NEWSLETTER ISSUE #102 • AUTUMN NEWS • MARCH 2019 Moss Wood 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Notes adequate range for vine ourselves. We’re always examining the temperature hydration in our mild climate. optimistic but cautious. The record for 2015/16. The We couldn’t have been Flowering for the Cabernet consistent quality of vintages, vines enjoyed just the sort of happier with the 2015/16 varieties was good, with only especially with Cabernet conditions that allow them season. The spring weather 4 days when the temperature Sauvignon, is testament to to ripen steadily. In the end was very respectable indeed. dropped below 8°C and only 6 they received 1095 hours how benign Margaret River’s Our 2015 calendar year wet days, so conditions were between 18°C and 28°C, their climate is. rainfall of 959mm, although very much in our favour. By ideal range. There were 8 hot 5% below average, was early January 2016 we were There is no better way days, where the temperature still within the more than feeling very pleased with to understand this than by reached 35°C, and the highest – PAGE 1 – maximum was 39°C on 7th January and 7th February. Cabernet Sauvignon, in particular loves this warmth and we are happy if it receives 50 hours above 33°C and in 2016 it had 72. In summary, Cabernet Sauvignon ripened just about perfectly. Just to ensure readers don’t think we’re becoming smug, we should add that perhaps Mother Nature took the view we were becoming complacent? After all, she’d given us some classic seasons in the last decade and especially the last two releases, the 2014 and 2015 vintages. On 18th January, Aerial view of Moss Wood winery buildings with two of our Pinot Noir vineyards to the left (East) and our “School Fees” Chardonnay and Semillon to the right (West). she gave us the first of 4 days of rain that delivered 107mm. All three varieties, Cabernet need to replace these losses sufficient to cover the deficit This produced a collective Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc from outside sources. All the and hence the need to fertilise. holding of breath in Margaret and Petit Verdot were all organic matter we produce but Regardless of the reduced River while we waited to see ripe roughly a week ahead of do not use, for example the quantity, we couldn’t have the impact. As a matter of average and everything was bunch stalks and grape skins, reassurance, unirrigated going according to plan until been more pleased with is composted and returned to vineyards like Moss Wood we started weighing the bins the sugar levels and flavour and Ribbon Vale usually as they arrived at the winery. the soil. However, this is not ripeness. respond well to such events, To our amusement and not especially if the timing is to mention disappointment, right. In this instance, things yields were down around were in our favour because 40%. What did we say about the fruit was still green and smug? We have put our not soft enough to split and viticultural thinking caps on the vines took up the moisture to try and understand this but without a problem. Similarly, our best explanation is after the Cabernet varieties resist the excellent crops up to and bunch rot reasonably well and including 2014, we suspect the combined with our fungicide vineyard nutrition has waned program ensured the crop and we are working towards restoring this with mineral remained healthy. fertilisers and compost. It We got several further rains, is important to understand including a very handy top that since the wine leaves the up of 20mm in mid-February property, going to markets which really did the vines all around the world, never good, ruling out any risk of to return and taking with moisture stress towards the it numerous important The mouth of the Wilyabrup Brook, 3 kms west of Moss Wood, emptying into and end of ripening. nutrients from the soil, we communicating with the great Indian Ocean. – PAGE 2 – Production Notes All the fruit was hand- picked and delivered to the winery where it was de- stemmed and placed into small, open fermenters, where each batch was seeded with multiple yeast strains. Fermentation was maintained at a maximum of 30°C and extraction of colour and tannin was by hand plunging, 3 times per day. It is a testament to the ripeness of the fruit that skin contact times were relatively short, Processing Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage 2016. Clockwise from top right to top left, Simon Nankivell, Manon Dhabit, with Cabernet Sauvignon Keith Mugford, Clare Mugford, Alex Coultas, Gina White, Tristan Mugford, Seb Mugford. on skins for 2 weeks, Cabernet Franc for 9 days bottled on 6th November and Petit Verdot for 12 days. 2018. The bottling included 350 individually numbered 1.5 After pressing each batch litre magnums. underwent malolactic fermentation in stainless steel and was then racked to barrel Tasting notes through April 2016. All the Colour and condition: barrels were 228 litre French Deep brick red, in bright oak barriques and 18% were condition. new. On 22nd January 2018 Nose: the final blend was made up Showing all the classic and returned to barrel, where Moss Wood aromatic features it stayed until late October Picking up Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon in the “Long Rows” Vintage 2016. with Cabernet Sauvignon’s From left to right, Nazim Hussaini, Keith Mugford, Alex Coultas, John Hussaini. 