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.
