Aroma
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.
Maturation
The wine was matured in 228 litre French oak barriques, of which 15%
were new.
Appearance
Deep brick red; bright condition.
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.
Vinification
All fruit was hand harvested and delivered to the winery, where it was
carefully sorted and destemmed.
Each parcel was fermented separately in small open fermenters and
seeded with multiple yeast strains. Extraction of colour and flavour
was achieved through hand plunging three times per day during
fermentation. Time on skins ranged between 13 and 16 days,
depending on tannin development and flavour balance.
After pressing, each batch completed malolactic fermentation in
stainless steel before being racked to oak for maturation.
Cellaring Potential
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.
Vintage Notes
Overall, the 2023 season delivered fruit of excellent quality, with generous
Cabernet Sauvignon yields and classic varietal character. The moderate
temperatures and extended period of favourable ripening conditions produced
fruit with balanced acidity, ripe tannins and excellent flavour development.