2018, when it was racked to blueberries and mulberries, stainless steel in readiness for Cabernet Franc notes of bottling. combining to give generous Cellaring: blackberries and violets and blueberry, blackberry and The youthful intensity of the The final blend is 91% Petit Verdot giving sweet red currant flavours. As wine is such that it can be musk lollies and dark jubes. Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% we mentioned above, the Since the wine had such long consumed as a youngster. Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet season delivered near-perfect barrel age, these fruit notes are The aroma intensity and palate Franc. conditions for fruit ripeness underpinned by tar, leather concentration really lend We pride ourselves on and this is evident in the and cedar notes as well as a themselves to enjoyable early ensuring Moss Wood Cabernet tannins which are classic touch of charry oak. These Sauvignon is ripened as Moss Wood. The requisite drinking. Nevertheless, it will all combine to give the ‘16 well as the vintage allowed balance, smooth and supple reward those with patience. a notable intensity, making but each year, just to be on velvet texture are present We noted the similarity with it one of the more complex the safe side, we carry out but the tiny yields have Cabernet Sauvignons we’ve the 2005 and that vintage is fining trials to assess tannin given greater concentration, made for some time, sharing just beginning to show some balance and see if it can be meaning there is a density many similarities with the maturity at 14 years of age. improved. Once again with only seen in the very best mighty 2005. We are very confident the the 2016, we found none of years. Everything is rounded the agents benefited the wine, Palate: out by a subtle oak note, just a 2016 will develop in a similar so it remained unfined. It Each of the varieties work little reminder of its 2 years in way, reaching full maturity at was then sterile filtered and their magic on the palate, French oak barriques. around 25 years of age. – PAGE 3 – Wine Facts Petit Verdot – 4.48 t/ha Harvest Dates Cabernet Sauvignon – Climate Data 17th March, 2016 Growing Season Ave Cabernet Franc – Temperature – 20.0⁰C 12th March, 2016 Number of hours accrued Petit Verdot – between 18° and 28⁰C – 19th March, 2016 1095 Harvest Ripeness Number of hours above Cabernet Sauvignon – 33⁰C – 72 13.7°Be Days Elapsed Between Cabernet Franc – Flowering and Harvest 13.2°Be Cabernet Sauvignon – Petit Verdot – 122 days 13.5°Be Cabernet Franc – Yields 122 days Cabernet Sauvignon – Petit Verdot – 4.34 t/ha 123 days. Cabernet Franc – 3.66 t/ha Dolphins frolicking along our west coast, just out from the Wilyabrup Cliffs, in the pristine Indian Ocean. Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon 50 Years Old 2019 is the 50th birthday of the wine industry typically Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon. moves. Clare and Keith have The first plantings in what we nothing but admiration for John imaginatively call the “Old Gladstones, the Pannells and Block”, took place in September all the pioneers of the area. It 1969. We are, of course, still took big dollops of imagination, 4 years away from celebrating commitment and perseverance the 50th anniversary of our original vintage, 1973, which to get things moving. There was we think will be cause for a big no previous experience to utilise, celebration. no infrastructure to provide support and not inconsiderable It is nothing short of scepticism about whether a wine remarkable what has developed since Sandra and Bill Pannell industry would actually be viable. followed Dr John Gladstones It has been quite a ride but the recommendations about the most significant thing for the viticultural suitability of Mugfords has been the incredible Margaret River’s climate and affection so many people have put the first vines in the ground. The speed with which the region’s shown for our products from our reputation has since evolved little vineyard. Humbling doesn’t is hard to believe, given the even begin to describe it and we Moss Wood’s first wine, The 1973 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon.