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. Drink by: 2023-2043. Score – 98. (Ken Gargett, winepilot.com, July 2023)