Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine Facts
| Median Harvest: | Cabernet Sauvignon – 27/03/2013 Cabernet Franc – 04/03/2013 Merlot – 12/03/2013 |
| Bottled: | 02/10/2015 |
| Released: | 18/11/2015 |
| Yield: | Cabernet Sauvignon – 3.55 t/ha Cabernet Franc – 5.79 t/ha Merlot – 5.46 t/ha |
| Baume: | Cabernet Sauvignon – 13.7⁰ Be Cabernet Franc – 13.2⁰ Be Merlot – 12.6⁰ Be |
| Alcohol: | 14.00% |
| Vintage Rating: | 10/10 |
SOLD OUT
It has taken 14 vintages but the Mugfords are finally happy that they have got the Ribbon Vale vineyard where they want it to be and can release a varietal Cabernet Sauvignon as the premier wine from the property.
Tasting Notes
It has a deep brick red colour and is in bright condition. The nose is classic, almost old-fashioned Wilyabrup cabernet sauvignon, showing all the hallmarks of the region and taking us back to the future - we could almost be tasting a 1983. There are aromas of redcurrant, mulberry and blackberry with the typical background of a touch of eucalypt and tar and behind this is a touch of spicy, toasty oak. The palate is full bodied, with generous red and black fruits. Whereas with the Merlot there is brightness and freshness, this wine has density and concentration. The tannins are firm and provide a long platform upon which the fruit flavours sit and yet the wine finishes with roundness and balance.
Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon – Ray Jordan, Ray Jordan Wine
This is one of the best cabernets yet released from this vineyard. It’s a gracefully presented wine of elegance and poise from the fine chalky tannins through to the energised finish. Blackcurrant and savoury plum notes with a light bay leaf and black olive nuance. The palate is so tightly…
Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon – Cassandra Charlick, Decanter
Ripe fruit. Nose is resplendent with mulberry, cassis, dried florals, sappy hints, green peppercorn, black earth and nori flecks. Supple, energetic palate follows the nose, with a jumble of red fruits and graphite. Fine, firm tannins and fresh acidity, the union of the two producing an energetic and elegant wine….
Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon – Jane Faulkner – James Halliday, The Wine Companion
An elegant and immediately appealing Ribbon Vale offering a light spray of red fruits, leafy freshness, Moroccan mint, tobacco and cedary oak. It’s medium bodied with supple yet restrained tannins, pops of sweet fruit across the palate and fine acidity keeping this light on its feet. August, 2024
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 Ribbon Vale 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon – Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Medium-deep red-purple with a briary, tomato-bush and angelica bouquet, the palate medium-full bodied and lively, intense, fine and focused, with bright and attractive cabernet cassis/raspberry fruit backed by fine, persuasive yet supple tannins. Fine, elegant cabernet, worth cellar space. February, 2024
Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon – Ray Jordan, Ray Jordan Wine
Another stunner from the 2020 vintage. This vintage shows slightly more sweet fruit than some previously, yet the firm tannin core remains a structural feature that is part vineyard and part season. Plenty of dark fruits woven with a trace of black olives, bay leaf and oyster shell minerality. So…
Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon – Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
Red and black fruits, cedar, some dried flowers and mint, blonde tobacco. It’s medium-bodied with an understated claret-like charm, and don’t mind me, but there’s a distinct flavour of honey glazed ham in the mix, along with tobacco and dried herbs. The tannin offers a light grainy grip, and the…
Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon – Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot.com
There is much to enjoy in this 2021 Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon which shows the elegance of the vintage. It opens with layers of graphite and pure cassis which are well backed by finely balanced French oak. Mid weight and vibrant with tannins already showing good integration behind a streamlined and…
Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon – Ned Goodwin, jamessuckling.com
A savory, mid-weighted expression from a cooler year, making for effortless early to mid-term drinking. Better tended parcels of cabernet performed well. And it shows. Pointed aromas of redcurrant, dried sage, graphite and judicious oak. Classy and fragrant, this makes for delicious drinking. Drink or hold. Screw cap. December, 2023
Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon – Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot.com
The classic red variety from Margaret River, this wine is a deep, shining red. The nose is blackberries, delicatessen meats, spices, tobacco leaves and an ever-so-slight oaky note, but it is well integrated and merely adds to the complexity evident here. Attractive dark cherry touches. Fine tannins, a hint gravelly….
Vintage Notes
We had a generally excellent growing season and yet we began the 2013 vintage with a degree of fear and trepidation. This was not because of any quality concerns but rather, we’d had a monumental hail storm on 30th November, 2012, the likes of which we hadn’t seen since 1996 and we were worried just how small our yields were going to be. The thing is, it is possible to see the damage but we don’t know the true extent until we actually start picking.
The first of the Ribbon Vale reds to come off was the Cabernet Franc on 4th March and its yield was down by 30%, which wasn’t as bad as expected. When we started Merlot 8 days later, we hoped for the same and yes, we were in luck. That left Cabernet Sauvignon, which started on 27th March and sadly our hopes were dashed - its yield was down by just over 50%. Such is life in agriculture. What did matter was quality and that was very encouraging.
Despite the stormy conditions outlined above, the season was warm to hot, especially at the end of December where we had one day with a maximum of 40⁰C, the hottest day for the summer. January temperatures eased but things warmed again at the beginning of February, although not quite as hot as December. March delivered typical autumn weather, so all the varieties moved gently to full maturity, especially Cabernet Sauvignon.
Production Notes
Cabernet Franc was hand-picked and destemmed into a small, open tank, seeded with a pure yeast culture and allowed to ferment at up to 30⁰C and hand plunged 3 times per day. After 13 days it was pressed to stainless steel, underwent malolactic fermentation and was finally racked to barrel on 13th April, 2013. The casks were all 228 litre French oak.
Merlot was hand-picked and destemmed into static fermenters, seeded with pure yeast culture and allowed to ferment up to 30⁰C and were pumped over 3 times per day. Skin contact time was 16 days, after which the wine was pressed to stainless steel. Malolactic fermentation was carried out by selected bacteria and after MLF the wine was racked to 228 litre French oak barrels on 23rd April, 2013.
Cabernet Sauvignon was hand harvested then separated into 2 batches. The first was destemmed into a small open fermenter, the second into a static fermenter and both were seeded with pure yeast culture. In the former, extraction was by hand plunging 3 times per day and in the latter by pumping over 3 times per day. The open tank stayed on skins for 17 days while the closed tank achieved its tannin balance a little sooner and was pressed after 14 days.
After malolactic fermentation both batches were racked to barrels on 27th May, 2013. All barrels were 228 litre French oak and 8% were new.
In a first for Ribbon Vale under the Mugford ownership, we now produce this flagship as Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine was blended on 12th January 2015 and is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Merlot. After the blending it was returned to barrel till 14th September, 2015, 28 months in oak, when it was racked to stainless steel in preparation for bottling. The balance of the wine was excellent with no need for fining. It was sterile filtered and bottled on 2nd October, 2015.
Cellaring Notes
When discussing a Wilyabrup cabernet sauvignon these days, it almost goes without saying this is a wine for the cellar. Although it’s from the Ribbon Vale vineyard, it shares some of the style of Moss Wood 1983 and we have no doubt it will develop in a similar way and so proudly recommend it for a minimum aging time of 20 years.