Moss Wood is among my favourite Western Australian brands and one of Margaret River’s pioneers. Established in 1969 by Busselton medico Dr Bill Pannell and his wife Sandra, it has the distinction of being the region’s second vineyard after Vasse Felix – planted in 1967 by Perth cardiologist Dr Tom Cullity and now owned by the Holmes a Court family. Along with cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay is Margaret River’s premier variety and this excellent 2017 one shows why. It shines lime green-tinted lemon in the glass, entices with passionfruit aromas and beguiles with elegant nectarine front-palate flavour. Fig, citrus, brioche and vanillin oak marry on the middle palate and flinty acid refreshes at the finish. Perfect with salt and pepper squid. 5.5 stars (out of 6)

Published February 9th, 2019