Wolf Blass chief winemaker Chris Hatcher released the 2009 Black Label in tandem with a re-release of the 2006 vintage (a review of which appears below).

It seems our judgment was spot on, with the 2009 one of the stars of the recent Master Blend Classification tasting.

The tasting pitted 30 of the world's top cabernet-based blends, including all five First Growth Bordeaux producers, against each other.

The event was held in three cities - Montreal, London and Melbourne - and included wines from Australia, Italy, France, the United States, South Africa and Chile.

All were from the 2009 vintage, tasted blind and classified out of 100 by judges comprising wine experts from Australia, Canada, Asia, Europe and the United Kingdom.

Scores from each of the tastings were collated and resulted in the Black Label ($139), a blend of cabernet, shiraz and malbec, sharing equal top billing with three of Bordeaux's best, including the highly priced $2400-a-bottle Chateau Latour.

The leading wines were:

92/100 Chateau Leoville-Las Cases 2009 (Bordeaux - Second Growth $675).

92/100 Wolf Blass Black Label 2009 (South Australia $139).

92/100 Chateau Latour 2009 (Bordeaux - First Growth $2400).

92/100 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2009 (Bordeaux - Second Growth $575).

Event organiser George Samios said the tasting was not intended as a competition "but more of a cabernet celebration and an opportunity to recognise that so many leading wineries are producing exceptional wines that speak to their appellation and winemaking approach".