APRIL 2006

Australian winemaking icon Wolf Blass proudly introduces the latest vintages of the super premium family and celebrates a 30-year milestone with the new vintage release of the 2002 Wolf Blass Black Label Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec.

Now available in the super premium range are the 2004 Wolf Blass Grey Label Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004 Wolf Blass Grey Label Shiraz, 2002 Wolf Blass Black Label Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec (our 30th vintage) and 2003 Wolf Blass Platinum Label Shiraz.

Chris Hatcher, Wolf Blass Chief Winemaker said, "The new vintage releases continue to display the style and excellence for which these award winning wines have become renowned, however this year is particularly special as Black Label celebrates 30 years of winemaking."

The 30 vintages of Wolf Blass Black Label wines have been highly awarded, having won four Jimmy Watson Trophies (1974, 1975, 1976, and 1999), seven Montgomery Trophies (1978-83 and 1987) and many medals and trophies on the national and international wine circuits.

Wolf Blass Black Label has been the forerunner of the modern Australian wine style, and builds on the elements and philosophies developed in the 1960s by winemakers Wolf Blass and John Glaetzer. Under the influence of Chief Winemaker Chris Hatcher and Wolf Blass Red Winemaker Caroline Dunn, Wolf Blass Black Label has transitioned from a heavier American oaked wine style to wines characterised by refined oak influence and solid fruit concentration.

The 2002 Wolf Blass Black Label Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec is a classic Australian blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon with a small percentage of Malbec in the blend to enhance vibrancy and flavour on the palate. Deep purple in the glass, the nose shows intense lifted aromas of blackcurrant supported by complex layers of coffee, dark chocolate and subtle mint notes. The rich full palate displays spicy bramble and plum flavours and well-integrated smoky oak.

Chris Hatcher said the philosophy for Wolf Blass Black Label is that it is our finest red blend made from our highest quality grapes from South Australia from the given vintage. The 2002 Wolf Blass Black Label Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec is a fine example of super premium Australian wine and an excellent example of the elegant yet powerful wines crafted from the outstanding 2002 vintage.

Wolf Blass Grey Label has long held a reputation for quality, character and consistency that makes it suitable both for drinking now or cellaring. Each vintage in this range showcases the fruit parcels that best demonstrate the unique characters of variety and region. The 2004 Wolf Blass Grey Label wines have been crafted from one of the longest vintages in recent times. Good winter rainfalls and favourable conditions during spring and summer delivered a vintage of good to outstanding quality. For the first time, the range will be bottled under screwcap.

Wolf Blass Grey Label Shiraz continues its strong association with McLaren Vale this vintage. Showcasing the unique characters of the premium McLaren Vale wine region, the 2004 Wolf Blass Grey Label Shiraz is rich dark red in colour. Aromas of rich, ripe berries with hints of pepper, spice and dark chocolate are present on the nose. The intense yet soft full fruit palate shows well-integrated oak, soft tannins and a long seamless finish.

The 2004 Wolf Blass Grey Label Cabernet Sauvignon from Langhorne Creek is rich red in the glass. It has rich berry fruit, eucalypt and mint characters with subtle warm spice and dark chocolate on the nose. The intense yet soft full fruit palate shows well-integrated oak, soft tannins and a long seamless finish.

Drawing on a completely different winemaking philosophy developed by the new Wolf Blass Winemaking Team is the iconic Wolf Blass Platinum Label Shiraz. The ultimate expression of our winemakers’ masterful skills, Wolf Blass Platinum Label showcases the finest Shiraz from low cropping vineyards.

"We make Wolf Blass Platinum in extremely limited quantities from low yielding vines - it quite simply is the pick of the crop. This wine is crafted to epitomise the best Shiraz of the vintage and expresses the unique characteristics of the vineyard. The fruit parcels sourced from our Platinum Vineyards are unique in their intensity of colour, concentration of fruit flavour, their elegance, balanced structure and long fine tannins," said Chris.

The 2003 Wolf Blass Platinum Shiraz is deep purple in colour. The lifted fragrant nose shows spicy, ripe berry and dark chocolate characters. The palate is elegant, rich and concentrated with complex layers of blackberry, freshly ground coffee and spice supported by integrated, smoky oak, a seamless balanced structure and long fine tannins.

Wolf Blass Platinum Label Shiraz is bottled under screwcap to preserve the style of the wine and to ensure that the quality is maintained during maturation. This wine will display intense fruit in its youth and will develop soft integrated characters if cellared over the next decade. The latest vintage releases of the Wolf Blass Grey, Black and Platinum Label wines are available from leading wine retailers and restaurants.

Wine	Suggestions Serving	Cellaring Tips	RRP
Wolf Blass Grey Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2004	Serve with barbecued or roasted lamb fillets with char-grilled vegetables.	This wine displays rich fruit flavours and has been carefully blended to ensure soft tannins and drinkability. It will develop more aged characters over the next 6-10 years if carefully cellared.	$40
Wolf Blass Grey Label Shiraz 2004	Serve with roasted fillet of beef or porterhouse steak with mushroom sauce.	This wine displays rich fruit flavours and has been carefully blended to ensure soft tannins and drinkability. It will develop more aged characters over the next 6-10 years if carefully cellared.	$40
Wolf Blass Black Label Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2002	Serve with aged Stilton or Cheddar cheeses, water crackers and quince paste.	Will develop with age and will reward a decade or more of careful cellaring.	$125 - Special lay down gift boxes of 6 bottles available.
Wolf Blass Platinum Shiraz 2003	Enjoy with rare-roasted eye fillet of beef, venison or kangaroo.	This wine displays intense fruit and will develop soft integrated characters if cellared over the next decade. (Available in screwcap)	$180

Awards
2003 Wolf Blass Platinum Label Shiraz

Gold
2005 Royal Queensland Wine Show (Class 34)
2005 Royal Melbourne Wine Show (Class 41)
2005 National Wine Show Canberra (Class 27)
2002 Wolf Blass Black Label Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec

Top Gold
2004 Royal Adelaide Wine Show (Class 50)
2004 Royal Queensland Wine Show (Class 33)

Gold
2005 Royal Queensland Wine Show (Class 36)
2005 Royal Melbourne Wine Show (Class 48)
2005 Royal Sydney Wine Show (Class 36)
2004 Royal Hobart International Wine Show (Class 55)
2003 Royal Queensland Wine Show (Class 23)