Average Critic Score: 95.0/100 based on 3 critic reviews
The 2015 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon earned 97 points from James Halliday and 95 from Josh Raynolds (Vinous), a benchmark Margaret River cabernet built to age for decades.
The palate is still bracing and fresh, cassis and redcurrant on the same page. These different personas are simply an intermediate stage before the wine moves on to a lingering plateau measured in decades not years. - James Halliday, Wine Companion (97 pts)
A collectable cabernet from the Wilyabrup estate, rewarding both now and with long cellaring.
“The bouquet shows the first signs of development via nuances of spice and earth. The palate is still bracing and fresh, cassis and redcurrant on the same page. These different personas are simply an intermediate stage before the wine moves on to a lingering plateau measured in decades not years. Special. (Drink by 2045)”
95 Points - Josh Raynolds, Vinous
“Shimmering ruby. A highly perfumed bouquet features smoke- and spice-accented cassis, cherry-vanilla and tobacco scents, and a floral note builds with air. Sweet and penetrating on the palate, offering sappy red and dark berry, candied rose and succulent herb flavors that deepen steadily with aeration. Shows impressive delicacy for its power, finishing very long and spicy, with polished tannins lending gentle grip.”
93 Points - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
“One of Australia's benchmark cabernets and one of the most collected. Cabernet sauvignon, splash of cabernet franc, seasoning of petit verdot. Lavish cabernet of strength, muscular feel, toasty-clovey oak character and a sense of concentration. Juicy, dark berries, sour plum jam, boysenberry and bay leaf play in the mix. Tannins are gummy and supple. Give it time. (93+ pts)”
Medium to full purple-red; the bouquet is clean, of medium intensity with sweet blackcurrant and redcurrant fruits, and…Medium to full purple-red; the bouquet is clean, of medium intensity with sweet blackcurrant and redcurrant fruits, and even a touch of violets; gentle oak. Tasted early in its life, and may rate even higher with bottle maturation; medium to full fruit style with good tannins and overall elegance.
Strong red-purple; much more concentration and depth than the '93, with dark fruits and gently earthy overtones. The pa…Strong red-purple; much more concentration and depth than the '93, with dark fruits and gently earthy overtones. The palate confirms the impression of the bouquet, with plenty of weight and power to the blackcurrant fruit and tannins. Subtle oak as always; '94 was a great success for Moss Wood cabernet.
Medium to full purple-red; a smooth gently sweet-textured bouquet with that very special character of Moss Wood, a part…Medium to full purple-red; a smooth gently sweet-textured bouquet with that very special character of Moss Wood, a particular softness which is quite unique. The palate is in precisely the same mould, with soft, luscious mouthfilling blackcurrant and dark chocolate fruit flavours with perfectly integrated and balanced sweet oak. The tannins, likewise, are extraordinarily supple and fine.
Medium to full red-purple; a concentrated bouquet with soft, berry and earth flavours supported by subtle oak is, like …Medium to full red-purple; a concentrated bouquet with soft, berry and earth flavours supported by subtle oak is, like the palate, in typical Moss Wood style. The palate has complex yet fine secondary flavours, with earth, berry and chocolate merged with oak and finishing with lingering tannins.
The bouquet offers a complex array of blackberry, earth, spice and oak, the palate powerful savoury/earthy fruit with p…The bouquet offers a complex array of blackberry, earth, spice and oak, the palate powerful savoury/earthy fruit with persistent tannins, fractionally sweetened by the deft handling of French oak. (Drink by 2013)
It's a beautiful wine. Complex, silken, syrupy and persistent. Concentrated olive and blackcurrant fruit flavour, match…It's a beautiful wine. Complex, silken, syrupy and persistent. Concentrated olive and blackcurrant fruit flavour, matched to highlights of gamey, undergrowthy tobacco and an arrestingly tight, tannic finish. It's needs to relax. It needs time for that earthy, gamey richness to flood through the ripe churn of blackcurrant and cedar. (Drink between 2008-2016)
Very deep, youthful colour presages an impressively young, concentrated, powerful cabernet which displays very ripe fru…Very deep, youthful colour presages an impressively young, concentrated, powerful cabernet which displays very ripe fruit and tremendous depth of flavour. The tannins are ample and soft, the finish long. There are cedar and roasting-pan complexities in the bouquet and appropriate signs of age development, but the wine has many years ahead of it. A superb and striking cabernet. Drink to 2030.
Spotlessly clean, this is a gorgeous, silky wine flooded with redcurrant, cassis and blackcurrant fruit in a web of fin…Spotlessly clean, this is a gorgeous, silky wine flooded with redcurrant, cassis and blackcurrant fruit in a web of fine tannins. Elegance personified, the screwcap guaranteeing a very long life.
A much lighter, more elegant wine than the whopper ’01, this is a beautiful, subtle, cool-year cabernet full of raspber…A much lighter, more elegant wine than the whopper ’01, this is a beautiful, subtle, cool-year cabernet full of raspberry, mint and cassis flavours, ripe, intense and complete. Good drinking now or in the next 15+ years.
