Wine Reviews
Moss Wood 2022 Pinot Noir – Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Margaret River isn’t one of the great pinot noir regions, consequently there are very few made there. This is the best Moss Wood pinot noir I’ve tasted for many years. Youthful red-purple colour, bright and deep. There are cherry, ginger and iodine/peat aromas which are bright and fresh and fruit…
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2022 Pinot Noir – Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
The 2022 Pinot Noir leads with cherry and wild strawberry, garden mint (or is it a faint waft of eucalypt, instead?) and caper brine. In the mouth, the wine is silky and almost oily/velvety in its texture, with sweet blood orange, pink peppercorn and raspberry in the mix. This is…
Read Review
Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon – Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
The 2022 Ribbon Vale Cabernet Sauvignon is chalky and chewy, with raspberry pip, nori, iodine, bramble and fresh leather. This is elegant and attractively “not” fruit driven; instead, it’s propelled by exotic spice and tannins that feel silken. It’s a magnificent wine, a postcard from Margaret River in a bottle.…
Read Review
Moss Wood Ribbon Vale 2022 Merlot – Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
The 2022 Ribbon Vale Merlot is from a warm, dry and early vintage; the confluence of these climatic conditions has come together as a superb red wine vintage in the region. Aromatically, the wine leads with redcurrant and pomegranate molasses, raw cocoa and tapenade. On the spice register, we see…
Read Review
Moss Wood 2023 Amy’s – Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
The 2023 Amy’s hails from a superb vintage in Margaret River. Mild, dry conditions set the tone for the season, and while many of the wines are yet to be released, the early indications are that this could be one of the most astounding vintages of Margaret River’s modern era…
Read Review
Moss Wood 2023 Chardonnay – Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
I often view this wine in the context of the season it was grown. The style of Moss Wood Chardonnay is more consistent than the vintages that birth it, and so it becomes a fascinating lens through which to view the wine each year. The 2023 growing season (which, as…
Read Review
Moss Wood 2024 Semillon – Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
The 2024 Semillon was grown in one of the hottest, driest and earliest years in Margaret River’s history, and I expected the palate to clearly reflect that. However, as testament to the detailed viticulture at Moss Wood, the wine is certainly ripe, but t displays none of the breadth or…
Read Review
Moss Wood 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon – Matthew Jukes
I love the 2021 vintage of this Margaret River standard bearer Cab. Made from 95% Cabernet Sauvignon (all Houghton Clone), 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot from 52-year-old vines, this is as pure, deep and ripe-fruited as any Moss Wood in years gone by and with only 16% new…
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2023 Amy’s – Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot
Very much Cabernet Sauvignon dominant (83%), the wine also enjoys contributions from Merlot (5%), Malbec (6%) and Petit Verdot (6%). After fermentation and blending, the wine was returned to the 228-litre French oak barrels, none of them new, for maturation for a year and a half. A purple/maroon colour here,…
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2024 Semillon – Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot
This vintage reminded the family of 1994/1995, though one suspects much has changed in the meantime. The fruit was whole bunch pressed to stainless steel for fermentation, before bottling. The colour here is a shining pale lemon. This is a slightly grassy style, as Margaret River Sem can sometimes be.…
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2023 Chardonnay – Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot
Amazing to think that Moss Wood’s oldest Chardonnay vines are now 48 years of age. Fermentation for this cracking Chardonnay was finished in 228-litre French oak barriques. The wine was then blended in tank and returned to barrel, with 49% new, for the next year and a half. The colour…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon – Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot
A wine which is near completely Cabernet Sauvignon here, with 90% of the blend that variety, the remaining 10% is split evenly between Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. A wine which provides more compelling evidence as to how good the 2022 vintage was. Maturation was in 228-litre French…
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2022 Pinot Noir – Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot
20% of the fruit went into fermentation as whole bunches, adding in the search for texture and complexity. Maturation was for a year and a half in French oak barrels, 18% new. A pale crimson hue, the nose exhibits a slightly savoury/near rustic style with red fruits, warm earth, aniseed,…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2022 Merlot – Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot
I suspect this wine holds a Moss Wood record for the shortest vintage weather report they have ever issued – “Mother Nature was in a very benign frame of mind”. Of course, they didn’t leave it at that, but it is a great start. In addition to the Merlot, 7%…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2022 Merlot – Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot
This serious Merlot from 2022 is again putting Moss Wood forward as one of the country’s top performers with this variety. It opens with a powerful and tightly focussed core of blackberry and cedar with touches of crushed leaves, and a strong savoury feel. Impressive intensity and fruit drive takes…
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2023 Amy’s – Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot
The 2023 Amy’s blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with Petit Verdot, Malbec and Merlot is highly approachable at this young age with enveloping aromas of blackcurrant and gravel with a strong dark earth component. Excellent upfront impact with a seamless core of dark berry fruits, primed with acidity and underpinned by…
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2024 Semillon – Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot
A more generously proportioned Moss Wood Semillon with ample nectarine and melon fruit with strong nut kernel accents. Quite textural with creamy acidity that sits well within the overall package, with some more crushed nutty tones to finish. Ready to enjoy now.
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2023 Chardonnay – Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot
A more refined edition of Moss Wood Chardonnay bursting with sherbet, melon, and citrus tones that are powerful, taut and well integrated with toasty French oak. Bone dry and embryonic, it is highly reserved with a chalky texture while just starting to build nutty, peanut brittle tones. Super young and…
Read ReviewMoss Wood Ribbon Vale 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon – Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot
This compact 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon delivers a youthful, measured expression of cassis, bay leaf and cedar with a fine French oak accompaniment. Stil quit tight in a young claret style, yet holding its line very well for an extended, structural finish thanks to mouthcoating tannins. Shy right now and needs…
Read ReviewMoss Wood 2022 Pinot Noir – Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot
This charming 2022 Margaret River Pinot Noir is expressive and radiates with cherry pit and rolling tobacco lined with spicy undertones and a generous but well integrated serve of French oak. It then takes a wild turn, with engaging gamey, earthy complexity taking charge with a supple texture and a…
Read Review