Moss Wood Special Pre-Release Tasting
2024 Chardonnay & 2023 Pinot Noir
Lunch, Masterclass and Dinner with the Winemakers!
- 13 wines including -
The Moss Wood 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon - 50th anniversary vintage which received:
98 pts – Ray Jordan
98 pts – Ken Gargett
97+ pts – Erin Larkin
97 pts – Cassandra CharlickThe Moss Wood 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon
"One of Australia's great Cabernets' - 98 Points, Ray Jordan
The Moss Wood 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon
After two 10 wine verticals, I believe that the Mugford family are correct in saying that this is their greatest Cabernet Sauvignon to date.
Ray Jordan’s Wine of the Year & Red Wine of the Year – West Australian Wine Guide 2022Moss Wood 2024 Autrement Pinot Noir (Pre-Release) as well as the 2023 Pinot Noir (Pre-Release)
Plus.. the never-released, brand new ‘Amys Blanc’ 2025.
Sunday 28th September
Hosted by Tristan Mugford, Moss Wood Winemaker and Viticulturalist
Lunch: 12-3pm, 13 Wines & 5 Courses, $195
Masterclass: 4-6pm, 13 Wines with Canapes, $115
Dinner: 6.30pm, 13 Wines & 5 Courses, $195
The Moss Wood
Pinot Noir Context:
Despite the mountains of theory against, Moss Wood’s Margaret River Pinot Noirs have aged extraordinarily well since the earliest vintages. The 1981 was famous. I have had 14- and 15-year-old Moss Wood Pinot Noirs with Bill & Sandra Pannell – over lunches - with similarly aged Premier Cru Red Burgundies … and the Moss Wood Pinots lost nothing. Can you say that about many Australian 15-year-old Pinot Noirs? I have had dozens of aged Moss Wood Pinot Noirs over the years – and they sing. Extraordinary really.
Some years ago Keith & Clare wanted to take a Moss Wood museum Pinot Noir travelling show to the Eastern states, starting at about 10 years of age, to show Australia’s wine writers & wine buyers what these wines were capable of. I supported this fully - because almost nobody knows. In the last 24 months I have had masked 1986 & 1988 Pinot Noirs that were the wines of the night against up to a dozen wines of serious quality from around the world. In each instance, the wine loving attendees were as shocked as I was when the wines were unmasked. These were seriously good wines – but in fairness, from under cork, and I have had other bottlings of Moss Wood Pinot Noirs from that era that have not held
up as well. Moss Wood alone proves that Margaret River can produce marvellous aging Pinot Noirs that will reward and overpay on opening. This 2021 came from a quite cool year with significant early February rains. So the resulting Pinot Noir is more like the 1985, the 1990 and the 2000 … although a better wine … In short: “Good, soft, friendly and pretty.”
“Consistency and quality have underpinned our existence. Over the last 40+ years of making Moss Wood Pinot Noir, we have always believed in the quality of our wine and have been very happy to keep producing it. We can now point to vintages that have aged beautifully for more than 35 years.”
Moss Wood Pinot Noir:
2017 - 95 points Bob Campbell
2016 - 94 points James Halliday
2015 - 93 points Cameron Douglas
2014 - 92 points Josh Raynolds
2013 - 16 points Jancis Robinson
2012 - 92 points Josh Raynolds
The Moss Wood Chardonnay Context:
Until 2015 or 2016, and despite some very laudatory national reviews on their other varieties, Moss Wood’s reputation was built solely on Cabernet Sauvignon. The Chardonnay styles appear to have changed significantly since about the 2017 vintage – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion Chardonnay of the Year – and that wine and the vintages since have been leaner, longer and with more finely crafted texturing than in the past. And more delicious – both in the short and long terms. Margaret River is clearly the greatest Chardonnay producing region in the country – having won 19 of the 30 capital city Best Chardonnay Trophies (masked and with the west providing less than 8% of the wine writers and wine maker judging panels) since the first show of 2016 - and Moss Wood now is clearly entrenched in the very finest in the region and thus the nation. The 2019 Chardonnay, 19.1 or 19.2 points on my card, is a great wine and Keith Mugford has added that whilst more similar to the 2018 in style, that if I liked the 2019, I would love the 2020. I have not tried the 2022 yet. Keith Mugford says that the 2022 Chardonnay was typical of recent years - a touch on the low side? Certainly not high. Other key Margaret River Chardonnay players are VERY excited by their 2022 coming releases. Keith adds that they are “thrilled” with this wine and that “the fruit definition is sensational.” 2022 was a warmer year producing fully ripe fruit of real intensity and with phenolics that add some structuring. He is very happy with the results – as you will have gathered. Based on the most recent four vintages, I take it for granted that this will be another one of Margaret River’s finest … and most undervalued premium Chardonnays of the vintage.
John Jens
“Moss Wood focuses on the quality of its wines. It's part of everything that we do from the vineyard, through to the winery through to bottling wine.”
Moss Wood Chardonnay:
2018 - 97 points James Halliday, 17+/20 Jancis Robinson
2017 - 99 points James Halliday
2016 - 95 points James Halliday
2015 - 95 points Jane Faulkner
2014 - 93 points Josh Raynolds
2013 - 16.5/20 Jancis Robinson
2012 - 95 points, Bob Campbell
The Wine List
First Course
Semillon 2023
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.
