99 points - "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." - Ray Jordan (Wine Pilot)

99 points - "No doubt many winelovers have been eagerly awaiting this wine, one of the last of Margaret River’s big guns from the stunning 2023 vintage. This brilliant Cabernet saw all parcels harvested fermented separately in small open fermenters. Maturation was in French oak barriques, 15% new. The final blend included 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. Deep maroon with a magenta edge, there is such power and finesse in this wine. Balance, length and structure are all world class. A take-me-now-Lord wine if ever there was one. The great 2023 vintage strikes again. Is this the best wine Moss Wood has ever made? It certainly must come very close. The nose reveals aromas of cassis, mulberries, plums, charcuterie, cigar boxes and blackberries. The structure is seamless through to the silkiest of tannins. There is great length and persistence here and the balance is knife-edge. If you doubt me as to the brilliant quality of this wine, please see if you can find a wine from Bordeaux at this price which comes close to this quality. Then we’ll talk. This is just a cracker. Thirty years standing on its head." - Ken Gargett (Wine Pilot)

98 points - "Deep crimson. Intense blackcurrant, espresso, roasted chestnut aromas with hints of black olive/ spice. Inky deep and generously concentrated with ample cassis, black cherry, mocha flavours, superb roasted chestnut/ marzipan notes, and classical fine-grained tannins. Builds up claret/ cedar firm with a lovely pure black currant plume. The oak is still dominant but offset perfectly against the fruit. Give it a few years and this wine will show its exceptional class. 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot. Matured in French oak barriques (15% new). Drink 2029 – 2048+ 14% alc" - Andrew Caillard MW (The Vintage Journal)

98 points - "The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon is extraordinary. Tasted first from barrel, it was a picture of restrained power and nothing has changed with seamless and perfectly composed aromas of cassis and red currant with a gentle lining of dried herb. This is a wine of elegance, pinpoint balance and precision rather than brutish power with firm yet fine tannins beautifully integrated to support a velveteen finish of astounding length. The purity and energy remains unchanged on day 2 which marks this as an Australian classic in the making. Get your hands on it, any way you can." - Angus Hughson (Wine Pilot)

96+ points - "Blueberry, mulberry, hazelnut and nutmeg, assorted spice, some aniseed and cedar, a floral and tea-like perfume. It’s a quieter release of this wine, less thunder, more finesse, a juicy and nutty character, praline and even a suggestion of red fruits. There’s a fine ferrous grip to tannin, a supple feel to it, all in balance, and the finish is so long and fine. Lovely. It’ll be worth the wait." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

The 2023 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon marks the 50th anniversary of our first vintage, made in 1973, and is the 51st commercial release of this wine, the 1978 vintage having been released as Moss Wood Dry Red.

It is important to note the wine has only ever come from one location giving it consistent and unique characteristics, courtesy of our site. However, each vintage is also an expression of the season Mother Nature chose to deliver us, meaning no two Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignons are the same. Of course, she exhibits both good and bad temper and learning to live and work with these is the great challenge of farming, loved by the Mugford family, who’ve had the privilege of being involved since 1979.

The 2023 is a fitting addition to this history.

VINTAGE NOTES
The 2022–23 growing season in Wilyabrup began with above-average winter rainfall. During the calendar year of 2022, Moss Wood recorded 1114mm, 10% above the long-term average of 1012mm. This ensured the soil entered spring with good water reserves, an important factor for our unirrigated vineyards.

From there, the season settled into moderate conditions and, importantly, an extended ripening period. The growing season average temperature was 19.9°C, slightly below the long-term mean of 20.1°C, but the vines accumulated 1207 hours in the optimal ripening range between 18°C and 28°C, comfortably above the 1100 hours we regard as the minimum for adequate ripening. At the same time, there were few periods of extreme heat, with 48 hours recorded above 33°C, slightly below the long-term average.

These conditions are typical of seasons where fruit develops steadily and without interruption, allowing both flavour and tannin to reach full maturity without excessive sugar accumulation.

Flowering conditions help explain the crop levels in 2023. Cabernet Franc was the first of the varieties to begin, from 10th November to 14th December. During this period, 26mm of rainfall was recorded, which likely disrupted fruit set to some degree. The final yield was 5.05 tonnes per hectare, approximately 11% below the long-term average.

Cabernet Sauvignon followed, flowering from 20th November to 15th December. Rainfall during this period was minimal, with just 9mm recorded, providing favourable conditions for fruit set. The resulting yield was 8.61 tonnes per hectare, approximately 18% above average.

