The first award Wolf
Blass Black Label ever won was the Jimmy Watson Trophy, so there
was a certain sense of déjà vu when, after two
decades without claiming the coveted claret jug, this great
wine won the most competitive Watson in history.
From its very first vintage in 1973
the philosophy behind Black Label has always been brilliantly
simple. It would always be the finest wine the winery could
produce. It would always be dominated by the noble cabernet
sauvignon and would always be sourced from the best vineyards
in South Australia. There was never a strict adherence to
a particular vineyard or varietal blend - the year and the
vineyards would dictate the wine's final composition. Over
the years the Black Label has relied upon the Clare Valley,
McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek and of course the Barossa Valley
for its fruit. The best parcels of grapes are kept separate
throughout the winemaking and maturation process and it is
when the final components are considered "finished"
that the master blender's art is put to its ultimate test.
The Black Label is traditionally released four years after
vintage so the wine has had appropriate bottle maturation
before being presented to the wine lovers of the world.
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