Past Vintages

Technical Details

 "Polished sheen to the fruit, sophisticated oak, some mint, herbs, coffee and dark chocolate. GOLD MEDAL winner."

Decanter World Wine Awards, Decanter magazine, October 2009 (UK)

"This wine stood out like a beacon for me at Concours, securing my top points - but not as high as the 99/100 from Belgian Bruno Van Geysegham, a wine educator who judged as well as anyone throughout the competition. It has a rich, almost essency bouquet, marrying some savoury notes to add complexity. The palate is rich, yet very graceful, and has great line and length. Drink to 2016. Rating: 92 pts." 

Reprinted with permission from James Halliday, Weekend Australian June 20, 2009.

"Intensely flavoured, well-structured wine that's ageing beautifully. Mocha and cassis on the nose and it has a warm, generous palate with firm, chalky tannins. 4 1/2 stars."

Winestate magazine, Cabernet & Blends Tasting, July / August 2010

Winemaking

The soil, climate and Cabernet Sauvignon of the Shingleback and Petrucci vineyards combine to create something special - the fruit that is ultimately hand crafted to become D Block Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Gentle hand working of the skins in small, 5 tonne open fermenters and traditional winemaking practices protect and nurture the unique qualities of the terroir. Very fine grained French oak hogsheads are used to allow a long, slow maturation of the wine and subtle oak integration. A combination of new and one year old barrels, crafted by select coopers to our requirements, are used to create nuances and diversity of flavour. When maturation and oak integration are perfect, individual barrels are selected and blended to create the fruit power, complexity and harmonious balance that is Shingleback D Block Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tasting Note

Deep red. Concentrated blackberry and couverture chocolate aromas harmonise with notes of savoury black olive, bay leaf and toasted hazelnuts. The cassis and roasted coffee flavours are elegantly framed with vanilla and cashew nuances derived from the fine-grained French oak used in maturation. A full-bodied, structured Cabernet Sauvignon that expresses the synergy of this noble variety, the terroir and my personal winemaking philosophy.

Awards:

• Gold medal - 2009 Mundus Vini International Wine Awards (Germany) 
• Gold medal - 2009 Decanter World Wine Awards (UK)
• Gold medal - 2009 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (Belgium)
• Gold medal - 2008 International Wine Challenge (Vienna)
• Gold medal - 2008 Royal Melbourne Wine Show, Class 36
• Gold medal - 2008 Royal Hobart Wine Show, Class 47
• 92 pts - James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2010
• Silver medal - 2009 International Wine & Spirit Competition (UK)
• Silver medal - 2009 Royal Melbourne Wine Show,, Class 31
• Silver medal - 2008 Mundus Vini Internetional Wine Awards (Germany)
• Silver medal - 2009 Korea Wine Challenge