Petit Verdot commenced on 23rd November and finished on 19th December, with 8.4mm of rainfall recorded. While conditions appeared favourable, the variety again behaved independently, producing 3.93 tonnes per hectare, around 22% below the long-term average. On this point, it’s perhaps worth revisiting the old observation that Petit Verdot can be a somewhat temperamental variety - seemingly well set one moment, but prone to an emotional response at the slightest interruption to ideal flowering conditions, at which point it promptly sheds its crop.

Ripening proceeded steadily through late summer. Cabernet Franc was harvested on 31st March, followed by Petit Verdot on 5th April and Cabernet Sauvignon on 9th April, some 12 days later than the long-term mean.

Ripeness levels were consistent with the style we seek at Moss Wood, with Cabernet Sauvignon at 13.0° Baumé, Cabernet Franc 13.0° and Petit Verdot 13.5°. Cabernet Sauvignon took 122 days from flowering to harvest, slightly shorter than average but still within the context of a long, even ripening period.

Overall, the season produced fruit of very good quality, with the combination of moderate temperatures and extended ripening resulting in balanced acidity, ripe tannins and good flavour development.

In the context of the Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon style, the 2023 vintage aligns most closely with a number of our more classical seasons, including 2018 (19.63°C), 2014 (19.97°C) and 2015 (19.92°C). The growing season temperature sits comfortably within the range of these years, and, importantly, the season was longer, allowing flavour development to proceed in a steady and unforced manner. At the same time, the relatively low incidence of high temperature events ensured the fruit avoided heat stress.

When viewed alongside some of our benchmark vintages, 2023 sits between 2001 and 2005. The 2001 season was slightly cooler, while 2005 was warmer, and in this respect 2023 lies between the two in terms of growing season temperature. However, it is distinguished by a longer ripening period than either year and fewer high temperature events. This points to a season where flavour and tannin development proceeded more gradually, without the influence of elevated heat. In practical terms, such conditions tend to produce wines of finer structure and more detailed fruit expression. In Cabernet Sauvignon, the cooler profile also preserves the more delicate aromatic spectrum, lifting the nose with notes of violet, rose and pomegranate.

On this basis, we expect the 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon to age in a manner consistent with these earlier vintages, albeit in a slightly more restrained style.

PRODUCTION NOTES
All fruit was hand harvested and delivered to the winery, where it was hand sorted and destemmed.

Each parcel was kept separate and fermented in small, open fermenters. Fermentations were carried out using multiple yeast strains to build complexity in the final wine. Fermentation temperature was managed to a maximum of 32°C and extraction was aided by hand plunging three times per day. Time on skins ranged from 13 to 16 days, depending on tannin development and balance.

After pressing, each batch underwent malolactic fermentation in stainless steel before being racked to oak for maturation.

The wine was matured in 228 litre French oak barriques, of which 15% were new. This level of new oak is consistent with previous vintages and is intended to support the wine’s structure without dominating the fruit.

Following maturation, the individual batches were assessed and blended to produce the final wine:

92% Cabernet Sauvignon
4% Cabernet Franc
4% Petit Verdot
Fining trials were carried out to assess tannin balance, but as is always the case with Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon, none were deemed to improve the wine. The finished wine was then sterile filtered and bottled on 5th November 2025.

Tasting Notes
Colour and condition

Deep brick red; bright condition.

Nose

The wine opens with lifted fruit aromas, showing blackberry, blackcurrant and mulberry as the dominant characters. There is also some red fruit in the background, with plum and red currant adding a little brightness.

Behind this sits the usual range of secondary notes, including tobacco leaf, cedar and graphite. There are also some earthy characters, with leather and olive notes evident. Oak is present but in support, contributing light toast and spice.

Palate

The palate is full-bodied and follows the nose, with blackberry, cassis and blueberry flavours the main features, supported by darker notes of chocolate and spice, giving a generous length.

The tannins are firm but fine, with the classic Moss Wood balance. The good acidity gives the wine freshness, keeping the fruit bright while oak sits comfortably in the background and doesn’t dominate. It truly shows its pedigree as one of our great Cabernet Sauvignon vintages.

CELLARING
Reflecting on the 50 year evolution and our reputation for wines of great balance, we are pleased to note that like all the classic Moss Woods, the 2023 is notable for its enjoyable early drinking with generous primary fruit notes and well-balanced tannins.

Over the first decade, these will soften and integrate as the wine begins to develop its classic bottle age complex notes, including cedar, earth and tar. We then anticipate it will enter its peak drinking window after 2043 and will remain so till at least 2063.