Planted in 1969, Moss Wood is an important, founding estate of the Margaret River wine region, located in the northern sub–region of Wilyabrup, Western Australia. Clare & Keith Mugford, as winemakers, viticulturalists & proprietors, have been making wine & tending the vineyard at Moss Wood since 1984 & 1979, respectively. Their exacting viticulture ensures the production of grapes of excellent quality & they have created a stable of fine wines distinguished by their consistency over each vintage & their ability to age superbly.
The Moss Wood & Mugford names are synonymous with uncompromising quality.
Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
All the fruit was hand-picked into bins and delivered to the winery where it was destemmed and placed in small open fermenters. Each batch was seeded with multiple yeast strains and fermentation proceeded with temperatures controlled to a maximum of 30°C. Colour and flavour extraction was by hand plunging 3 times per day and skin contact time was typically 16 days. After pressing, malolactic fermentation was carried out in stainless steel tanks and then each batch was racked to oak. All barrels were 228 litre French oak and 17% were new.
Moss Wood Semillon 2022
The production steps were very much in line with our traditional practice, apart from one small change. The fruit was hand-picked and delivered to the winery where it was hand-sorted and then whole-bunch pressed. At this point, we introduced a new technique.
In the past, the pressed juice was clarified using cold settling, a process that uses enormous amounts of energy to chill the juice down and hold it at 10°C for several days. For 2022, we introduced flotation, where the solids are floated to the surface and the clear juice taken from underneath. The juice is held at 18°C and clarified in a few hours. The energy and time savings are huge, not to mention the juice proceeds quickly into primary fermentation, reducing the risk of oxidation.
Moss Wood Amy’s 2021
The fruit was hand-picked and delivered to the winery, where it was hand-sorted and destemmed. The must was then pumped into stainless-steel closed fermenters and inoculated for primary fermentation. During primary fermentation, pump-overs were conducted 3 times per day to enhance colour and flavour extraction. Once primary fermentation was complete the wine was pressed and then transferred to 228L French Oak Barriques, none of which were new. Malolactic fermentation was conducted in barrel after which, the wine was racked into tank; blended, analysed and finally, returned to barrel and aged for 18 months. In July of 2022, the wine was racked from barrel to tank and blended. Fining trials were conducted to assess tannin balance. It was decided that the wine was improved with a slight fining with skim milk. On the 20th of July 2022, the 2021 Moss Wood Amy’s was sterile filtered and bottled.
Moss Wood Ribbon Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
The fruit for each variety was hand-picked and delivered to the winery where it was destemmed, sorted and then Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec were placed in small open fermenters. Merlot was placed into closed fermenters and allowed to cold soak for 2 days. Each batch was seeded for primary fermentation with multiple yeast strains and temperatures were controlled to a maximum of 32°C. Extraction of colour and flavour was by hand plunging 3 time per day in open tanks and by pump over 3 times per day in the closed tanks.
Moss Wood Ribbon Vale Chardonnay 2021
The 2021-2022 growing season was one of contrasts. If wet weather is your thing, then calendar year 2021 was the year for you. Moss Wood received 1440mm of rain, more than 40% above average. We understand that we live in a relatively well-watered place but this was approaching the ridiculous. That said, it’s probably a bit weak of us to complain given the very trying conditions experienced during the recent heavy rains and accompanying floods experienced in south eastern Australia. Our slightly boggy vineyards were insignificant by comparison.