The word from Moss Wood is that “the 2011 vintage at Moss Wood was extremely good, potentially great.” The press information also states: “Stylistically, we tend to see 2011 as a slightly brighter, riper version of the 2010 vintage, in the same way that 1991 was compared to 1990. This being the case, we put the 2011 right at the top of our quality echelon. It comes down to a matter of style preference to differentiate this cluster of wines, at the very top of which sits the 2001. Is the new vintage a genuine challenger? The short answer is yes, especially for those who prefer wines where bright fruit characters are the dominant component.” And so to the wine itself – It’s ripe and syrupy, as is the Moss Wood style, with blackcurrant and creamy, smoky vanilla notes the main game. There are undergrowthy/tobacco-like notes here too as well as mint, black olive and gravel. It sounds more complex than it is, though it all bodes well for the future; there’s much for the hands of time to work with. It’s a svelte, seamless, cuddly cabernet and that’s both one of its strengths and potentially its weakness: it has intensity and breadth but it lacks presence and command. In short, it doesn’t announce itself and you feel as though this style of wine needs to, even in its youth.