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 since 1984 and 1979, respectively. The Moss Wood and Mugford names are synonymous with uncompromising quality. The cabernets are sublime with a global reputation almost without equal. Pinots can be very good in the right seasons and recent chardonnays have been outstanding. One of the few to make a straight semillon – it’s a beauty.”

Moss Wood 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon 

Another simply sublime edition of this great wine. The volume of fruit was down almost 60% but the small berry influence has added even more intensity and depth, if that is possible with this wine. Interesting point of difference is that the combination is slightly different from previous vintages with 90% cabernet sauvignon, 3% cabernet franc and 7% petit verdot. The petit verdot certainly brings a darker berry influence with slightly firmer tannins. The aromas are a seductively perfumed with a combination of violet and redcurrant with a subtle black olive and mulberry. But the palate, oh the palate, is simply a joy. Smooth graceful lines with fine chalky tannins supply essential definition and support and harmoniously played oak. At the moment it is quite restrained but with age, a treasure trove of delights will be released. It is a wine destined for even greater things. Extraordinary.
Cellar: 30 years

99 Points

 

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2020 Merlot

When Australia’s finest merlots are discussed this one must be in the mix. Recent vintages have been stunning, and I have to say this one, which combines the concentrated intensity of the small 2020 vintage with such supreme elegance, is as good as any released and that includes the 2018. In fact, stylistically, I think this velvety smooth, perfumed and so finely elegant wine pips it. The combination of sweet red fruit with a chalky tannin wrap creates such a perfect expression of the variety. Needs more time than the ’18.
Cellar: 20 years

98 Points

 

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon 

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 balanced and expressive with an effortlessly long finish.
Cellar: 18 years

96 Points

Moss Wood 2021 Pinot Noir

This cooler vintage was ideal for pinot from this part of Margaret River. Perfumed and highly scented aromas of strawberry and sour cherry with a slightly truffly influence. The velvety palate captures that iron fist in a velvet varietal character. Smooth and seamless with a gossamer like sheen. Beautiful.
Cellar: 14 years

96 Points

Moss Wood 2022 Chardonnay 

Another cracking good chardonnay from Moss Wood. The aroma is immediately engaging with a floral lemon scent and a slight vanilla bean essence. Subtle cut lime and pear edge into add some further complexity. The palate is a powerful statement with a deeply intense creamy stone fruit and edgy lemon rind combination working together. Gathers momentum towards a long finish.
Cellar: 10 years

95 Points

 

Moss Wood 2023 Semillon

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 beautiful fruit intensity. Pure and driven with a lip-smacking acidity on the finish.
Cellar: 10 years

95 Points

 

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2022 Elsa 

Sauvignon blanc that takes you into another zone. Full malolactic fermentation contributes to its rich generous creamy texture while the use of oak, with about 6% new, adds a defining lift through the palate. The nose offers all manner of things from melon, spices and pear with a varietal gooseberry note. On the palate you get into even more, with layers of honey and lemon curd quite dominant. It’s almost languid and effortless but gathers pace to a long finish.
Cellar: 10 years

95 Points

 

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2022 Chardonnay

This is a decidedly fresh and fragrant chardonnay that provides quite a point of difference to the standard Moss Wood. It’s made in exactly the same way yet the Ribbon Vale vineyard speaks its individuality. It’s flavoursome with light stone fruit and a more subtle creamy vanilla bean character. The palate is generous and full, yet the nectarine and lime edges provide a tightening and focusing effect to take the wine through to a long finish. A little flick of acid on the finish, and there you have it, a mighty good wine for now or medium-term cellaring.
Cellar: 10 years

94 Points

 

Moss Wood 2021 Amy’s

If you’re looking at an entry point into the wonderful wines of Moss Wood then this classy wine is just perfect. It’s a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec and petit verdot. Firm dark fruit delivered with typical grace and style. Has a beautiful lift and vibrance which carries effortlessly to a long finish.
Cellar: 10 years

