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Wine Description
The Story
Platinum Label Shiraz was first created from the 1998 vintage to honour Australia's most iconic grape variety, shiraz, and the region we call our home, the Barossa. This marriage of region and variety is one of long-standing excellence, so we set out to create the ultimate wine to express both region and variety, capturing the very essence of Barossa Shiraz.
The very best of Barossa Shiraz is expressed within a cloak of lifted fruit and the velvety texture that is the hallmark of Wolf Blass.
Vineyard: The distinguished Medlands Vineyard lies within an exceptional pocket of ground at Dorrien on the central north Barossa Valley floor, a site long renowned for growing outstanding Shiraz. Gently sloping towards the North Para River, the microclimate benefits from cooling breezes flowing down-river from the foothills and enjoys optimum sunlight, low rainfall and low humidity.
Soil: The vineyard is comprised of ancient soils ranging from loamy sands over light clays to sandy loams over medium clays, laid down 5 million years ago when an uplift of the Eastern ranges and a sinking of the valley floor caused the central valley to fill with sediments. This unique terroir results in Shiraz of purity, elegance, tight structure and flawless balance.
Food pairing: Roast rabbit stuffed with thyme
Wine Information
A single vineyard wine from the Medlands Vineyard that showcases the power and intensity of the 2013 vintage.
Season: Spring rainfall was below average , but adequate for vines to start the season with healthy canopies. Storms during f lowering and dry summer conditions impacted yields , concentrating both colour and flavour. Warm autumn nights brought on an early, condensed harvest, with 2013 Shiraz showing vibrant colour, intense flavour and f ocused tannins.
Press reviews:
Ned Goodwin – 96 points
"A surprisingly low alcohol is noted on the label given the wine's compelling concentration, molten intensity and sheer, unbridled power. This said, the nose is reticent, brooding with an uncanny latency inferring graphite, basalt, cedar, anise, cardamon and an array of Indian spice. The billowing black fruits lie beneath, stretching... edging across the palate, but kept bound for now at least, to a carapace of pulpy grape tannin and lavish oak. Lock this away for some time."
Huon Hooke – 93 points
"Deep, dark colour. Blackberry, licorice, rich and fruit sweet, soft but ample tannins. Long carry. Panforte flavours. A very smart wine."
Mike Bennie – 93 points
"This wine comes from a single vineyard in the Dorrien parish of the Barossa Valley. “Quite an interesting little spot”, says chief winemaker Chris Hatcher, “it’s tucked in behind Dorrien, the mega contract winemaking facility. It’s an interesting pocket that had a lot of wine show success in the 1980s from various vineyards situated there. Our vineyard is located on the Para River, and the river goes up to the Eden Valley, and it drags down cool air from there creating a pretty unique little microclimate to make wine from”. Lots of insights from Chris Hatcher. Good to see Wolf Blass honouring a single site amongst all their kaleidoscopic blends (though that is a task and talent in itself).
Quite a firm wine, big ribs of tannin lashed to thick, rich, dense, dark, spicy fruit character. Lots of coffee oak character, surprising thick flow of concentrated fruit character but sits medium to full bodied, and not overblown or unctuous. Velvet draped plum and molten dark chocolate, with a lick of graphite. Has depth, loads of it, an inky persistence in the palate. Very good."
Recommended glass shape
Average Bottle Price
| 2020 |
|---|
| 108€ |
This data comes from the FINE Auction Index, a composite of average prices for wines sold at commercial auctions in 20 countries. The average prices from each year have been collected since 1990. This chart plots the index value of the average price of the wines.