Wolf Blass Black Label Cabernet Shiraz Malbec 2021

If one may go straight to the bottom line, this is surely one of the very finest Black Labels which Wolf Blass has ever released. Or perhaps more specifically, it certainly will be in the years to come (pretty sensational already though) and no surprise given how good the 2021 vintage is. A blend of 52% Cabernet, 42% Shiraz and 6% Malbec, the fruit from each vineyard is crushed, destemmed and fermented individually, on skins, for seven to twelve days where mid-ferment cooling was employed to extend fermentation. The wine then sees 18 months’ maturation in a mix of oak – 52% older and 6% new American and 22% older, 20% new French. It is, for me, the standout wine from the Luxury Collection for this release, however don’t look for varietal or regional characteristics here – it is just a cracking wine to drink and enjoy. Deep maroon hue, it is still young, and perhaps a touch raw, but it is coming together very quickly. If you can leave it six to 12 months, you will see the benefits, for it has absolutely everything in place to be a little bit legendry. Chocolate, plums, aniseed, cloves, bay leaves and soy, this is intense yet focused, but at all times approachable and generous. There is the oak that is typical of BL, but it is integrating immaculately whilst the palate moves to notes of vanilla, chocolate, coffee beans and mocha. There really is incredible length here, this really is going to be so good! Ten or twenty years with ease.

Ken Gargett

Contributor at Winepilot

Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.

Wine writer and critic