92 Points

 

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2018 Botrytis Semillon

A style of wine you seldom see in WA, let alone in Margaret River. It’s a sweet dessert style wine but it has been made in a way that controls the palate, so it remains deep and sweet yet never becomes cloying. Retains a fresh zingy acidity. Distinctive aromas of orange peel and marmalade, honey and a little butterscotch with a bright lime edge. The flavour builds and builds through the endless palate.
Cellar: 12 years

95 Points

 

Rating: Stars
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Vintage 2024 Report

Moss Wood vineyard at sunset
It is extremely rare that as winemakers in Margaret River we get to enjoy time off over the Easter weekend, however, this year we did! The 2024 season was characterised by warm and dry conditions and our vineyard weather station has confirmed that it is the warmest season we have had since 2007. The last batch of Ribbon Vale Cabernet Sauvignon was pressed on Monday 25th March, officially marking the end of our vintage, giving us some time to reflect on what occurred during the season.

 

Vintage commenced on the 29th January when we picked the first batch of Pinot Noir. Upon weighing the bins, we received our first indication of the impact of the dry season on our unirrigated vineyards, with yields of 5.1 tonnes/ha, down 20% on average. Fruit condition and flavours were excellent, however, which in the end is all that matters at Moss Wood!

 

Moss Wood Chardonnay was the next cab off the rank on the 2nd and 5th February and again we were thrilled with the flavours in the fruit, however, the overall yield of 4.1 tonnes/ha (48% below average) won’t impress the bank manager!

 

Ribbon Vale Sauvignon Blanc followed immediately after on the 6th February and with Moss Wood Semillon and Ribbon Vale Chardonnay being picked on the 13th and 14th February respectively, the white harvest for 2024 was finished before we’d had a chance to blink!

 

In a fast-moving season, we were fortunate to have a few quieter weeks as the Cabernet varieties approached optimum ripeness and this meant that we were able to focus on the fermentations of all of the white varieties and get these to barrel where required.

 

We commenced picking Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon on the 29th February and the theme of the season continued, low yields but excellent flavours. Interesting to note is that this is our earliest ever harvest date on Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon, and while the warm season was the major factor in this, the yields being 36% below average certainly contributed.

 

Ribbon Vale Merlot was picked on the 7th March and this gave us our first taste of the new clones of Merlot that we have grafted to in the vineyard. We have 3 new clones: 181, Q45 and 343 and we have been following the fermentation of these clones with interest. So far, they appear to have unique aromatic and flavour profiles as compared to our existing old vine Merlot and we’re excited to see how they contribute to our Ribbon Vale Merlot style over the coming years.

 

The harvest concluded with Ribbon Vale Cabernet Sauvignon coming off on the 10th March and from there all that was left to do was safely get the Cabernet batches through fermentation and then into the press. We can happily report that this has been achieved with about half of the 2024 wines safely tucked away in barrel and the rest will be following suit over the next few weeks!

 

Given the warm temperatures we saw during the season, the easy historical reference point is to point to the 2007 season for comparison. Going further back into the archives, Keith notes the similarities in aroma and tannin profiles to the wines of 1995. If the wines we have made in 2024 are anything like either of these years, we’ll be a happy family!

Rating: Stars
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A True Wine History – Reviews of Moss Wood 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2022 Elsa, Moss Wood 2021 Amy’s – James Halliday, The Weekend Australian Magazine

A bottle of Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon wine laying on a table

Margaret River: a true wine history

Any account of the history of winemaking in Margaret River must acknowledge the true father of the region: Dr John Gladstones AM, a scientist of awesome intelligence. Much of his working life as an agronomist was devoted to lupins, a significant source of fodder for cattle. Central to this was unravelling climate, soils and their interaction. The 1960s witnessed the stirrings of viniculture (sic) across Australia after decades of somnolence, a spark that was lit by Max Lake in the Hunter Valley when he established Lake’s Folly in 1963. In 1965 and 1966, Gladstones wrote two scientific papers. The first covered the climate and soils of southwest Australia, and was followed with a paper focusing on the Margaret River-Busselton area. These lit a flame that has burnt bright for 55 years.