Outstanding.
Luxuriantly smooth, this deeply fragrant, firmly structured, plush and seamless wine marries deep, ripe fruit with supe…Luxuriantly smooth, this deeply fragrant, firmly structured, plush and seamless wine marries deep, ripe fruit with superb oak and tannin. Its heady bouquet of cassis, dark plums, blueberries and plain chocolate overlies assertive cedar/vanilla oak, with nuances of forest floor. Steeped in sumptuous cassis and dark cherry-like flavour, the palate has a plumpness and richness of fruit tightly interwoven with cedar/dark chocolate oak and a powdery spine of drying tannin. There's a hint of confiture about the fruit, while it finishes very slightly spirity, with lingering nuances of dark olives.
The newly released Moss Wood cabernet sauvignon 2004 is one of the bigger and more robust Moss Wood cabernets, largely …The newly released Moss Wood cabernet sauvignon 2004 is one of the bigger and more robust Moss Wood cabernets, largely as a result of a very warm period during vintage. The hallmark elegance and supple generosity are still there. Palate is seamless and perfectly balanced with expertly woven oak. You will easily get 20-plus years out of this wine. 5 Stars - Ralph Kyte-Powell, Epicure Uncorked The aristocratic cabernet sauvignon has long been one of Australia's most collectable reds. The '04 continues the pedigree with great purity of cassis-like varietal character, integrated quality oak and a fleshy, multi-layered palate of sustained flavour and balance, underpinned by fine ripe tannins. Classy.
Deepish red colour with a trace of brick on the rim. The bouquet is smoky, savoury and oak-kissed, with a nutty mellown…Deepish red colour with a trace of brick on the rim. The bouquet is smoky, savoury and oak-kissed, with a nutty mellowness and an almost pruney tinge. Very powerful, rich, full-bodied and fleshy, with high extract giving terrific textural richness. Long, warming and deeply satisfying.
An elegant rather than blockbuster red with aromatic floral and red berry characters. What it lacks in intensity it mor…An elegant rather than blockbuster red with aromatic floral and red berry characters. What it lacks in intensity it more than makes up in flavour length. A finely tuned red that achieves a perfect balance of delicate sweet fruit with gently drying tannins. Great potential.
This is an outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon from Moss Wood. It is a very complex, multi-faceted nose with blackberry, a t…This is an outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon from Moss Wood. It is a very complex, multi-faceted nose with blackberry, a touch of cassis, cold tea and cedar. The palate is medium-bodied and beautifully balanced with supple blackberry, bilberry, cedar and espresso, with a slight maltiness coming through on the finish. Real panache and style here. Excellent.
Strong, healthy red-purple; a distinguished vintage for this Margaret River blue blood wine, medium-bodied but with inn…Strong, healthy red-purple; a distinguished vintage for this Margaret River blue blood wine, medium-bodied but with innate complexity; fine savoury tannins run through the black fruits and cassis of the palate, putting structure in place so subtly you can barely notice it, nor the length of the palate. Special. (Drink by 2028)
Positive red-purple colour; in the mainstream of Moss Wood style: supple, round and impeccably balanced, yet with regal…Positive red-purple colour; in the mainstream of Moss Wood style: supple, round and impeccably balanced, yet with regal cabernet expression. Small wonder that Moss Wood has one of the most loyal mail/email lists in Australia, and this release will please its followers as much as any prior year. Special.
Bright, intense and fruity red with a mix of blackberry, cedar, chocolate and spicy oak flavours. Powerful red that sho…Bright, intense and fruity red with a mix of blackberry, cedar, chocolate and spicy oak flavours. Powerful red that should age superbly. A strongly varietal Cabernet Sauvignon deserving classic status
Very impressive Cabernet - both in terms of concentration and complexity. Layers of dark berry flavours with spice/anis…Very impressive Cabernet - both in terms of concentration and complexity. Layers of dark berry flavours with spice/anise, cedar and vanilla. The texture is rich and mouth-filling. Sweet ripe tannins add structure and no doubt promote longevity without forming a barrier to flavour even at a young stage.
The high quality vintage shines through this wine, illuminating its intricate multifaceted complexity; almost, but not …The high quality vintage shines through this wine, illuminating its intricate multifaceted complexity; almost, but not quite, juicy cassis fruit is swathed in perfectly balanced French oak and gently ripe tannins. The only problem will be keeping your hands off it. Special. (Drink by 2042)
Hand-picked, destemmed to open fermenters with cultured yeast, 7 days fermentation and 7 days post-ferment maceration, …Hand-picked, destemmed to open fermenters with cultured yeast, 7 days fermentation and 7 days post-ferment maceration, matured for 28 months in French barriques (30% new). A powerful, full-bodied cabernet that still manages to achieve finesse thanks to the perfect balance of fruit, oak and tannins. An autocratic portrait of cabernet, and of photographic reality.
