Quick Wine Review - 2012 Wolf Blass Red Label Shiraz/Cabernet: Traveling Can Be Tough....Airport Lounges Help

So I am traveling for work and my flight back home is delayed.  I just so happened to have a Guest Pass to Air Canada's Maple Leaf Lounge in my wallet thanks to my Bro-In-Law (I owe him one).  So, lunch is included and there is an open bar....whoo hoo.  However, I am keeping it in line and I thought it would be good spot to do a wine review.  They have a Chianti from Ruffino, a Chardonnay from RH Phillips and this Shiraz/Cab from Wolf Blass.  If you see a note for all three the flight is really delayed.

Anyhow....let's give this Wolf Blass a looksee.

It is deep red in the glass (which is small) and the legs are extremely quick to fall down into the wine.  It looks thinner than the taste.  Not bad at all.

The nose smells of vineyard.  It smells like the smells you would get working in a vineyard in general.   The fruit, the wood from the barrels, the diesel from the tractors it seems to have it all.  Which is interesting but not entirely a great thing.  I will say I like the unique points in there but there is a tannic note that pushes it in a direction that is not entirely enjoyable.  Overall, pretty good. 

The flavours are interesting but the overwhelming tannic.  It starts Shiraz-y with a good amount of sugar but the tannins kick in right away and make things very tart to the point of bitter.  To make it worse that raw tannin lingers and lingers and lingers.  Good with food maybe but not on its own.  There is zero roundness and it makes for a challenge to get rid of the acidity on the palate.  This personifies.....M'eh.

So, how do I score it?  I will call it 3.5 for Sight, 3.5 for Smell, and 7.0 for Taste.  That makes it 14 / 20 or 70%.  At $16 locally that feels about right.  Less tannin and more flavour would make this a much better wine?  To those who love Wolf Blass this one is okay but not their best effort.

Keep on tasting!

Chris (& Shannon - in spirit)