95 Points Ray Jordan, rayjordanwine.com
2025 Amys Blanc (Pre-Release)
Second Course
2024 Ribbon Vale Chardonnay (New Release)
Full yellow colour: it looks and smells forward in maturity. Toasty, smoky, malty, nougat, mellow barrel-derived, reductive and stone-fruit aromas, and these are reflected on the palate, which is mature and mellow, rich and full-bodied. It's certainly complex and generous, albeit a rather evolved style of chardonnay.
93 Points - Huon Hooke, The Real Review (July 2025)
2024 Chardonnay (New Release)
2023 Chardonnay
One of the best chardies yet from Moss Wood, and that’s saying something with the quality of wines over the years. The nose is an immediately captivating combo of lemon curd, quince and cashew with just a subtle lift of zest. The palate has a sprightly energy with a crisp chalky acidity sustaining and focussing through to a very long finish, The winemaking approach is fairly simple with no wild yeasts, but the result is outstanding.
97 Points - Ray Jordan, rayjordanwine.com
2018 Chardonnay
Brilliant pale straw colour with a glimmer of green to the edges and a watery hue. Intense peach and nectarine aromas are overlaid with lemon butter and bees wax characters followed by light citrusy nougat and spice notes. Rich and creamy the palate has a fullish feel with generous ripe peach, nectarine and apricot flavours intermixing with honeycomb, lemon butter, nougat, cashew and spice. Sufficient acidity finishing with excellent concentration, power and a long textured aftertaste. Drink over the next 5-6 years.
96 Points - Nicks Wine Merchants
Third Course
2024 Autrement Pinot Noir (Pre-Release)
“Autrement” is the French word for “in another way” — a fitting name for this wine, which differs from our Pinot Noir grown Wilyabrup in both style and site.
Karridale’s later ripening and cooler conditions have delivered a wine with fine structure, bright acidity and savoury complexity — shaped further by a mix of three Pinot Noir clones and traditional winemaking. National release from October.
(Moss Wood Wines)
2023 Pinot Noir (New Release)
Fourth Course
2023 Amy’s Cabernet Blend
This is a blend if cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, malbec and merlot. In a good year like this one, it offers some of the best value classy red wine going around. This is as good as any in this line. Plush red fruit of tremendous intensity. A firm core of tannin and oak holds it firm as the succulent fruit washes through. Such energy and vibrancy.
95 Points - Ray Jordan, rayjordanwine.com
2021 Ribbon Vale Cabernet Sauvignon
The classic red variety from Margaret River, this wine is a deep, shining red. The nose is blackberries, delicatessen meats, spices, tobacco leaves and an ever-so-slight oaky note, but it is well integrated and merely adds to the complexity evident here. Attractive dark cherry touches. Fine tannins, a hint gravelly. There is balance and texture here and great length. The palate sees the emergence of more cassis notes and cigar box characters. This is a classy Margaret River Cabernet with ten to fifteen years.
95 Points - Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot
Fifth Course
2022 Cabernet Sauvignon
Stunning. A Classic Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon. Exciting.
19.1/19.2 Points - John Jens
I taste in batches of six, pouring each glass, gassing the bottles and working my way through the flight. Today, this 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon was poured in glass number five, and so it has had some time to breathe. Upon pouring, the nose was so abundantly, luxuriatingly steeped in graphite, fresh lead pencil (a smell so potent and specific and good), forest floor and pure, summer raspberry. After 20 minutes or so in the glass, the oak has begun to recede, and the fruit is swelling up. The 2022 season in Margaret River was warm, dry and early, and the quality of the Cabernets (particularly) was stellar. While the oak is a feature at this stage, the fruit is so sensationally poised and powerful that this will be a super superstar in the decades to come. We know that the old Moss Woods prevail even now—corks willing—and so aided and abetted by modern screw caps, these wines will patiently plod through the coming decades with ease. This is one of Australia’s most collected/cellared premium wines for a reason. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
97 Points - Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
2021 Cabernet Sauvignon
Tyson Steltzer Top 250 Wines of 2024
One of Australia’s great cabernets. This from a cooler season highlights and accentuates the typical bright red fruits and blue fruit mix, especially on the nose. It’s aromatic and perfumed with an African violet scent. The palate as always is so exquisitely balanced and refined. Since 1989 the cabernet has been augmented with the floral bright fruit of cabernet franc and the darker robust black fruits of petit verdot. The palate delivers with a gentle restraint yet there is power deep within. The chalky tannins define a long and focussed finish. A deceptive medium bodied wine that will cellar for many years.
98 Points - Ray Jordan, rayjordanwine.com
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon
As I suspected in anticipation, a great wine from a great vintage. This is as close to perfection as it gets from one of the great estates of Margaret River. Classical medium-weight in that understated Moss Wood way. Perfectly integrated oak and fine chalky tannins for support. Leafy cabernet notes on the nose with a touch of light bay leaf and brick dust. The minerally edge to the palate holds the line through to the very long finish. The length on the palate is extraordinary.
99 Points, Ray Jordan, The West Australian Wine Guide 2022