Moss Wood
Summary
Moss Wood, one of Margaret River's founding estates established in 1969, encompasses 18.5 hectares across three sites in Western Australia's Wilyabrup sub-region, where Mediterranean climate and gravelly loam soils support their focused portfolio of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Semillon. Under the consistent leadership of Keith and Clare Mugford since 1985, the winery balances traditional methods with careful modernization, emphasizing hand-harvesting, meticulous fruit selection, and sustainable vineyard practices to create wines that authentically express their exceptional terroir.
Heritage & Leadership
Moss Wood was established in 1969 by Dr. Bill Pannell and his wife Sandra in the Wilyabrup sub-region of Margaret River, Western Australia. As one of the pioneering vineyards in this now-celebrated region, Moss Wood helped establish Margaret River's reputation for premium wines. In 1985, the property was purchased by Keith and Clare Mugford, who continue to own and operate the estate today. This represents a remarkable continuity of ownership, with only two families stewarding the property over its more than 50-year history.
Keith Mugford, who serves as both viticulturist and winemaker, has guided Moss Wood's development for over three decades, maintaining its position as a standard-bearer for Margaret River wines. The Mugfords have expanded the original plantings while maintaining a focus on quality over quantity. Under their leadership, Moss Wood has remained independently owned and operated, allowing for consistent application of their winemaking philosophy across generations.
Vineyards & Wines
Moss Wood encompasses approximately 18.5 hectares of vineyards spread across three sites in the Margaret River region. The original Moss Wood Vineyard in Wilyabrup, planted in 1969, focuses primarily on Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon, and Pinot Noir. The Mugfords added the Ribbon Vale Vineyard to their holdings in 2000, which contributes additional plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc. The Montgomery Brothers Vineyard, from which they source fruit, rounds out their vineyard resources.
The vineyards benefit from Margaret River's Mediterranean climate and proximity to the Indian Ocean, which moderates temperature extremes. Soils across the properties vary but generally consist of gravelly loams over clay subsoils, providing good drainage while retaining sufficient moisture during the growing season. The original Cabernet Sauvignon vines at the Moss Wood Vineyard now exceed 50 years of age, contributing to the depth and complexity of their flagship wine.
The estate produces a focused range of wines, with the Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon serving as their standard-bearer. This wine has earned a place in Langton's Classification of Australian Wine at the "Exceptional" level. Other significant wines include the Ribbon Vale Cabernet Sauvignon, Moss Wood Chardonnay, and Moss Wood Semillon, each expressing the distinctive characteristics of their vineyard sites.
Philosophy & Practice
The Mugfords adhere to a winemaking approach that balances tradition with judicious use of modern techniques. All fruit is hand-harvested and sorted to ensure only the highest quality grapes enter the winery. For their red wines, fermentation occurs in open tanks with regular hand plunging to extract color and tannin, followed by aging in French oak barrels for 24-30 months depending on the wine and vintage.
White wines receive similar attention to detail, with whole-bunch pressing to minimize phenolic extraction and fermentation in a combination of stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels. The Chardonnay undergoes full malolactic fermentation and extended lees contact to develop complexity and texture.
In the vineyard, the Mugfords implement sustainable practices focused on soil health and vine balance. They maintain permanent cover crops between rows to prevent erosion and enhance biodiversity. Pest and disease management follows an integrated approach that minimizes chemical interventions while protecting vine health and fruit quality.
Throughout their production process, the emphasis remains on expressing the distinctive character of their Margaret River vineyards while maintaining consistency from vintage to vintage. This patient, detail-oriented approach has allowed Moss Wood to produce wines that accurately reflect both their terroir and the Mugfords' winemaking philosophy.