Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River, West Australia – 2018

Moss Wood’s Cabernet Sauvignon is for many Australia’s finest Cabernet. It has even been described by Jancis Robinson MW as “the Latour of Margaret River”, which is great praise indeed!

Their 2018 vintage was, in the words of owner and winemaker Keith Mugford, “one of the very best”, on a par with, or possibly even better than their 2001 vintage. It is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc and spent 30 months in French oak barriques.

The result is, according to Keith Mugford, “one of the more ethereal Cabernet Sauvignons we have released. It combines both freshness, with the attendant perfumes of raspberries, roses and violets, and ripeness, featuring classic blueberry and red currant aromas, all courtesy of the terrific growing season. Behind these are the typical varietal complexities produced by long term barrel age including tar, wax, cedar, chocolate, mixed spices and tobacco. They all combine to give a volume seen only in the great years.

The structure is in the well-balanced Moss Wood mode, with full body, fresh acidity and soft tannins, with a touch of toasty oak, chocolate and cloves on the finish.” 

Keith enthusiastically recommends this wine for cellaring! It has “the concentration and complexity to age gracefully for decades. However, there will be a dilemma to wrestle with in the short term because the fruit generosity and balance are such that it is very drinkable now. Our best advice is for those who are keen to cellar it and enjoy older wine, it should be kept for at least 10 years and by which time it will be showing some of its complex bottle bouquet and the structure will be starting to soften. However, full
maturity is unlikely to be reached before 25 years of age and it should last for several decades beyond that.”

“Minty notes accent mixed red and black berries on the nose of the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon. Intense cassis and raspberry flavors dominate this medium to full-bodied red, framed by ample but ripe, silky tannins and crisp acids. With its intensity and length, it seems sure to age well for up to two decades.” 94-96pts Wine Advocate