Nose
Good density and a perfumed bouquet dominated by ripe, raspberry and mulberry aromas. There are hints of leafy, minty characters and tastiness' from the charred vanilla oak.
Palate
On both the nose and palate with the wine displaying richness of fruit, cabernet berry flavours and sweetness from extract and alcohol. The acidity is well-balanced and the tannins are firm but not bitter.
Growing Conditions
The first of three late vintages at Moss Wood and produced a rich, ripe Cabernet. It was a similar year to 1982 both in terms of the amount of rain which fell and the timing of the vintage. The experience of a wet harvest in 1982 enabled the Moss Wood team to be better organised in 1989.
Bottling
30/6/1990
Winemaking
We were able to get more tannin and to produce a better structured wine. In order to get adequate extraction and colour and to bolster the structure, half (rather than the usual one-third) of the wine was given extended skin contact during fermentation. As well as this, forty percent (rather than the customary thirty percent) of the 1989 Cabernet was matured in new oak for twelve months.
Aging
five years
Appearance
Brick red hue.
