Description
If the Estate Cabernet is a "best buy," the Block 5 is the undisputed crown jewel. Recently awarded the Top Wine Trophy at the Halliday Cabernet Challenge, this wine comes from the most exceptional parcels of dry-grown vines planted in 1975. The 2023 vintage was near-on perfect for Forest Hill, defined by low yields and a long, cool ripening period that resulted in incredible flavour concentration and aromatic detail.
The nose is dark and saturated, lead by blackberry, dark cherry, and violets, with a subtle sweetness of vanilla pod from 12 months in French oak. What really sets Block 5 apart is the structure; it features a distinct ironstone and graphite mineral line that runs right through the center of the wine. It’s deeply flavoured and powerful, yet it carries the signature Mount Barker elegance that has made this vineyard famous.
The tannins are exceptionally fine and ripe, providing a sophisticated framework that suggests this wine will cruise through the next two decades in the cellar. It is a world-class Cabernet that balances fleshy dark fruit with a savoury, gravelly precision. Simply put, it’s a benchmark release from one of the country’s most historic sites and currently holds the title of one of Australia’s very best Cabernets.
97 Points & Winner of Top Wine Trophy
– 2024 Australian Halliday Cabernet Challenge
96 points
"There's a haunting beauty to this wine... The compact nature of the wine coupled to its refreshment factor is just outstanding. Unreal."
- Mike Bennie (Halliday Wine Companion)
95+ points
"Classic cabernet in every respect. Beautiful from every angle, too... Top notch."
- Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front)
95 points
"This is a really impressive wine. It was the winner for a second year in a row of the James Halliday Chardonnay and Cabernet Challenge, a national competition in Australia."
- Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)
Customer Reviews
| Price Bracket | $51 to $100 |
| Type | Red |
| Body | Full Bodied |
| Variety | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Country | Australia |
| Region | Great Southern |
| Australian State | WA |
| Feature |
High Score |
| Reviewed By |
Halliday Wine Companion The Wine Advocate The Wine Front |
| Critic Score |
97 |
| Size | 750ml |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Closure | Screw Cap |
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Common Questions
Delivery is free on orders of $199 or more.
For orders under this amount, delivery is calculated at checkout based on your postcode. You can order in any quantity or combination of wines you like. Straight dozens are not required.
We will dispatch your order the same or next business day.
Estimated delivery transit time varies depending on your location. Please review this page for specific estimates.
No sorry we do not have a store front and pickup is not available.
Yes, no problem. When placing your order select ‘Store at Different Drop and Delivery Later’ as your shipping method or reply to the order confirmation email after placing your order with additional instructions.
We stock three different sized gift boxes (single, three bottle and six), all are available for purchase for a flat rate of $8. They look great and make an awesome impression.
To add a gift box to your order, simply add at checkout. The special requests box is your friend, please give us as many details of what you are looking for and we will try our best, or get in contact to discuss it with you.
If you want to bulk order gifts or if you have any trouble please email hello@differentdrop.com or call and we can try and help.
Our warehouse is automated so unless you tell us otherwise, we will ship your order. If you would like us to hold your order please reply to the order confirmation email after placing your order and we are happy to store your order for up to 6 months at no charge. You can review our heat policy here.
Yes, of course. We want Different Drop customers to always be getting the best price. You can see our price match policy here.
No, feel free to mix it up! There is no minimum requirement. You can order wines in any quantity or combination, 1 or 50+ bottles.
No, all prices are set at the full discounted dozen rate already.
Most wine retailers list at a single-bottle price and then discount 10–15% when you buy six or twelve. We've taken the opposite approach. Since the overwhelming majority of our orders are already 6 bottles or more, our list price is set for the case buyer from the start. There's no inflated single-bottle price to discount down from.
What that means for you:
- One price, same for everyone — no minimum to hit to unlock the best rate
- No mixed-six gymnastics to qualify for a discount
- Our single-bottle price is typically at or below a traditional retailer's by-the-dozen rate
Put simply: the box discount is already baked into the price.
**And if you find it cheaper elsewhere?** Let us know. If the same wine is available at a lower price at another retailer (including at their mixed-six or by-the-dozen rate) we're happy to match it.
If you can't add more wine to your cart it means we are low on stock of that wine. For example, if you are only able to 3 bottles and no more that means we only have 3 bottles left of that wine. If it's a must have, please contact us and we may be able to order more in for you.
Need a hand?
We’d love to help you out! Email is usually best but if it’s something urgent or you just really want to have a yarn about wine, food, or even the meaning of life, give us a call — we’re here for you.