Moss Wood Pinot Noir 2019
- 92
- $72
- Drink by: 2021-2025
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I’m sure that the team at Moss Wood are sick and tired of the ‘does Pinot Noir work in Margaret River?’ debate. No question that there are better regions, more suited to the glories of this wonderful variety, but in the end, it all depends on what is in the bottle and this is a lovely Pinot, one of the better examples I have seen from Moss Wood. Destemmed into small, open stainless steel fermenters for two days cold soaking. Multiple yeasts used, with hand-plunging three times a day. The fermentation temperature got to a maximum of 32°C. 15 days on skins before pressing to tank for malo and then 228-litre barrels, 12% of them new, for 20 months.
A pale red. The nose offers cherries, forest floor notes, spices and raspberries. Delightfully fragrant. For those who want to push the debate, the best I can offer is that this wine overcomes any perceived regional deficiencies. Under medium weight, yet with good length and silky tannins. The palate sees notes of bacon fat and animal skins emerging with crunchy acidity before a lingering finish.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