At that time, Margaret River was an unprepossessing region, sparsely populated, its beaches the chief appeal to tourists. The three doctors who conducted the early viticultural developments were Tom Cullity (Vasse Felix, 1967), Bill Pannell (Moss Wood, 1969) and Kevin Cullen (Cullen Wines, 1971). They had professional careers and family lives, and were driven men who had to work extraordinarily long hours. In typical Australian fashion they shared knowledge gained the hard way and by 1973, had laid the path for another seven wineries, most notably Cape Mentelle and Leeuwin Estate. Today there are more than 180 regional wineries here. The three doctors (and their wineries) rank first among equals. Not all varieties and wines can be so classified. Few would challenge cabernet sauvignon’s right to be ranked first, but Margaret River’s greatest cabernets are different to each other in the way they disseminate their character.

Denis Horgan established Leeuwin Estate in 1973, and planted a magic block of soil with chardonnay. I have long described this as Australia’s greatest example of the variety. Margaret River is a many-splendoured place.

 

Moss Wood 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

It takes only a split second for this wine to establish its greatness in the pantheon of cabernet sauvignons grown around the world, pulsating with sweet fruits and a velvety mouthfeel. This is a cabernet sauvignon to melt a pinot noir addict’s heart.
Drink to 2050

98 Points

 

Ribbon Vale 2022 Elsa

Sauvignon blanc (94 per cent) and semillon (6 per cent), fermentation was initiated in stainless steel, then transferred to French barriques (6 per cent new) to complete fermentation and full mlf; matured in barrel for nine months. It is a wine that takes no prisoners. Margaret River’s dominance is absolute in its texture and structure.
Drink to 2032

95 Points

 

Moss wood 2021 Amy’s

A 68/20/7/5 per cent blend of estate-grown cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec and petit verdot, its colour is bright, fresh crimson, the bouquet fragrant, and the palate is already complete and balanced. It is purpose-built for consumption over the next three or four years, but if for any reason it’s left unopened for 10 years it will still be fresh.
Drink to 2029

94 Points

 

Printed on The Weekend Australian Magazine, June 17-18, 2023

Rating: Stars
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Moss Wood in South Australia

Moss Wood vineyard with a row for Cab Sav

22nd May, 2023 – Dinner AT georges

 Moss Wood Dinner at Georges

Monday 22nd May, 2023

6:30 pm

 

The Five-Course Dinner will feature the following wines:

Ribbon Vale 2019 Elsa

Moss Wood 2022 Semillon

Moss Wood 2021 Amy’s

Ribbon Vale 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

Moss Wood 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Georges

20 Waymouth Street, Adelaide, 5000 SA

(08) 8211 6960

Rating: Stars
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Moss Wood in New South Wales

Moss Wood vineyard

31st May – Dinner at bibo wine bar

1st June – Dinner at Four Seasons hosted by united cellars

Moss Wood Dinner at bibo Wine Bar

Wednesday 31st May, 2023

6:30 pm

 

The Dinner will feature a Five-Course Tasting Menu Paired with an Extensive Range of Moss Wood Wines

 

$225pp

Upstairs Dining Room

bibo Wine Bar – 7 Bay St, Double Bay NSW 2028

Phone: (02) 9362 4680

Wednesday 31st May, 2023 at 6:30pm

Moss Wood Dinner at Four Seasons

Hosted by United Cellars

6:30 pm

 

The Dinner will feature the following wines:

Moss Wood 2022 Semillon

Ribbon Vale 2022 Elsa

Ribbon Vale 2022 Chardonnay

Moss Wood 2021 Amy’s

Ribbon Vale 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

Moss Wood 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

Ribbon Vale 2018 Botrytis Semillon

 

Four Seasons:

199 George Street, The Rocks NSW 2000
Thursday 1st June, 2023 at 6:30pm

Rating: Stars
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Moss Wood in Victoria

Aerial view of Moss Wood vineyard

17th May, 2023 – Dinner AT Telegraph hotel

18th May, 2023 – Dinner AT pure south

Moss Wood Dinner at Telegraph Hotel

Wednesday 17th May, 2023

6:00 pm

 

The Dinner will feature an extensive range of Moss Wood wines.

