The Auswine Forum

anyone try the black label 2001? what's your comment compard to previous vintage? I found that some shops are selling it at about $70. do you think it's a bargain?

Sieben,

Haven't had this vintage of the BL so can't comment on the wine, but Halliday gave it a bit of a wrap in his latest companion, awarding it 95 points and saying " ... an evolving classic". For $70 per bottle, good price for this label, but you have to wonder if there are better bargains to be had in the market currently. However, saying this, I do like the BL and for $70 would personally pick up a few bottles for the cellar.

JO is a big fan as well .... 95 points drinking 2014 on.

Jo says in his latest Wine Annual it has moved in a new direction and he rates the 01 well and the 2002 gets a very very good rating & all Barossa fruit. His best rating by far on a Black label he says it is a great move. I will be searching for one to try for sure.

I called into the Wolf Blass cellar door when I was in the Barossa a couple of weeks ago not expecting much but was very pleasantly surprised.

I support JO's assessment that the winemaking seems to have moved in a new direction - they appear to have moved away from belting everything to death with the oak stick and there were some pretty refined wines in the lineup.

The Gold Label range was consistent across the board and offers great QPR at about the $19 mark in my opinion.

The '03 Grey Label Cabernet was excellent (Langhorne Creek fuit - bought this) and the '03 Grey Label Shiraz wasn't far behind. Option of stelvin or cork closure too.

Tried the '02 Black Label (I think) rather than the '01. Classy wine. $70 for the '01 would appear to be a good deal - the '02 was going for about twice that.

Managed to sneak a taste of the '02 Platinum Label Shiraz too - seriously good gear but you pay for it ($185 CD).

As I said, walked away very impressed. A good example of a big company wine producer that has appears to have made a conscious decision on putting out a quality product under their flagship label. Worth another look if you have written them off in the past.

gwyn wrote:.


Tried the '02 Black Label (I think) rather than the '01. Classy wine. $70 for the '01 would appear to be a good deal - the '02 was going for about twice that.
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Despite heavy oak I liked and bought alot of 96,98 Wolf Blass wines because I felt there was enough quility of fruit there to support even if not hide the oak but, in recent years the oak was way to prominant.

I wonder if the price drop was to catch up to more recent vintages and clear stock or they will move the price depending on Vintage from now on?

I couldnt see myself paying $140 for the 2002 Black even if its a massive improvement I would get the Platinum for $160 which I can find all day long for that. It will be interesting to see what the actual price for the black is in shops. Black label prices are very weak at auction also.

Black label prices are very weak at auction also.

Platinum,

Definitely agree with you here. I purchased a six-pack not too long ago off auction of the 1999 Wolf Blass Black Label (which JO rated 92 points) for $59 per bottle plus commission, well below the retail price advertised on release.

And as mentioned before on the forum, the Black and Platinum labels both sell for much less overseas, nearly half of what we pay here!