Mugfords at Moss Wood for 30 years By JOHN LEWIS

Dec. 22, 2015, 4 p.m.

THE first Margaret River vineyards had been planted only a decade before when young McLaren Vale-bred Roseworthy graduate and avid surfer Keith Mugford was lured there by the region’s immense winegrowing potential and great waves.

Sited in the northern sub-region of Wilyabrup, Moss Wood vineyard was founded in 1969 by medico Dr Bill Pannell and his wife Sandra and was one of Margaret River’s earliest wine ventures. The Pannells recruited Keith Mugford as their winemaker and viticulturist in 1979. Keith, who as a student had done vintages in the Hunter with Tullochs and in the Barossa with Orlando, seized the opportunity with great enthusiasm because he had been mightily impressed by Margaret River semillons in Roseworthy tastings.

The Pannell-Mugford team saw Moss Wood grow in stature and in 1984 Keith’s new bride, former Royal Perth Hospital registered nurse Clare, joined the team. Later that year Bill and Sandra Pannell, tiring of the demands of a growing family, a medical practice and running a winery for 15 years, decided they wanted to retire.

EXCELLENCE: Keith and Clare Mugford have been operating Moss Wood wines in the Margaret River region for around 30 years now.
EXCELLENCE: Keith and Clare Mugford have been operating Moss Wood wines in the Margaret River region for around 30 years now.
Believing that the Mugfords would maintain the quality goals that they had set at Moss Wood, the Pannells at first leased and subsequently sold the business to Keith and Clare. At the age of 26 and with six years’ experience at Moss Wood, it was a golden opportunity for Keith.

Over the past 30 years the Mugfords have expanded their Wilyabrup grape sources beyond the original site by purchasing the Ribbon Vale vineyard, 1.2-kilometres to the south. Today Moss Wood is one of Australia’s finest boutique wine producers and it holds a James Halliday five red stars rating as a best of the best winery with a long track record of excellence.

Two of Clare and Keith’s four children are headed for wine careers. Sons Tristan, 25, and Hugh, 22, are training as viticulturists and have gained internships at Petaluma in the Adelaide Hills and O’Leary Walker at Clare. Daughters Eloise and Imogen have careers in law and nursing. Thirty-six years after he came to Moss Wood, Keith Mugford still revels in making wine there – and in riding the Margaret River waves, no longer on a board, but on his surf ski.

A big new batch of his wines has just come on the market, including the Moss Wood 2015 Wilyabrup Semillon, the 2013 Wilyabrup Pinot Noir and the 2014 Wilyabrup Chardonnay.