At last night’s 2023 Halliday Awards, our 2020 ‘The Iron Duke’ Cabernet Sauvignon was named Cabernet Sauvignon of the Year!
With over 600 Cabernet Sauvignon wines (straight varietals, not even including Cabernet blends!) tasted for the 2023 Halliday Wine Companion, our 2020 ‘The Iron Duke’ was among 11 wines shortlisted for the final judge-off, eventually being named the Varietal Winner and best of the year.
The Iron Duke was also given a rating of 98 points out of 100, placing it in elite company. More than 8000 wines were tasted for the 2023 edition of the Companion, and just 2% of those given a score or 97 or higher.
Winning one of the Halliday Varietal awards is an amazing achievement and we’re thrilled to be able to showcase the strength of Cabernet Sauvignon from Langhorne Creek.
This wine is made from a barrel selection off our best vineyards in Langhorne Creek, and shows distinct varietal character and purity. A medium-bodied wine with layers of floral and fruit flavour, supported by complexity from maturation in French oak with firm lingering tannins.
This award is another great recognition from the Halliday Wine Companion team, with our Senior Winemaker Paul Hotker named Halliday’s Winemaker of the Year back in 2018, and Bleasdale also having been shortlisted for Best Value Winery of the Year on numerous occasions; including in the just-released 2023 Wine Companion.
This announcement continues an excellent run of form for Bleasdale on the national wine show circuit over recent years, having been awarded over 60 trophies in the past decade, including both the Max Schubert Trophy in 2018 and the Jimmy Watson Trophy in 2019; two of the most coveted wine trophies in Australia.
Bleasdale General Manager Leigh Warren is proud of his team’s ability to continually produce award-winning wines.
“It is a testament to the entire team at Bleasdale when we receive results like this, from those in the vineyard through to the winemakers and cellar staff,” says Leigh.
“It is also great recognition for Langhorne Creek, which is often still an underrated region. The unique microclimate of Langhorne Creek gives our wines aromatic intensity, generous fruit and complex flavours while remaining fresh and vibrant.”