 

Telegraph Hotel

Phone: (03) 5222 2471

2 Parkington Street Geelong West, Victoria 3218

Moss Wood Dinner at Pure South

Hosted by Armadale Cellars

Thursday 18th May, 2023

6:30 pm

 

The Four-Course Dinner will feature the following Moss Wood wines:

Moss Wood 2022 Semillon

Ribbon Vale 2022 Elsa

Moss Wood 2021 Amy’s

Ribbon Vale 2019 Merlot

Ribbon Vale 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

Moss Wood 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

Ribbon Vale 2018 Botrytis Semillon

 

Pure South

MR6 Mid Level Southgate Building,

3 Southgate Ave, Southbank Victoria 3006

Phone: (03) 9699 4600

Rating: Stars
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Moss Wood in Queensland

Moss Wood vineyard

16th May, 2023 – Masterclass AT Anchor Buoy Hosted by the Cove Tavern

17th May, 2023 – Dinner at Le Cafe Gourmand Hosted by somm wine store

May 18th, 2023 – Dinner at Emporium Hotel South Bank

May 20th, 2023 – Tasting at The Wine Emporium 

 Moss Wood Masterclass at Anchor Buoy.

Hosted by the Cove Tavern

Tuesday 16th May, 2023

6:30 pm

 

The Masterclass will feature the following wines:

Ribbon Vale 2022 Elsa

Moss Wood 2022 Semillon

Ribbon Vale 2020 Merlot

Moss Wood 2020 Pinot Noir

Moss Wood 2021 Amy’s

Ribbon Vale 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

Moss Wood 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Reservations:

$25PP

Contact Lou-Ann Field at Cove Tavern – 07 5514 8511

Email: retail@sctavern.com.au

Anchor buoy: 7b/c The Marine Village, Masthead Way, Hope Island QLD 4212

Moss Wood Dinner at Le Cafe Gourmand

Hosted by Somm Wine Store

Wednesday 17th May, 2023

6:30 pm

 

The Dinner will feature the following wines:

Ribbon Vale 2022 Elsa

Moss Wood 2022 Semillon

Ribbon Vale 2020 Merlot

Moss Wood 2020 Pinot Noir

Moss Wood 2021 Amy’s

Ribbon Vale 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

Moss Wood 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Le Cafe Gourmand

2545 Gold Coast Hwy, Mermaid Beach QLD 4218

Reservations

Contact Jo Caruso at Somm Wine Store – (07) 5647 6057

Email: hello@sommwinestore.com.au

Moss Wood Dinner at Emporium Hotel South Bank

Thursday 18th May, 2023

6:30 pm

 

The five-course dinner will feature the following wines:

Moss Wood 2022 Semillon

Ribbon Vale 2022 Elsa

Ribbon Vale 2022 Chardonnay

Moss Wood 2020 Pinot Noir

Moss Wood 2021 Amy’s

Ribbon Vale 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

Moss Wood 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon

Ribbon Vale 2018 Botrytis Semill0n

 

The Reserve Cellar

Signature Restaurant at Emporium Hotel South Bank

267 Grey Street Brisbane, QLD 4101 Australia

Reservations:

$220pp

Moss Wood Tasting at The Wine Emporium

Saturday 20th May, 2023

11 am – 2 pm

 

The tasting will include an extensive range of Moss Wood wines

 

The Wine Emporium

E2/76B Skyring Terrace, Newstead QLD 4006

Phone: (07) 3252 1117

There is no charge and no booking required for this event.

