Moss Wood 2015 Semillon
Wine Facts
| Median Harvest Date: | 21/02/2015 |
| Bottled: | 08/06/2015 |
| Released: | 21/09/2015 |
| Yield: | 3.55 t/ha |
| Mean Harvest Ripeness | 13.2° Be |
| Alcohol: | 14% |
| Vintage Rating: | 10/10 |
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Tasting Notes
The colour and condition are bright, light to medium straw hue, with green tints.
On the nose, the statement is immediately very fresh and lively. There is a vibrant array of aromas including lime, grapefruit, quince and preserved lemon and underneath a background that suggests lemon shortbread and mushrooms.
This follows through on to the palate which is also delightfully fresh, displaying lemon and grapefruit pith flavours sitting over medium body and fresh acidity. On the finish there is a touch of phenolics, giving the wine the aging platform it needs.
Moss Wood 2024 Semillon – Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
The 2024 Semillon was grown in one of the hottest, driest and earliest years in Margaret River’s history, and I expected the palate to clearly reflect that. However, as testament to the detailed viticulture at Moss Wood, the wine is certainly ripe, but t displays none of the breadth or…
Moss Wood 2024 Semillon – Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot
This vintage reminded the family of 1994/1995, though one suspects much has changed in the meantime. The fruit was whole bunch pressed to stainless steel for fermentation, before bottling. The colour here is a shining pale lemon. This is a slightly grassy style, as Margaret River Sem can sometimes be….
Moss Wood 2024 Semillon – Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot
A more generously proportioned Moss Wood Semillon with ample nectarine and melon fruit with strong nut kernel accents. Quite textural with creamy acidity that sits well within the overall package, with some more crushed nutty tones to finish. Ready to enjoy now.
Moss Wood 2023 Semillon – Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
The 2023 Semillon hails from a gorgeous season in Margaret River. It was long, mild and dry; it never got too hot, and the gentle rains that occurred were few and far between and well timed. Generally, it was regarded as a stellar vintage. We are only just now…
Moss Wood 2024 Semillon – Fergal Gleeson, Great Wine Blog
Moss Wood Semillon 2024 has lime and lemongrass flavours with subtle texture and complexity. Flavoursome and fruit driven given the absence of oak in the winemaking. Moss Wood are one of the only winemakers in Margaret River making an age worthy style which they recommend can cellar for up to…
Moss Wood 2024 Semillon – Ray Jordan, Ray Jordan Wine
This is a slightly fuller style than previously. Perhaps a product of the warmer vintage or an indication of a somewhat new direction for the variety. Regardless, it retains the essential linear mouthfeel and intensity of lemon zest and citrus. A crisp zingy acid sustains the long finish—an immediately appealing…
WA Wine Review 2024
Ray Jordan “Moss Wood is a family-owned wine company and a pioneer of the Margaret River region. Planted in 1969, Moss Wood is an important founding estate of Margaret River. Clare and Keith Mugford, as viticulturalists, winemakers and proprietors, have been tending the vineyard and making wine at Moss Wood…
Moss Wood 2023 Semillon – Stuart Knox, The Real Review
Bright lime and lemon colours shine through the glass. Grapefruit, melon and chopped green herb aromatics. The palate has a tension and drive that instantly draws you in. Citrus fruit and hints of leafy greens add complexity whilst that driving acidity ensures it carries very long and crisp to the…
Moss Wood 2023 Semillon – Fergal Gleeson, Great Wine Blog
The Moss Wood 2023 Semillon leads with lemon and Granny Smith flavours. Dig a little deeper for fig and nectarine. It’s a riper and fuller bodied expression than Hunter releases. Still has that underlying chalk, dryness and acid line to keep everything tidy. Always highly pointed by wine critics but…
Moss Wood 2023 Semillon – Ray Jordan, Ray Jordan Wine
Remains one of my favourite Moss Wood wines, and certainly one of my favourite semillons. And this one from the great ’23 vintage is right up there with anything. It seems a more pungent and intense semillon than previous years and probably a result of the vintage which produced such…
Vintage Notes
The 2015 vintage was one of contrasts. Regular Spring rain kept the vineyard looking fantastic but it came at a price. The rain and temperature interruptions meant poor flowering conditions and so Semillon yields were down around 50%. This contrasted with summer which brought weather more to our liking. We experienced consistent warmth, although it was the coolest vintage since 2010. There were only 4 days with maxima above 35⁰C and the hottest day was 37.3⁰C, so ripening was slow but steady, courtesy of these near perfect temperatures.
Blossom on the Marri trees was limited and arrived late, so we conceded some losses to the birds, despite the application of our nets. Careful sorting in the vineyard and winery prevented this causing any quality problems. Apart from this, the vineyard was disease free and the fruit was in excellent condition.
Harvest commenced on 18th February with grapes coming in with a ripeness of 12.9⁰ Baume.
Production Notes
After hand picking, the fruit was destemmed, crushed, chilled to 10⁰C and then drained and pressed. The juice was settled in stainless steel tank for 48 hours and once clarified, was racked to a second tank for fermentation, controlled at 18⁰C, with pure yeast culture. After ferment had reached dryness, the wine was racked from gross lees and fined with bentonite and isinglass for protein stability and phenolics, respectively. The wine was then sterile filtered and bottled on 8th June, 2015.
Cellaring Notes
Although very enjoyable now, courtesy of its fresh fruit flavours and crisp acidity, it will definitely be a keeper. Moss Wood Semillons of this style and structure have proven themselves capable of cellaring for 30 years.