By David Ellis from vintnews.
It’s been over forty years now that Yellow Label has been at the heart of winemaking at Wolf Blass wines, delivering to buyers a range of wines from South Australia that are consistently fruit driven and full-on in flavour.
Among the latest releases is a 2015 Chardonnay out of a vintage that started warm and dry, and was followed by much-needed rain and ultimately warm days and relatively cool nights. Then a final burst of heat in late January saw an early and condensed harvest, and as a result, more of those wonderfully full on flavour wines.
The 2015 Yellow Label Chardonnay particularly benefitted from all of this, with loads of stone fruits to the fore and nicely integrated oak, and whilst made with food predominantly in mind, it can be equally enjoyed as a glass or three on its own.
Just as well, although best enjoyed young and fresh, some short-term cellaring will see it develop further in complexity.
Pay $18 and enjoy this one with what its makers suggest – creamy veal Stroganoff with mushrooms and parsley, or pumpkin ravioli with sage butter sauce.
One to note: if you like your reds big and hearty, one to grab (or maybe two or three) is the just-released 2013 Tim Adams Shiraz.
A blend of fruit off three Clare Valley vineyards, this is a gutsy drop that leads on the palate with blackberry and mulberry fruit flavours, some spiciness and hints of mint, and a strong reminder that it spent twenty-four months maturing in American oak.
Surprisingly, it’s just $25 to enjoy now, or to tuck away in the cellar to around the mid-2020s. If you’re going to buy and drink now, match it with a good steak, or with hearty kangaroo or venison dishes.
