Moss Wood Amy’s Cabernet Blend 2025

Tasting Notes

• Colour: Deep brick red with a bright, youthful appearance.
• Aromatics: Lifted blackcurrant, blueberry and redcurrant are joined by plum, blackberry, violet and red liquorice. Cedar, dark chocolate and subtle spice sit quietly underneath.
• Palate: Medium to full-bodied with generous blackcurrant, blueberry and plum flavours. The fruit is concentrated and succulent while remaining fresh and controlled.
• Structure: Fine tannins provide shape without dominating, while fresh acidity keeps the palate defined and balanced.
• Oak: Older French oak contributes understated cedar, spice and savoury complexity while allowing the fruit to remain central.
• Finish: Long and composed, with lingering dark berries, chocolate, liquorice and fine tannins.

Wine Details

• Vintage: 2025
• Blend: 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 8% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot
• Region: Margaret River, Western Australia
• Vineyard: Glenmore Vineyard
• Median harvest date: 27 March 2025
• Oak maturation: 14 months
• Oak: 228-litre French oak barriques
• New oak: None
• Alcohol: 14.0%
• Bottling date: 30 June 2026
• Cellaring: Enjoy now or cellar for approximately eight to ten years
• Serving temperature: 16 to 18°C

The 2025 Margaret River Vintage

The 2025 growing season was warm, even and favourable, with good water availability allowing each variety to ripen steadily.

There was sufficient warmth for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot to develop full flavour, but ripening did not accelerate as dramatically as it can during hotter seasons. This produced fruit with generosity, freshness and good varietal definition.

Malbec was harvested first on 18 March, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon on 27 March. Petit Verdot was picked on 2 April, with Merlot completing the harvest on 3 April.

All four varieties reached the winery in excellent condition and free from disease.

Compared with the more powerful and robust 2024 release, the 2025 returns to a more classically styled Amy’s. It remains rich and generous, but with greater perfume, composure and suppleness.

Viticulture and Winemaking

The fruit was handpicked before being carefully hand-sorted and destemmed at the winery.

Each parcel was transferred into closed stainless-steel fermenters and inoculated for fermentation. Pump-overs were carried out three times each day to extract colour, flavour and tannin from the grape skins.

After 14 days on skins, the wine was pressed. Both primary and malolactic fermentation were completed in stainless steel before the wine was transferred into 228-litre French oak barriques.

No new oak was used. This is important to the style of Amy’s, as older barrels allow the wine to mature and develop complexity without adding dominant vanilla or toast flavours.

The wine remained in barrel for 14 months before the individual parcels were blended. Fining trials were conducted, but the wine was already considered balanced and required no fining.

It was then filtered and bottled on 30 June 2026.

What Each Variety Brings to the Blend

Cabernet Sauvignon makes up 81% of the wine and provides its blackcurrant fruit, perfume, tannin structure and long finish.

Merlot contributes softness and rounded plum fruit, helping make the wine approachable in its youth.

Malbec adds deeper colour, blackberry, blueberry and additional generosity through the middle of the palate.

Petit Verdot provides violet perfume, colour, spice and a small but important contribution to the wine’s structure.

Together, the four varieties create a more complete and immediately appealing expression than Cabernet Sauvignon might provide on its own.

Storage and Serving Tips

Serve Moss Wood Amy’s Cabernet Blend at approximately 16 to 18°C.

If the bottle has been stored in a warm room, place it in the refrigerator for around 30 to 45 minutes before opening. Serving it slightly cooler will help the fresh fruit, perfume and fine tannins remain clearly defined.

The wine is already approachable, but decanting it for approximately 30 to 45 minutes will allow its blackcurrant, blueberry, violet and chocolate characters to open more fully.

For cellaring, keep the bottle somewhere dark and temperature stable. Moss Wood recommends eight to ten years of careful cellaring, which would take the wine through approximately 2034 to 2036.

During this time, the youthful berry fruit should gradually evolve towards cedar, leather, tobacco, dark chocolate and other savoury characters.

Food Pairing Suggestions

• Grilled steak: The wine’s dark fruit and fine tannins are a natural match for sirloin, scotch fillet or eye fillet.
• Roast lamb: Try it with a herb-crusted lamb rack or slow-roasted lamb shoulder.
• Beef cheeks: Slow-cooked beef complements the wine’s richness, dark fruit and savoury complexity.
• Roast duck: Merlot and Malbec provide enough generous fruit to work particularly well with duck.
• Mushroom dishes: Mushroom risotto, grilled portobello mushrooms or a mushroom and lentil pie complement its earthy and savoury notes.
• Roasted vegetables: Eggplant, beetroot, capsicum and root vegetables work well with the wine’s fruit and gentle spice.
• Mature cheese: Serve with aged cheddar, Gouda or a firm farmhouse cheese.

Reviews and Accolades

95 Points, Ray Jordan

One of the most popular of all the Moss Wood wines. It comes from the Glenmore vineyard a little further north and is a cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec and petit verdot blend. Every year it hits the mark with its delivery of beautiful, rich fruit character. Blackcurrant and dark chocolate on the nose, and a succulent and lavish palate that is so exquisitely balanced and poised. This is one of the best.

95 Points, Ken Gargett, WinePilot

Ken Gargett highlighted the wine’s classic Margaret River Cabernet blend, seamless structure and excellent length.

His review found cassis, plum, chocolate, leather, truffle, tobacco and aniseed characters, supported by silky tannins and immaculate balance. He also singled it out as exceptional value and suggested it could develop for at least another twelve years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Moss Wood Amy’s a Cabernet Sauvignon?

Cabernet Sauvignon makes up 81% of the 2025 blend, so it is clearly the dominant variety.

The remaining 19% is made up of Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. These varieties add softness, fruit generosity, perfume, colour and further complexity.

Is this a Bordeaux-style blend?

Yes. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot are all traditional Bordeaux varieties.

The term describes the varieties used rather than suggesting that the wine tastes exactly like red Bordeaux. Amy’s retains the ripe fruit, generosity and regional character associated with Margaret River.

What is the difference between the 2024 and 2025 vintages?

The 2024 was a warmer, more robust and powerful expression.

The 2025 is considered a more classic vintage, with rich fruit but greater perfume, suppleness and composure. It remains generous, although its balance and fine tannins give it a particularly polished feel.

Can I drink the 2025 Amy’s now?

Yes. Amy’s is intentionally made to be approachable while young.

Decanting it for around 30 to 45 minutes will help the fruit and perfume open, but the generous palate and fine tannins already make it very enjoyable.

How long can I cellar it?

Moss Wood recommends cellaring the wine for approximately eight to ten years.

Ray Jordan also gives it a ten-year cellaring recommendation, while Ken Gargett believes it has the structure to develop for at least twelve years.

Why was no new oak used?

Older French oak barrels allow the wine to mature gradually without contributing strong oak flavours.

This means the blackcurrant, blueberry, plum and violet characters remain the focus, while the barrels add subtle cedar, spice and savoury complexity.

Is Amy’s full-bodied?

It sits between medium and full-bodied. There is plenty of fruit concentration and richness, but fresh acidity and fine tannins prevent it from feeling excessively heavy.

Should I decant it?

Decanting for 30 to 45 minutes is recommended when drinking it young. This helps release the wine’s perfume and allows the fruit, chocolate and subtle savoury characters to become more expressive.

What temperature should it be served at?

Serve it at approximately 16 to 18°C.

Avoid serving it at a warm Australian room temperature, as excessive warmth can make the alcohol more noticeable and reduce the freshness of the fruit.