Black Label Cabernet Shiraz Malbec 2012 Museum Release
Wolf Blass
Black Label Cabernet Shiraz Malbec 2012 Museum Release
Wolf Blass
Black Label Cabernet Shiraz Malbec 2012 Museum Release
Overview
Overview
A powerful expression of the Wolf Blass philosophy of synergistic blending, black label is built on persistence of flavour, seamless texture and long velvety tannins. Opulent yet elegant fruit from Langhorne Creek and McLaren Vale provides richness, depth and exceptional complexity.
The philosophy behind Black Label is simple: to take the year’s very best wines and weave them together into a synergistic whole, the resultant wine being greater than the sum of its parts. It’s about creating a wine with many layers of flavour in a complex composition of intense fruit characters, magnificent structure, a rich lustrous texture, long velvety tannins and a lingering palate.
Harvested at optimum maturity and flavour, fruit from each vineyard was crushed, destemmed and fermented separately for seven to twelve days on skins. The ferments were allowed to warm naturally with plunging and gentle pumping over used to maximise colour and flavour extraction. Mid-ferment cooling extended fermentation, exploiting time on skins and accentuating line and length. The wines were pressed while still retaining a touch of sugar, then transferred to barrel to complete fermentation, allowing a balanced integration of oak characters and enhancing texture and complexity.
Note: The tasting note reflects the wine when it was tasted in 2012 upon its release. It has since evolved and developed further complexity following years of careful bottle maturation in our cellars.
Our winemaking team have recently tasted this wine and confirmed its condition. It is drinking beautifully today showcasing intriguing aged characteristics that can only be derived with the passage of time.
| Varietal | Cabernet Shiraz Malbec |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 2012 |
| Country | Australia |
| Region | Multi Region |
| Volume | 750 mL |
| Closure | Screw Cap |
| Alc/Vol | 14.5% |
| Peak Drinking | Now - 2042 |
| Winemaker | Steven Frost |
Awards and Accolades
Awards and Accolades
| Double Gold | 2017 CWSA Best Value Wine Awards |
| Double Gold | 2016 San Francisco Internation Wine Competition |
| Top Gold | 2017 Drinks Business Asian Cabernet Sauvignon Masters |
| Gold & Trophy for Best Wine from a Multi-Regional Blend | 2014 Langhorne Creek Wine Show |
| Gold & Trophy for Best Wine $60 and Over | 2014 Great Australian Red Competition |
| Gold & Trophy for Best Wine from a Multi-Regional Blend | 2015 Langhorne Creek Wine Show |
| Gold | 2014 The National Wine Show of Australia |
| Gold | 2016 China Wine and Spirits Awards |
| Gold | 2016 International Wine Challenge |
| Gold | 2016 Japan Wine Challenge |
| Gold | 2017 International Wine Challenge |
| Gold | 2017 Great Australian Red |
| Gold | 2018 San Francisco Wine Show |
| Gold | 2018 Japan Wine Challenge |
| 97 Points | 2016 James Halliday Wine Companion |
| Silver | 2014 Royal Adelaide Wine Show |
| Silver | 2015 Perth Royal Wine Show |
| Silver | 2015 The Great Australian Red Wine Show |
| Silver | 2015 Royal Melbourne Wine Awards |
| Silver | 2015 Great Australian Red Wine Competition |
| Silver | 2016 Decanter World Wine Awards |
| Silver | 2017 San Franciso Wine Show |
| Silver | 2017 International Wine and Spirit Competition |
| Silver | 2017 Wineluxe wine awards |
| Silver | 2019 International Wine Challenge |
| 95 Points | Tyson Stelzer |
| 94 points | Huon Hooke |
Huon Hooke
"Very deep red/purple colour, with a pungent, intense aroma of chocolate and coconut, vanilla oak. The wine is full-bodied and powerful, with concentration, density and punch aplenty. There is a high-alcohol fuminess and heat on the back-palate and a little syrupiness. It tastes higher than the stated 14.5%. A fairly extreme style"
Food Pairing
Food Pairing
Beef
Lamb
Duck
Veg
Pizza
Taste Description
Taste Description
Nose
A distinctive and characteristic Black Label nose defined by layers of fragrant dark berries and blackcurrant, backed up with deep notes of espresso coffee, panforte and smoky, toasted nut barrel ferment characters. Hints of Langhorne Creek mint are evident without being dominant. Classic cigar-box complexity is starting to express itself and is expected to develop further with time.
Flavours and Palate
A complex, multi-layered and mouth-filling wine, with refined yet opulent fruit and a plush, velvety texture. Perfectly ripe spicy blackberry and blood-plum flavours fill out a beautifully balanced palate that’s complexed by integrated mocha oak and finessed with supple, elegant tannins that impart a defined line and exceptional length of flavour.
Viticulture Vintage & Winemaking
Viticulture Vintage & Winemaking
South Australia
Home to the oldest vines in the country, and no less than 18 wine growing regions, South Australia accounts for almost 50% of Australia’s wine production. The Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek and Coonawarra are well known for their world class reds, with Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley and Eden Valley praised for their exceptional Chardonnay and Riesling.
VINTAGE CONDITIONS
Winter rainfall was close to the long-term average resulting in full soil moisture profiles. Spring temperatures fluctuated between warmer than average and very cool and summer temperatures were ideal, with mild to warm days and frequent cool nights. Combined with low crop levels, this culminated in near-perfect ripening conditions, producing bright, varietal fruit with intensity of colour and flavour, excellent natural acidity and superb line and balance.
Steven Frost - Winemaker
Steve grew up in his family's restaurant business in the Yarra Valley where, at an early age, his interest in food and wine was cultivated.
Though it wasn't his first career, growing and making wine was always Steve's passion, with most weekends spent working part-time in vineyards and making wines with friends.
Steve started working in the wine industry full-time in 1999, the same year he started a Bachelor of Applied Science (Wine Science) at Charles Sturt University. Drawn to work in the Barossa in 2005, he's been making Wolf Blass reds since 2008. The winery's expansive vineyard resources, modern and traditional winemaking techniques, and careful approach to blending proved just as irresistible then as they do now.