fine-wine aficionados and collectors. The 1980 Special Reserve, the same wine with extra barrel ageing, won the Montgomery trophy at the Adelaide Wine Show and a trophy for the best local red at the Perth Wine Show. The 1980 vintage marked a transition period at Moss Wood. It was the second year that Keith Mugford worked for Dr Bill Pannell as winemaker at the estate. This would lead to Keith and Clare Mugford acquiring Moss Wood in 1985. 1980 Cullen Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River – Western Australia Corked. 1980 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River – Western Australia 5 Medium-deep crimson. Fresh and evolved crème de cassis , praline, roasted chestnut, hint of tobacco leaf, sage aromas and flavours, lovely mid-palate richness/complexity, and underlying cedar/ al dente /firm tannins. Sturdy and claret-like with very good density and vigour. John Wade’s new ‘essence of Coonawarra’ vision, 1982 Wynn’s Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, was revolutionary for the time and set a new standard. This ground-breaking 1982 Cabernet Sauvignon created huge excitement when released. Based on older blocks of Coonawarra terra rossa vineyards, the wine possessed a concentrated richness of flavour and ripeness rarely seen before in Coonawarra wines. There was conjecture at the time that the wine had a high proportion of drainings, which accentuated volume and density. While the bottle looked disgracefully dishevelled, the contents were superlative, again highlighting past cellaring conditions. Winemaker John Wade had previously asked for more investment in new oak, and this wine was a beneficiary of 100% new-oak maturation. The ageing potential of this wine was immediately recognised and its performance to date has more than fulfilled those expectations. This style of winemaking foreshadowed ripe and generous expressions of Coonawarra Cabernet. This has been exquisitely implemented by longstanding winemaker Sue Hodder and her team in more recent times.
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The Vintage Journal – Australian Wine Through 30 Bottles
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