fresh blackberry and mulberry, a little smoked paprika, bay leaf, spice and cedar. It’s medium-bodied, blackberry, mint, black olive and dried herbs, a cranberry freshness to acidity, a hazelnut feel to tannin, with a crisp, nutty and spicy red-fruited finish of very good length. Quite restrained and tight as at…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Merlot – Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
Cherry, plum, olive leaf and oregano, cedar and tobacco, a nutmeg and lemon zest top note. It’s medium-bodied, quite savoury, nutty and earthy, a mix of red and black fruit, plenty of tightly-knit tannin, balanced acidity, with a firm black olive laced finish of excellent length. Quite compact at present…
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Moss Wood 2025 Autrement Pinot Noir – Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
Pinot Noir from Karridale. 2025 was a very good vintage for Margaret River. I served this to my partner and asked what it might be. “Is it Grenache or maybe Nebbiolo? It’s not Pinot Noir is it?” And there you have an astute summary of the wine. Cherry, strawberry, orange…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – Ray Jordan
Yet another example of how an intense and rigorous concentration on the vineyard is producing such wonderful results these days for Moss Wood. And this is such an elegant and stylish cabernet sauvignon that reflects both that vineyard and the wonderful ’23 vintage. Bright red, energetic fruits on the nose,…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Merlot -Ray Jordan
This vineyard has been producing some of Australia’s best merlots in recent years. This one is perhaps the most refined and elegantly poised of any I can recall. The vintage has clearly played an important part. The nose shows all of those black fruit, spicy, slightly mocha-like characters. While the…
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2025 Autrement Pinot Noir – Ray Jordan
So this is a wine that’s been sourced from further south at Karridale, a region that is far cooler than the Wilyabrup sub-region of Moss Wood. Outremont is French for “another way”, and that explains Moss Wood’s sourcing of pinot from another region. There’s a beautiful perfumed red fruit aroma,…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2025 Chardonnay – Ray Jordan
This vineyard has really been turning out some quite marvellous wines in recent years. It took a bit of work, but the results are in the bottle. This is a beautiful, vibrant, lively chardonnay with that subtle degree of complexity complementing the natural fruit characters. Nutty lemon curd and deeper…
Read ReviewWine Reviews
Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Merlot – Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Deep, bright red-purple colour; cedary oak, briar and pencil-shavings aromas overlie tobacco varietal cues, while the palate is medium-full bodied and well-balanced, with harmonious supple tannins and lovely early drinking qualities and … ageing potential. Oak is quite evident but it’s a very smart merlot
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Deep, bright purple-red colour; smoked meats and mulberry, a hint of humus on the nose. Very bright and lively on the palate, fresh and zesty with crisp acid/tannin structure and lots of appeal. Will become softer with age but right now its bouncy liveliness would go well with food. 2026–2038…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Merlot – Winsor Dobbin, Wine of the Week
Many merlots in Australia are made in a soft and simple style; as easy quaffers. Not so his one from the cabernet masters at Moss Wood in Margaret River. It is full of verve and texturally complex, a nod to the great merlot-led wines of Bordeaux’s right bank. More structured…
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Deep purple-red colour, smoky, broken-rock, pencil-shavings aromas and the palate is full-bodied and densely textured with deep flavour and length. Traces of smoked meats. A firm and upright cabernet with masses of chewy but supple tannins that endure long on the follow-through. A high-potential cabernet that has everything ahead of…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2025 Elsa – Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot
The 2025 Elsa Sauvignon Blanc Semillon delivers a flamboyant upfront mix of guava, hay, lemon rind and lanolin aromas wrapped up in a tight blanket of spicy oak. Firm edged acidity provides impact before this wine fleshes out into a full-bodied and expressive package. Lots to like and enjoy over…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2025 Chardonnay – Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot
The 2025 Ribbon Vale Chardonnay is a delight showing an energetic core of seamless pear and apple aromas with an exotic twist. Creamy textured and full flavoured with some savoury nutty tones and beautifully integrated oak, this wine is delicious and here for a good time, not a long time.…
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot
The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon is extraordinary. Tasted first from barrel, it was a picture of restrained power and nothing has changed with seamless and perfectly composed aromas of cassis and red currant with a gentle lining of dried herb. This is a wine of elegance, pinpoint balance and precision rather…