Rating: Stars
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More Than Cabernet From Moss Wood – Reviews of Moss Wood 2021 Chardonnay, Moss Wood 2020 Pinot Noir, Moss Wood 2022 Semillon – Ray Jordan wine review, Business News

More than cabernet from Moss Wood

Moss Wood’s versatility is on full display with three wines from its 2020 crop.

“The 2020 vintage was one of the smallest on record but the fruit that did come off the old vines was generous and beautifully flavoured.

Moss Wood cabernet sauvignon is among the most anticipated wine releases each year.
Almost from Bill Pannell’s first wines in the 1970s it has been a major talking point among wine lovers.

For nearly 50 years it has risen to the very highest levels of Australian red wine, with current winemaker and owner Keith Mugford continuing to take it into the rarefied air shared by Australia’s greatest wines.

Having said that, this is not a column about the Moss Wood cabernet. For the record, the latest wine, the 2019, is another stellar red and one I have scored at 98 points.

This edition I am writing about three other wines that don’t get the kudos of the cabernet: the pinot noir, chardonnay and semillon.

Let’s start with the chardonnay. After hand-picking and hand sorting before fermentation, Mr Mugford as always sticks with the cultured yeasts rather than going down the wild yeast approach.

The wine then went through malolactic fermentation, with about half the oak new French. The malo has really brought the wine together, delivering richness and texture while retaining its fine acid line through to the finish.

Pinot noir is a variety not generally associated with Margaret River. Sure, there are some like Moss Wood that have been making it for many years, but most winemakers have gone south to the Great Southern, Manjimup and Pemberton for this variety.

There have been some great Moss Wood pinots over the years; in some years they are exceptional.

The 2020 vintage was one of the smallest on record but the fruit that did come off the old vines was generous and beautifully flavoured. A feature of this wine is its plush mouth feel that seems to be the result of this cooler, small-volume season.

Before the 2020 vintage, the previous lowest-yielding season on record at Moss Wood was 1981, which produced the legendary pinot noir still revered and spoken of in hushed tones.

Finally, the semillon. Year in and year out, this has been one of my favourites and shows the incredible versatility of the region.

As always, the 2022 was made without the use of oak (it simply doesn’t need it). But this year there was a significant change in the winery that seems to have had an impact. Initially it followed the usual hand-picking, hand sorting and whole-bunch pressing, after which a new approach was introduced to save energy.

“In the past, the pressed juice was clarified using cold settling, a process that uses enormous amounts of energy to chill the juice down and hold it at ten degrees Celcius for several days,” Mr Mugford told Business News.

“For 2022 we introduced flotation, where the solids are floated to the surface and the clear juice taken from underneath. The juice is held at eighteen degrees and clarified in a few hours. The energy and time savings are huge, not to mention the juice proceeds quickly into primary fermentation, reducing the risk of oxidation.”

The result is a cracking good wine.

 

Moss Wood 2021 Chardonnay 

Everything about this wine points to it being one of the best chardonnays yet from Moss Wood. Opens with a creamy, nutty and slightly savoury aroma. It’s a nose that continues to reveal more each time you get into it. The palate is the real feature, however. It has the power and deep intensity of this small vintage but presents with an elegant finesse. And it is so long and persistent.
Cellar: 10 years

97 Points

 

Moss Wood 2020 Pinot Noir

The small, intense vintage of 2020 has suited this variety from Moss Wood. Marvellous opening on the nose with a mix of cherry and rhubarb flicked with a little spice and underpinned by deeper meaty characters. The palate retains that linear chalky acidity but wrapped around the spine is the seductively warm flesh of the vintage. Supremely well balanced and a very long palate.
Cellar: 13 years

96 Points

 

