Wolf Blass Grey Label McLaren Vale Shiraz 2021

Dense, deep purple. Inky, blackberry, blackcurrant, clove, cinnamon, licorice, earth, leather, wood smoke aromas. First impression? This is a wine filled to brimming in McLaren Vale generosity. Second impression? This is a wine filled to brimming, but still has a way to go to reveal all. Structure here is keen and it will be a while before the wine fully opens up which is good news for those who like to age their Wolf Blass reds. Embraces new and seasoned French and American oak throughout, signature Blass bass notes, bringing focus and a firm framework laced in pencil shaving oak and grainy tannins. McLaren Vale black fruits, spice, spearmint, a whisper of menthol and aniseed join in before departing tannic and dry. Wolf would be happy with this wine. Give it 10 years at least.

Jeni Port

Wine critic at Winepilot

Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.

Wine writer and critic