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2008 Chardonnay – Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot
A glorious mature Margaret River Chardonnay, this is deep gold in color, offering obvious depth and maturity. The nose exhibits notes of hazelnuts, stewed peaches, honeysuckle, and gunflint. Fully developed and utterly delicious; there is power and intensity, and yet we still have refinement. Immeasurably long, this is finely balanced…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Merlot – Andrew Caillard, The Vintage Journal
Medium deep crimson. Fresh dark plum, redcurrant, cedar, black olive aromas and flavours with herb garden/ star anise notes. A core of sweet fruit with underlying cedar/ fine grainy tannins and hints of vanilla oak. Finishes grippy firm with some sappy notes. Very buoyant and expressive but probably best to…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – Andrew Caillard, The Vintage Journal
Medium deep crimson. Attractive cassis, blackberry pastille. dark chocolate aromas with some cedar notes. Inky deep with abundant blackcurrant, blackberry fruits, underlying vanilla, roasted chestnut notes, fine grainy – touch al dente tannins and fresh long tangy acidity. Finishes velvety firm and juicy. Still elemental but lovely richness and volume.…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2025 Elsa – Andrew Caillard, The Vintage Journal
Pale colour. Very attractive waxy, lemon curd, honey aromas with hints marzipan. Supple and minerally with ample waxy, lemon curd, tonic water, touch leafy flavours, looseknit chalky textures, lovely mid-palate volume and fresh long crisp acidity. Some aniseed notes at the finish. Ready to drink. 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Semillon.…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2025 Chardonnay – Andrew Caillard, The Vintage Journal
Pale colour. Fresh tropical fruit, lemon curd, grapefruit aromas with underlying cashew nut, vanilla notes. Well concentrated lemon curd, grapefruit, hint pineapple fruits, fine lacy touch al dente textures and some underlying marzipan, vanilla notes. Finishes crisp and fruity. A very pleasing style. At the middle of fermentation, the wine…
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – Andrew Caillard, The Vintage Journal
Deep crimson. Intense blackcurrant, espresso, roasted chestnut aromas with hints of black olive/ spice. Inky deep and generously concentrated with ample cassis, black cherry, mocha flavours, superb roasted chestnut/ marzipan notes, and classical fine-grained tannins. Builds up claret/ cedar firm with a lovely pure black currant plume. The oak is…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
Fresh blackberry and mulberry, a little smoked paprika, bay leaf, spice and cedar. It’s medium-bodied, blackberry, mint, black olive and dried herbs, a cranberry freshness to acidity, a hazelnut feel to tannin, with a crisp, nutty and spicy red-fruited finish of very good length. Quite restrained and tight as at…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Merlot – Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
Cherry, plum, olive leaf and oregano, cedar and tobacco, a nutmeg and lemon zest top note. It’s medium-bodied, quite savoury, nutty and earthy, a mix of red and black fruit, plenty of tightly-knit tannin, balanced acidity, with a firm black olive laced finish of excellent length. Quite compact at present…
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2025 Autrement Pinot Noir – Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
Pinot Noir from Karridale. 2025 was a very good vintage for Margaret River. I served this to my partner and asked what it might be. “Is it Grenache or maybe Nebbiolo? It’s not Pinot Noir is it?” And there you have an astute summary of the wine. Cherry, strawberry, orange…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – Ray Jordan
Yet another example of how an intense and rigorous concentration on the vineyard is producing such wonderful results these days for Moss Wood. And this is such an elegant and stylish cabernet sauvignon that reflects both that vineyard and the wonderful ’23 vintage. Bright red, energetic fruits on the nose,…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Merlot -Ray Jordan
This vineyard has been producing some of Australia’s best merlots in recent years. This one is perhaps the most refined and elegantly poised of any I can recall. The vintage has clearly played an important part. The nose shows all of those black fruit, spicy, slightly mocha-like characters. While the…
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2025 Autrement Pinot Noir – Ray Jordan
So this is a wine that’s been sourced from further south at Karridale, a region that is far cooler than the Wilyabrup sub-region of Moss Wood. Outremont is French for “another way”, and that explains Moss Wood’s sourcing of pinot from another region. There’s a beautiful perfumed red fruit aroma,…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2025 Chardonnay – Ray Jordan
This vineyard has really been turning out some quite marvellous wines in recent years. It took a bit of work, but the results are in the bottle. This is a beautiful, vibrant, lively chardonnay with that subtle degree of complexity complementing the natural fruit characters. Nutty lemon curd and deeper…
Read Review