This is such a classic Moss Wood. As elegant and stylishly poised as any I have tasted through the years. Red berry and…This is such a classic Moss Wood. As elegant and stylishly poised as any I have tasted through the years. Red berry and violets, with distinctive mulberry and cedar perfumes on the nose and that little oak influence. Such gorgeous perfume, which really makes this wine. The palate is balanced and refined with an elegance you only get in the very best of these wines. Wonderful integration of fine-grained, understated oak and fine, chalky tannins. Almost impossible to fault. A truly great wine and the best ever to come out of this magical region. Alcohol: 14%; Best Drinking: 2020-2050. 100 Best Australian Wines for 2017 - Matthew Jukes The Grand Vin is a very imposing wine with a flavour that drills down deep into the soul of this noble grape variety. Texturally, this is one of the most satisfying Moss Wood Cabernets I can recall. The traction on the palate, made up of sooty tannins and epic skins, is thrilling. The finish is certainly youthful but in no way astringent. The nose heralds the way and points to the future for this wine. It will be a slow-burner, with a long life and along this path it will chant the never-ending song of Cabernet.
The bouquet shows the first signs of development via nuances of spice and earth. The palate is still bracing and fresh,…The bouquet shows the first signs of development via nuances of spice and earth. The palate is still bracing and fresh, cassis and redcurrant on the same page. These different personas are simply an intermediate stage before the wine moves on to a lingering plateau measured in decades not years. Special. (Drink by 2045)
— James Halliday, Wine Companion
2016
96.0Average Critic Rating
99James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion
95James Suckling, James Suckling
94Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
$265.00
Includes 5% petit verdot and 4% cabernet franc, hand-picked, destemmed, open-fermented, 14 days on skins, matured in Fr…Includes 5% petit verdot and 4% cabernet franc, hand-picked, destemmed, open-fermented, 14 days on skins, matured in French barriques (18% new). A luscious, plush cabernet, its voluptuous palate trimmed by dry herbs and foresty notes. A great vintage maximised by the thoughtful vinification. Special. Closure: Screwcap. 14% alcohol. AUD$128 (Drink by 2051)
From 51yo vines, 88/8/4% cabernet sauvignon/petit verdot/cabernet franc. Matured for 29 months in French oak (15% new).…From 51yo vines, 88/8/4% cabernet sauvignon/petit verdot/cabernet franc. Matured for 29 months in French oak (15% new). The 2017 vintage is responsible for cabernets of incredible poise and layering. This is not a thundering power piece, rather an intricately detailed and mesmerising wine, with fine folds of flavour: bay leaf, raspberry, star anise, sage, hints of fennel, pomegranate and pink peppercorn. This is pure, floral, pretty, and very long. Moss Wood has proven its capability for graceful ageing and this will be no exception. Special. Closure: Screw cap. 14% alcohol. AUD$152 (Drink by 2046)
92/4/4% cabernet sauvignon/petit verdot/cabernet franc. Hand picked from 52yo vines, matured for 29 months in French oa…92/4/4% cabernet sauvignon/petit verdot/cabernet franc. Hand picked from 52yo vines, matured for 29 months in French oak (15% new). Rippling layers of flavour and texture here. So long that it carries itself over the palate and through into the finish... what a finish! Pedigree and happenstance have collided to create a legend. The 2018 will go down as one of the greatest Moss Wood cabernets ever made, alongside the 2001. Special. Closure: Screw cap. 14.5% alcohol. AUD$160 (Drink by 2061)
There's as much a Moss Wood DNA thumbprint as a regional one here. This shows off violets, cedary/toasty oak (thankfull…There's as much a Moss Wood DNA thumbprint as a regional one here. This shows off violets, cedary/toasty oak (thankfully not too much), chocolate and a slight ironstone character. Fuller bodied yet the palate is smooth and contained with fine-grained, almost silky tannins, plus dabs of sweet mulberries and blackberries with refreshing acidity tying everything together. Rather lovely now but will garner more complexity in time. Closure: Screw cap. 14% alcohol. (Drink by 2041)
I taste in batches of six, pouring each glass, gassing the bottles and working my way through the flight. Today, this 2…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. This is one of Australia's most collected/cellared premium wines for a reason. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
I've been waiting for this wine to be released for some time. I had great expectation that this wonderful vineyard from…I've been waiting for this wine to be released for some time. I had great expectation that this wonderful vineyard from this exceptional vintage would produce something equally exceptional. Well, guess what? It has.
This is such a beautiful example of what Moss Wood cabernet is all about. There's nothing big and brutish here. This is elegance. This is precision. This is brilliance. High-end florals on the nose with traces of violet, red currant, and then on the palate, that beautiful, restrained suppleness that deceived so many people in the early years of Moss Wood reveals itself, and yet as always, there's a deep and lingering intensity that persists through to an exceptionally long finish.
This is simply stunning. I do not believe there has been a better Moss Wood.
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