Editors notes
"Widely regarded as one of the best wineries in the region, producing glorious chardonnay, power-laden semillon and elegant cabernet sauvignon that lives for decades. Moss Wood also owns RibbonVale Estate, the wines treated as vineyard-designated within the Moss Wood umbrella." 5 Star Winery - James Halliday
Distinctly aromatic, with the full range of Merlot’s red and black fruits. Lots of blackberry, blueberry, plum and cherry, brightened by musk stick confectionery fragrance. Underneath lie earthy complexity of tarry notes, plus toasty oak and leather.
The theme of generous dark fruit follows through on the palate, where the front and middle are immediately filled with blackcurrant, mulberry and liquorice. This sits over a full body and typically firm Merlot tannin structure but the combination is supple and well balanced, something we don’t often see in the young Ribbon Vale Merlots. The finish shows some tarriness and there is also some toasty oak evident.
There is no doubt the fruit concentration and complexity of the 2018 Merlot will see it cellar for several decades, enhancing the wine with tar and leather complexities. It will need at least a decade to show the first signs of this and will become more complete with each year that passes after that. We suspect the challenge for many will be to resist its delicious early appeal but that’s OK, we’re happy for our wines to be enjoyed at any age.
Details
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Light (Light)Full (Full)
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Low Tannin (Low Tannin)Tannic (Tannic)
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Low Acidity (Low Acidity)High Acidity (High Acidity)
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Aroma
- Cassis
- Plum
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Palate
- Cherry
- Plum
- Redcurrant
Food Pairings
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Red Meat
Critic Scores & reviews
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James Halliday's Wine Companion
97""We live in hallowed times: the '18 cabernets from Margaret River are being released into the wild ... there's never been a better time to be alive. Concentrated, fine, pedigree cabernet with explosive, low-down torque that drags the flavours over the palate into the interminably long finish. Epic. Will live as long as you do.""
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Ray Jordan
97""A vintage that produced some spellbinding wines and this is right up there with some of the best. This is high class merlot displaying power and poise. The structure and combination of oak fruit and tannin is excellent. Leafy merlot with a trace of black fruits and dark plum. The palate has a grainy texture accentuated by the chalky tannins. This is a merlot that makes quite a statement.""
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Gary Walsh
94""Well, this is a good expression of Merlot, to be sure. Red and black fruits, coffee bean, a sort of honey/floral perfume, and a bit of tar. It’s medium-bodied, has some savoury tobacco and black olive character in with red berries and plum, tannins is fine and powdery, dense and perfectly ripe, some cedar and subtle mint and seaweed flavour comes through on a long finish. Lovely balance. All just so. Svelte. Polished. Really good.""
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Angus Hughson
93""This is classic merlot in many ways – good colour but not especially deep and then it’s instantly bursting with fragrant redcurrant, cedar and dried herb fruits well matched to largely old oak. 5% cabernet franc has also provided a pretty leafy edge. The palate is then dry, fleshy and juicy – waves of red and black fruits are supported by silky tannins which are beautifully balanced before a long and bright finish. It is already open for business and well suited to roast duck or chicken.""
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Locations
Australia
Australia's wine industry is a thriving part of the country's economy, contributing significantly to employment, production, export, and tourism. In fact, the industry is the fourth-largest wine exporter in the world, shipping out 760 million liters of wine to countries including France, Italy, Spain, and the UK. One of the key factors contributing to Australia's success as a "New World" wine producer is the formal export and marketing of its wines through Wine Australia.
Australia's wine regions are scattered across the south and southeast, with almost every state boasting its own vineyards. Victoria, for example, is home to an impressive 21 wine regions. Some of the most famous wine regions in Australia include Margaret River, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Eden Valley, Clare Valley, Hunter Valley, Yarra Valley, and local regions to New South Wales such as Cowra, Southern Highlands, and Mudgee.
Australian winemakers are known for producing a diverse range of grape varieties, with Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir being among the most popular. They tend to focus on producing wines that are ripe, fruit-forward, and easy to drink, using modern winemaking techniques and equipment such as stainless steel tanks and temperature-controlled fermentation.
With its bold, fruit-driven flavors and reputation for quality and diversity, Australian wine has become a popular choice for wine lovers around the world. And with such a broad range of wine regions and grape varieties, there's something for every palate to enjoy.
Western Australia
The wine regions of Western Australia are located in the southwest corner of the state. Among them, the famous Margaret River region boasts a warm maritime climate, situated around 200 kilometers south of Perth. Although it experiences higher levels of rainfall than other wine regions in Australia, the majority of it occurs during the winter months. Margaret River is renowned for its production of Cabernet Sauvignon, which is often blended with Merlot to create Bordeaux-style wines. Additionally, the region's Chardonnays are highly sought after due to their high natural acidity and concentrated stone-fruit aromas. These wines are further enhanced by malolactic fermentation and barrel aging, which lend complexity and depth to their flavor profiles.
In addition to Margaret River, the Great Southern region is also known for its wine production. This region includes subregions such as Frankland River and Mount Barker, where floral Rieslings, elegant Shiraz with peppery notes, and Cabernet Sauvignon are grown. Other wine regions in Western Australia include Blackwood Valley, Geographe, Peel, Pemberton, Manjimup, and Swan District.
Each of these regions has its own unique terroir, resulting in a diverse range of wines with distinct characteristics. From full-bodied reds to crisp whites, Western Australia has something to offer for every wine enthusiast.
Margaret River
Margaret River is the name of a river, town and key wine region. It is one of the younger viticultural regions in Australia, quickly gaining popularity for its world-class wine. Located 280km South of Perth in Western Australia, the first plantings were only made in 1967. The region has grown rapidly and is recognised as one of the great wine-producing regions of the world, with over 200 wineries in operation. Made up of predominantly boutique producers, with a number of big player wineries also, the region makes up only 3% of the Australian wine production, but commands over 20% of the premium wine market. The wineries in the region are vibrant, innovative and progressive in their approach to viticulture.
The Mediterranean style climate provides superior maritime growing conditions, with vines not affected by extreme summer and winter temperatures. The region is well known for producing outstanding red wines; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and to a lesser extent Shiraz, Tempranillo and Malbec. Both straight varietals and famous Bordeaux blends can be outstanding.
In the white wines, Chardonnays of great depth and character, and fresh Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends are the main varietals the region is famous for. Lesser quantities of Viognier, Riesling and Muscat are also produced.
About the brand Moss Wood
Moss Wood, planted in 1969, is regarded as one of the best wineries located in the Margaret River wine region. Chief winemaker & viticulturalist Keith Mugford has been making wine at Moss Wood since 1979, and was joined by his wife Clare in 1984. The grapes are of excellent quality and produce Chardonnay, Semillon and Cabernet Sauvignon that lives for decades. Dr John Gladstones academic paper of 1966, recommended the region and suggested that the consistent maritime and Mediterranean climate would help to grow the highest quality wine grapes. There are two vineyards here, Moss Wood and Ribbon Vale, with just over 18ha in total. They are both unirrigated, hand pruned and hand-picked, as are the few other local vineyards from whom Moss Wood source fruit. Wines made here include Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Merlot, with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
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