Moss wood 2022 Semillon

You hear quite a lot about Moss Wood’s great cabernets and chardonnay, and as a result this little guy can slip under the radar. But it remains one of my favourite wines in the Moss Wood portfolio. And it shows how good semillon can be in Margs. This has got some weight, but it’s held with control by the dab hand of a lemon citrus acid tang. Very long finish. One of the best I can recall.
Cellar: 10 years

95 Points

 

Printed on Business News, October 3rd, 2022

Rating: Stars
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Moss Wood Dinner at Kailis Bros Leederville – October 31st, 2019

Moss Wood cellar

Kailis Bros Leederville is organising a Moss Wood dinner on Thursday 31st October 2019.

The dinner will feature the following wines, matched with 6 courses of locally sourced seafood:

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon
Moss Wood 2018 Semillon
Moss Wood 2018 Chardonnay
Moss Wood 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon
Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2017 Merlot

Kailis Bros – 101 Oxford Street, Leederville WA
Thursday 31st October 2019 at 7pm
$135PP

Rating: Stars
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Moss Wood 2020 Ribbon Vale Elsa, Moss Wood 2019 Ribbon Vale Merlot, Moss Wood 2019 Ribbon Vale Cabernet Sauvignon – James Halliday wine review, The Weekend Australian Magazine

It was love at first sight when I travelled to Margaret River 40 years ago to research the region for a book published by University of Queensland Press. Elements of its unique landscape-giant marri, karri and blackbutt gums, ancient grass trees, wildflowers of every kind that change with the season, and small streams that find their way to the eponymous river – come together to create a sense of calm and suspended time. Except, that is, on the days when far-distant storm cells create swells for surfers, or during the annual battle between countless thousands of silvereyes and winemakers waiting for their crops to ripen. If the gum trees don’t flower on time the or in sufficient amount, the entire region is covered by nets.

Moss Wood is one of the greatest cabernet sauvignon producers of the region, and it has long been my belief that it is primarily terroir, not so much its vinification practices, that gives these cabernets their special character. I have tasting notes for all of them dating back to 1973 and there is a lexicon of words such as softness, succulence and balance that stand out.

Enter Keith and Clare Mugford, who had worked with founders Bill and Sandra Pannell from 1979 to 1984, and thereafter leased the property until moving to full ownership in 1985. Keith sees himself and Clare as custodians of an asset that will live for 100 years, so they have carefully considered all changes. The first (in 1995) was to mature their cabernets in oak for two years, and push the release date out 12 months. This increased the already intense pressure from would-be purchasers of the wines, but added a patina to the mouth-feel. The other change was to buy the Ribbon Vale vineyard, 1.6km south of Moss Wood. There was no doubt it helped assuage first up demand, but the quality of the wine soon emptied the shopping basket

 

2020 MOSS WOOD RIBBON VALE ELSA

A 90/10% blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon, barrel fermented and matured for 9 months in French barriques. The move away from the clear juice to slightly cloudy has moved this into big boy’s territory, full-bodied if you will, but none the worse for that. 14% alc, screw cap

 95 points, drink to 2027

 

2019 MOSS WOOD RIBBON VALE MERLOT

A beguiling bouquet, its aroma glittering so rapidly it’s hard to keep up with them. Better to allow the wine to have its head and leave you to revel in the gloriously supple array of red and black fruits, the tannins translucent. 13.5% alc, screwcap

96 points, drink to 2043

 

2019 MOSS WOOD RIBBON VALE CABERNET SAUVIGNON

91% cabernet sauvignon, and 3% each of cabernet franc, merlot and malbec, 28 months in French barriques. The texture and structure are such that the drink-to dates have little meaning. Flavours of olive tapenade, crushed bay leaves and blackcurrant fruits, oak and tannin beholders rather than participants. 14% alc, screwcap

96 points, drink to 2044

 

Printed on The Weekend Australian Magazine, Saturday March 5th 2022

Rating: Stars
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