Margaret River

World Wine – The 2017 vintage was one of the milder vintages in WA. The latest Moss Wood captures this vintage perfectly and is without doubt one of the more restrained and tightly framed Moss Woods of recent years. Not the opulence of 2014 or the firm power of the 2016. Yet it retains the elegance, perfume and soft approachability that is Moss Wood. And hidden within is a wine that I suspect will be still drinking beautifully in 30 years. Make sure you decant it even now before drinking. 97/100 Ray Jordan (Best drinking: Now to 2050)

Huon Hooke – Deep red colour with a purple tinge. The bouquet is shy and closed, with some char-oak aromas plus blackberry, violet and other black fruits, the palate full-bodied and savoury, well-endowed with savoury, fine-grained tannins which run the full length of the palate. A stunning wine in the making. It's all about potential. Must cellar for best results. 96 points - Huon Hooke

World Wine – Sleek and savoury pinot noir with spice, dried herb, violet, cherry, furniture polish and nutty oak flavours. This is a supremely elegant and complex wine, with a distinctive regional/vineyard character. May be enjoyed now but will undoubtedly develop well with bottle-age.

World Wine – "One of the most powerful and extraordinarily intense of this illustrious line. Power of lemon zest, stone fruit and lime. The palate is a powerhouse with a deep and concentrated middle extending urgently to a very long finish. Complex and layered with structure that will handle extended cellaring. One of the very best." - Ray Jordan, The West Australian

Huon Hooke – "Bright, medium to full yellow colour. A very complex bouquet of candlewax, beeswax, oatmeal and smoky-toasty cashew nut and roasted almond. Grapefruit and other citrus flavours in the mouth. The wine is beautifully intense and complex, restrained and refined as well as concentrated and elegant, the long-lasting finish showing great balance and harmony. An absorbing wine of great bouquet and flavour, with the full array of chardonnay complexities. The aftertaste seems never-ending." - Huon Hooke, The Real Review

James Halliday – "Whole bunch-pressed, fermented and matured in French oak (40% new) for 10 months. Cloudy juice ex whole bunch pre ferment, mlf, and the gingin clone all help create a wine of stellar complexity and length. 13.5% alc, screwcap 97 points, drink to 2029." - James Halliday (The Weekend Australian)

James Halliday – Sourced from 48yo vines on the 2.2ha Block 2 on the Hay Shed Hill property in Wilyabrup. Matured 18 months in French oak barriques. The nose presents a classical combination of black pepper, plum, raspberry, cassis and mulberry, backed by spiced oak. The palate follows suit and is further ameliorated by the presence of finely grippy tannins which caress the fruit through the lingering finish.

James Halliday – 5% machine-harvested, 25% hand-picked, destemmed and whole bunch-fermented respectively with cultured yeast, matured for 18 months in French oak (53% new). Leeuwin took time to come to terms with its Shirazs, but is now master of its destiny. It has black cherry and plum flavours in superabundance, plus finely tuned tannins, its modest alcohol is the key.

James Suckling – Lots of blackberry, blueberry and crush white pepper aromas that follow through to a beautiful palate of quartz, mineral and Indian spice. Full body. Tangy and bright acidity. Intense fruit. Yet always reserved. Screw cap.

James Halliday – Matured for 12 months in new and used oak (88% French, 12% American). Bright crimson colour heralds a wine full of vitality; red berry flavours surge through the mouth, gauzy tannins in the background adding to the exuberant mouthfeel and length.

The Wine Front – Spicy, peppery, dried herb and floral perfume, white cherry and pink grapefruit. It’s dry with a grainy and chalky grip, subtle but engaging flavour profile, a coolness to acidity, and a dusty finish of crunch and excellent length, a little amaro tang in the aftertaste. Texture is a highlight in this high cheekboned style of rosato. 93 points. Gary Walsh, The Wine Front August 2021

James Halliday – "Wow. Silky smooth aromas of red berries, grey minerality (granite, graphite etc) and breaths of oceans air whispered about. The palate is exactly as the nose promises, elegant and refined. Length of flavour is where this really kicks into gear, extending seamlessly across the palate, lingering and swirling in its profile. Beautiful, classical cabernet from a cool vintage. What a pleasure this is." - Erin Larkin (Halliday Wine Companion)

