Reviews Archives - Moss Wood

Moss Wood 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon – Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot

The Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon is always one of Margaret River’s best and this latest release is no exception. From the sub-region of Wilyabrup, the blend is 95% Cabernet, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Not the easiest vintage in the region, the team overcame any and all obstacles. Maturation was in 228 litre French oak barrels, 16% of which were new.

Deep garnet, this is an immaculate and classic Margaret River Cabernet. Aromas weave through florals, cassis, soy, aniseed, blackfruits, beefstock and graphite. An elegant style, there is good energy here, with serious focus and an immaculate balance, as well as a lovely lingering finish. The palate sees more chocolate and cherry notes emerging. Silky tannins and very good length. Drink over the next ten to twenty years.

June, 2024

97 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Chardonnay – Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot

This is the third release of the Ribbon Vale Chardonnay, which hails from Wilyabrup, though a cooler location than the MW Chardonnay. Fermentation and maturation was in French oak barriques, 23% new.

This is a fine Margaret River Chardonnay. The nose exhibits notes of peaches, apricots and some tropical characters. Hints of mango and a touch of cashew. There is good intensity on the palate and excellent length. Fine balance, good concentration and a persistent finish. Will provide pleasure over the next six to ten years.

June, 2024

94 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Elsa – Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot

Atmospheric image of Moss Wood Ribbon Vale Elsa 2023 bottle

This is a wine which takes us into a different realm of Sauvignon Blanc, with whole bunch pressing, fermentation in stainless steel tanks before transfer to oak. 225 litre French oak barriques, 7% new, with nine months maturation.

The nose offers florals and seabreeze notes, a real oystershell character to be found here. A minerally backing with notes of white peaches and grapefruits, there is a seductive and yet slightly crunchy texture with very good length. Good complexity here. Fine balance and some real energy right through the length of the wine. A good future, at least four to six years.

June, 2024

93 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Elsa – Fergal Gleeson, Great Wine Blog

The plan was to revamp how they made Sauvignon Blanc. They had an eye on the great whites of the Loire Valley as a template.

Well 2023 Elsa is their best yet. Handpicked and sorted, the grapes get the luxury treatment in the vineyard and winery.
Elsa ’23 is disciplined and tought and emphasises zest rather than ripe fruit salad flavours.

Moss Wood don’t make skinny wines. Elsa has richness and broadness courtesy of the picking dates as well as oak ageing and fermentation.

The combination of palate weight, complexity and length tells me they’ve got it just right.

April, 2024

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Chardonnay – Angus Hughson, Vinous.com

This young, vibrant 2023 Chardonnay Ribbon Vale offers piercing aromas of grapefruit, nectarine and preserved lemon wrapped in prominent but well-balanced oak. Tangy tutti-frutti flavors follow with impressive focus before nutty barrel fermentation and maturation build through to the finish. It’s too young to drink right now, but it has good potential.

May, 2024

93 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2023 Elsa – Angus Hughson, Vinous.com

The finely tuned 2023 White Blend Elsa Ribbon Vale is generously proportioned and youthful as it radiates grapefruit and lemon pith with a touch of exotic green mango and green herbs, all well integrated with French oak. Expressive and creamy textured oak flavors add backbone to what is a sophisticated array of flavors that fill out before delivering a lengthy finish. This is the best release yet under this label.

May, 2024

92 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon – Angus Hughson, Vinous.com

This engaging 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon appeals with its subtlety rather than raw power. Dried herbs, clay and blackcurrant are finely intertwined with French oak. Firm and mid-weight with a strong core, the Wilyabrup gravels emerge in flavor and texture to drive a strong, tension-filled finish. There’s a lovely overall flow and energy. The finish is lovely.

May, 2024

94 Points

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood 2022 Chardonnay – Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate

The 2022 Chardonnay leads with a nose redolent of white chocolate praline, roasted/salted/crushed cashews, orange oil, vanilla pod and wafer. In the mouth, the phenolics serve to almost balance the opulent fruit; this is a huge, pillowy wine of substance and volume. It tastes the way custard cooking on the stove smells, warming, soft and rich. The combination of a warm season, with the opulence of the Moss Wood Chardonnay style, has produced a wine of ample, capacious, billowing flavor.

December, 2023

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood 2020 Pinot Noir – Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate

The 2020 Pinot Noir is concentrated and red fruited, with berries and garden mint. The mint character feels like a vineyard characteristic to me, as I see it so often in the wines, and it sits so well within the red fruit character of the wine, which includes red cherries, pomegranate, strawberry and Pink Lady apples, with clove and tobacco. 2020 was a warm, low-yielding season in Margaret River, and the quality of the wines has been excellent.

March, 2024

Rating: Stars

Moss Wood 2021 Pinot Noir – Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate

The 2021 Pinot Noir leads with strawberry and garden mint on the nose, which pull through onto the palate. The wine is intense and concentrated, although light in the glass, and it shows a cavalcade of red fruits, briar, rose, cherry, pomegranate and pink peppercorns. This is a really lovely wine here. The garden mint/ clove/arnica character is woven through the finish and marks the impression. The Moss Wood Pinot Noir is an interesting beast; the wines have a great history of aging with grace. It is not uncommon for a wine from the 1980s to be rolled out in a blind tasting, and at 30 and 40 years of age, they are so often impressive. Long-time followers of Moss Wood accept this as an obvious truth. So, while you could revel in the cherries and berries of their youth, it is recommended that you be a little brave and seek out some older bottles. Cellar your own, and see how they go.

March,2024

Rating: Stars