WTN: 3 from Wolf Blass, Australia

The Chardonnay was actually quite ok - I'm not much of a Chard drinker except in Bl de Bl Champagnes, but I thought this was ok. It imitated white Burgundy rather well. I seem to be more tolerant of oak with this variety than with others, and since there was much else in the wine, the oak didn't distract me very much. But still, it could have used a bit less. The Bilyara was like most other cheap (I guess, I don't know the price) Aussies: tarry, fruity, short, unmemorable, but inoffensive. I've no idea how much these cost since both were presents.

• 2004 Wolf Blass Chardonnay Gold Label - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills (7/20/2006)
  A fairly deep yellow; greenish youthful tint. The nose is rather oaky, citrussy, with the typical nutty fruit. The palate is full bodied, but with decent acidity, oaky, but balanced enough. Long aftertaste where the malo come more to the fore than I would have hoped. Ok.
• 2004 Wolf Blass Shiraz Bilyara - Australia, South Australia (7/19/2006)
  Very dark red. A sweetly berryish nose with lots of tar - rather like cough syrup but still staying on the pleasant side - barely! The palate was sweetly fruity, confected, not too pleasant. It was all about the fruit. Thankfully the alcohol was lower (13%) than in most other lower end Aussies I've seen here. Not bad if you want a cheap, innocent bbq wine and not disappointing for the low expectations, but not anything to write home about.

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EDIT: 3rd note below.

[James Roscoe]

The Wolf Blass gold label line tends to run in the $15 - $20 range in the DC area, while thier regular wines are in the $10 - $15 range. I would consider them exactly as you said. Okay, especially the Chardonnay, but nothing to write home about. If you catch them on sale they might be worth a purchase if you need an immediate drink, otherwise they are not for longterm aging.

Thanks for the price details! At those prices, I frankly wouldn't bother. I tried the remnants of the Chardonnay today and it had totally fallen apart: tropical fruit, oak, nothing savoury, and even the acids had curiously disappeared. How is that possible? How can acidity disappear totally?

-O

[James Roscoe]

The Wolf-Blass wines are Yellow Tail wines dressed up for the prom. They may look fancy on the outside, but inside it's the same old same old.

Thanks for the price details! At those prices, I frankly wouldn't bother. I tried the remnants of the Chardonnay today and it had totally fallen apart: tropical fruit, oak, nothing savoury, and even the acids had curiously disappeared. How is that possible? How can acidity disappear totally?

-O

Otto, you raise an interesting point. How is it that some wines simply fall apart overnight? And I am talking young vintages too.

Otto, you raise an interesting point. How is it that some wines simply fall apart overnight? And I am talking young vintages too.

This seems to only happen with spoofulated wines. I guess some element of spoofulation is what causes it? Yet some spoofulated wines (young Grange e.g.) last very well for several days open. I have no idea, but would love to hear an explanation.

An intrepid explorer, I sampled a third Wolf Blass today:

• 2002 Wolf Blass Cabernet Sauvignon Gold Label - Australia, South Australia, Mount Lofty Ranges, Adelaide Hills (7/22/2006)
  Very dark red. A nose of mulberries, tar and a hint of freshness and lift and leafyness that suggest that this is indeed Cabernet S (90%) with a touch of Cabernet Franc (10%). There is also a touch of oak-spice, but it seems balanced with all else. The palate is juicy, rather untannic for the grapes and its relative youth, rather oaky but not unbalanced. Though the alcohol is fairly high at 13,5% it isn't obvious at all. Nice, if you happen to like the style!

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