Huon Hooke – "Brilliantly deep, brooding red/purple colour. The bouquet is fresh and vibrant, with loads of cassis, violet and blackberry varietal fruit, expertly infused with cedary oak notes. The wine is very intense and powerful, full-bodied and well structured, the cassis flavours rocketing through on the very extended finish and aftertaste. A majestic cabernet." - Huon Hooke (The Real Review)

James Halliday – 70% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot, the remainder cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec, 18 months in French barriques (60% new). Bright, clear colour; a remarkably elegant, juicy red and black berry fruit-filled wine, neither oak or tannins seeking to interfere with the fruit. One of those rare wines to be drunk now or in 20+ years. Rating 96” Halliday Wine Companion 2017

World Wine – The West Australian Ray Jordan has had almost as many wines as waters but he can still be impressed, bestowing on a couple of married Margaret River vignerons his highest-ever score of 99 out of 100. The Weekend West’s wine writer said Moss Wood’s 2014 Wilyabrup cabernet sauvignon is as close to perfect as a wine could be, even edging out the celebrated Penfolds Grange. “I’ve always maintained Grange is Australia’s greatest wine but it’s not necessarily our best,” Jordan said. “To me, Moss Wood cabernet encapsulates everything that’s Margaret River and this one just absolutely nailed it.” Most critics agonise over a low score, but Jordan thought long and hard about going into uncharted 99 territory. “I pride myself on giving scores that are relevant and over the years I’ve seen a lot of really good wines that have gone only as high as 98 points,” he said. “But this cabernet is a cut above, even upon release — who knows how good it’ll be in a few decades. “It’s a wine that will live for 40 years,” Jordan said. “That’ll see me off the planet and a lot of other people. “And when you think about it, at $120-odd a bottle ... Grange and Hill of Grace are up over $800 a bottle. I think I’d rather six bottles of the Moss Wood.”

The Wine Front – Sauvignon blanc and semillon with some chardonnay, they say. This is the Little Touch Of Christmas label (which is just a festive season alternative). About 20% is barrel fermented. It’s been a winning drink for a long while. Good balance, refreshing feel, easy going texture with a touch of extra interest. There’s good intensity of green pea/grassy semillon and a counter punch of tropical fruity semillon. The palate has good energy, stacks of freshness, dry finish. There’s all the citrus and zestiness to acidity you could ask for. Kind of an old school Margaret River dry white kind of feel, in the best possible way. It’s got plenty of charisma.

The Wine Front – Blackberry, blueberry, cherry pie with a spicy crust, polished cedar and menthol. Medium-bodied, dark chocolate and baking spice, dried herbs and black olive, supple tannin, a brine and nori savoury aspect, dense feel to it,though not heavy, and a silty tannin and baked raspberry finish of good length. Typical maritime feel of 2020 MR Cabernet here, and good drinking. 92 points. Gary Walsh, The Wine Front August 2021

The Wine Front – Pear, spicy biscuits, jasmine, honey, fresh apricot. Medium bodied, quite fleshy, with quince and ripe lemon as bonus flavours, a firm briny tang of acidity, a milky and powdery texture, and a spicy finish with a slight watermelon rind bitterness. Nice wine.

The Wine Front – Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Victory Point seems to be on the rise. Good stuff this. Crisp red fruits, something of a violet perfume, but some muck and forest floor with it. Crunchy, lightly tannic, grip and shape through the mouth, and a long dry finish.

James Halliday – Made from malbec and cabernet franc, with a small amount barrel-fermented, which has not led to any salmon tinge to the colour. It has a distinctive flavour profile, not surprising given its varietal base; spiced plum comes to the fore of both its bouquet and palate, and continues in an unbroken stream through to the finish.

World Wine –

James Halliday – "A great vintage for Margaret River white wines. Barrel fermented in French puncheons (33% new), but that is not the only winemaking input, some enriching use of solids also in play. It’s complex, and in a lineage that will ensure the wine has a healthy life ahead. 13% alc, screwcap 96 points, drink to 2030." - James Halliday (The Weekend Australian)

The Wine Front –

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