Wolf Blass Grey Label McLaren Vale Shiraz 2019

A real crowd pleaser here from a producer who has traditionally read the wine crowd better than most. The fruit is sweet and succulent, the wine is chock full of fruit flavour – which is, I’d argue, a big part of the role of the introductory luxury Grey Label tier – and above all, it’s approachable now.

And eye catching, too. The deep, dense purple colour grabs your attention. As do the aromas of blueberry, black cherry, blackberry, liquorice, cacao, spice – enticing stuff. There’s an intensity of flavour that guides this wine, a touch of savouriness, too, as the dark fruits move into prune and charcuterie.

McLaren Vale shiraz generally falls into the full-bodied and generous category, but there’s a little more light and shade to this wine which is very appealing. And the oak, coffee grounds and mocha, is definitely part of that appeal, too. This should age a treat.