Moss Wood Cab Sauv 2008 750ml

Colour and condition: Deep brick red, in bright condition.

Nose: This shows a classic snapshot of what the 2008 vintage was all about. Of course, the aroma contains the typical Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon characters of mulberry and red currant but these are given significant lift by pretty notes that can be traced back to the early Autumn. Cabernet’s rose-like and pomegranate scents are not often retained but in this wine they help the nose fill the glass. In the background the wine still retains the typical dark chocolate, earth and leatherlike complexities, as well as spicy, toasty oak.

Palate: Perhaps the observation could be made this displays the warmer, early phase of the season. A classic Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon, with fully ripened fruit flavours of mulberry and raspberry, that are long and generous. These sit over good acidity and wellbalanced, fine-grained tannin, giving a seamless feel. The finish is a combination of oak flavours and tannin that extend the length.

Cellaring Notes:

The youthful generosity of this wine is very appealing and there will be a temptation to consume it young. However, with a similar style to the 1980, we strongly recommend the 2008 be cellared for at least 10 years, by which time it could be enjoyed with some bottle development. We believe it will be at it most complete by around 15 years of age but it should live on for many years beyond this. In order to satisfy our curiosity, we recently tried the older sibling, the Moss Wood 1980 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve and are delighted to report, for that particular bottle, it has reached 31 years old and is still in great shape, even retaining some primary notes.