Moss Wood Pinot Noir 2020
- 94
- $76
- Drink by: 2022-2028
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If the current Moss Wood Chardy is the best for many years, fair to say that this latest Pinot comes pretty close as well. A tiny crop, their lowest ever yields, seems to have been balanced by the quality on offer. Handpicked, destemmed, delivered to small, open fermenters with a variety of yeasts added, hand-plunging thrice daily. 16 days on skins and then a further 19 months maturation in French oak barrels, 23% new.
A lovely bright crimson colour. Delightful aromas with red fruits, notably cherries to the fore. Hints of vanillin oak but well integrated. Spices, animal skins and delicatessen notes. This is a mid-weight style, impressively balanced, seamless in structure and with good length and a good flick of acidity throughout. With lovely cherry notes emerging more along the palate, this should drink beautifully for the next four to six years, though well cellared bottles will last much longer. As mentioned, this is one of the best Pinots from Moss Wood in ages.
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.
