2014 Moss Wood Winery Amy's Blend Margaret River 750 ml

Margaret River Rising

The ascendancy of Western Australia’s Margaret River region has become impossible to ignore. A cool, stable maritime climate, mineral-rich, gravelly loam soil and a cadre of pioneering viticulturists striving to produce outstanding grapes have combined to establish the far southwest corner of Oz as one of the premier sources for superlative Cabernet. “The top rank of Margaret River Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon is, simply put, in the top rank in the world,” wrote Wine Spectator’s Matt Kramer. If any doubt remained, he added: “And by that, I’m including the likes of Burgundy (for the Chardonnay) and Bordeaux and Napa Valley (for Cabernet Sauvignon).”

In a recent vintage report, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate was more succinct, headlining a recent vintage report: “Western Australia: Killing-It.”

That article named Moss Wood, based in Wilyabrup, as one of eight Western Australian producers who are “killing-it when it comes to innovation, quality and coaxing the terroir into the bottle.” Indeed Moss Wood — the first established winery in Margaret River — is vinicultural royalty in Western Australia. The vines were first planted in 1969 by Bill Pannell; in 1979, Keith and Clare Mugford took over the estate and ever since have trained their efforts on a single goal: turning out Chardonnays and Cabernets of the highest possible purity and balance.

Some of Moss Wood’s renown can be attributed to the ideal location of the estate, spread across gentle slopes that are a 10-minute drive from the coast. But the biggest factor in the winery’s success has to be the Mugfords’ tireless and labor-intensive techniques in the vineyard. On certain sites they employ a Scott-Henry trellising system, which uses both downward- and upward-facing canopies to ensures even distribution of sunlight, aiding vigorous wine growth. Countless hours are spent selectively hand-plucking leaves to achieve ideal exposure for grapes. Come harvest time, berries show phenomenal ripeness and maturity.

2014 capped what has been an almost endless succession of remarkable vintages in Western Australia, each growing season as smooth and sunny as the last. Early winter rain replenished Margaret River’s water table, but by January it was all blue skies and sunny days. The summer stayed bright and cool, preserving acidity and keeping pH levels in check. Sea breezes cleansed the vines, ensuring clusters were dry and healthy. Grapes ripened effortlessly and when the call to harvest came on March 27th, the results were extravagant.

93 points from James Suckling, who described the texture as “flawless.” Top Australian wine guru James Halliday went even higher with a 95-point review, making this wine the catch of the vintage.

The 2014 Moss Wood Amy’s Blend is 69% Cabernet, 13% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Malbec and 4% Pinot Noir. Brilliant ruby-purple. Plush aromas of blackberry, cassis, and ripe cherry. Rich, juicy, and high-toned on the attack, showing off its cool-climate underpinnings, filled with a mouthwatering mix of black cherry and blackberry, finishing with silky-soft tannins.

Count your blessings that the market is still catching up to Margaret River — otherwise this wine could easily be going for twice the price. $38 on release. A stone-cold steal from WineAccess at $23.99, the best price in the USA. DON’T miss out on this perfectly polished red gem from the rugged hinterlands of Oz. Shipping included on 4.