Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Wine, Shiraz

Blickinstal Black on Black Cabernet Sauvignon 2023: New Barossa Release from Orchid Wine Estate

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Blickinstal has built a quiet cult following for big, Barossa‑born reds, and the Black on Black label sits right at the heart of that story. With Blickinstal Black on Black Shiraz 2022 now rolling in to replace the much‑loved 2021 release, and a brand‑new Blickinstal Black on Black Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 waiting in the wings, this is exactly the moment to pay attention if you like your Barossa reds unapologetically dark, plush and cellar‑worthy.

Blickinstal Black on Black Shiraz 2022: setting the tone

Before talking cabernet, it is worth pausing on the wine that made “Black on Black” a name to watch. The Shiraz has already seen multiple vintages, with 2018 and 2021 releases drawing attention for their Barossa Valley power, high ripeness and deep colour, as well as for solid review scores on platforms such as The Real Review and Vivino. Crafted from Shiraz drawn from three Barossa vineyards, including dry‑grown sites on the western side of the valley and around Bethany, the style leans into everything drinkers expect from the region: black and blue fruits, dark chocolate, spice and a velvety, oak‑polished finish.

The new Blickinstal Black on Black Shiraz 2022 continues that established house style rather than chasing a gimmick. It is positioned as the next chapter in the same Barossa story, offering fresh vintage detail while keeping the core identity intact: rich, high‑impact Shiraz built for both immediate pleasure and medium‑term cellaring. For fans of the 2021, the 2022 is less a radical departure and more an invitation to see how a trusted label expresses a different season in the Barossa.

Introducing Blickinstal Black on Black Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Into this context steps Blickinstal Black on Black Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, a new sibling designed to do for Barossa cabernet what the existing wine has done for Shiraz. Where the Shiraz has established Black on Black as a go‑to for plush, deeply fruited Barossa power, the cabernet aims to bring that same intensity into a framework of firmer tannin, cassis‑driven flavour and classic cabernet structure. For those browsing the Orchid Wine Estate range, it is exactly the kind of bottle that appeals to drinkers who do more than simply buy Cabernet Sauvignon wine by grape name, and instead look for producers with a proven track record in big Barossa reds.

Although formal critic reviews for the 2023 cabernet are still to come, there is enough history around Blickinstal’s reds to sketch out what drinkers can reasonably expect. The Real Review lists Blickinstal cabernet‑based wines in its database, and other Blickinstal bottlings, such as the Black Gröben Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon, have been praised for lifted blackberries, cassis, cinnamon, clove and dark chocolate over deep, rich, velvety tannins. In other words: this is not going to be a lean, leafy cabernet; it is likely to be Barossa cabernet in full voice, shaped by generous fruit, ripe tannin and supportive oak.

Why Barossa Valley cabernet deserves more attention

Barossa Valley is so heavily associated with Shiraz that cabernet can sometimes feel like the quiet cousin, yet the region has a long history with the variety and plenty of sites where it thrives. The warm continental climate, low rainfall and mix of deep valley floor soils with rockier slopes create conditions in which cabernet can ripen fully, producing wines with blackcurrant, blackberry, bay leaf and cedar characters, plus the kind of tannin profile that rewards cellaring.

Where cooler regions often lean into leafy, cassis‑driven cabernet, Barossa cabernet tends to be darker, more plush and often more opulent in texture, especially when sourced from low‑yielding vines and given time in quality oak. That is exactly the space a wine labelled “Black on Black” is likely to occupy: deep colour, concentrated black fruit, hints of mocha and dark chocolate, and tannins that feel more like a slow, rolling wave than a sharp line. For collectors who already love Barossa Shiraz, a cabernet in this mould offers the chance to explore a different expression of the region’s power.

What Black on Black has already shown with Barossa reds

One of the useful clues to the new cabernet’s personality comes from looking closely at how Blickinstal makes the Black on Black Shiraz. Retailers describe earlier vintages as coming from three Barossa vineyards, including dry‑grown sites with vine ages averaging more than 30 years, handpicked fruit, and extended maceration in open fermenters before 16 months’ maturation in small French and American oak barrels. The finished wines are described as ripe, full of plum, violet and chocolate, with complexity and silky tannins, suggesting attentive, small‑batch handling and a strong emphasis on both flavour and texture.

Translate that approach into cabernet, and a clear picture emerges. It is reasonable to expect that Blickinstal Black on Black Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 will draw on similarly mature Barossa vines, hand‑harvested fruit and open‑ferment techniques, followed by extended time in oak to polish but not dominate the wine. The result should be a cabernet that is unmistakably Barossa – generous and dark – yet still true to the variety’s identity, with blackcurrant, bay leaf and graphite notes underpinning the plushness.

Why this wine deserves both a place on the table and in the cellar

Part of the appeal of cabernet, especially from warm regions, lies in its dual personality: it can offer real pleasure young, with dark fruit and supple tannin, but it also carries the bones to age gracefully. In its early years, a wine like Blickinstal Black on Black Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 is likely to show a cascade of blackberries, blackcurrants and dark plums, framed by cocoa, vanilla and baking spice from oak, with tannins that are full but already velvety.

Give it time in the cellar, and those elements can evolve into something more layered: cassis, cigar‑box, leather, dried herbs and that mellow, savoury complexity cabernet lovers chase. That is what makes this kind of bottle so appealing to people who habitually buy Cabernet Sauvignon wine for both current drinking and long‑term collection. It is a wine that can anchor a winter dinner alongside slow‑roasted lamb or beef ribs today, yet still has something to say a decade down the track.

A deal that actually matches the wine’s ambition

Pricing often tells its own story, and here the numbers are striking. The six‑pack of Blickinstal Black on Black Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 is valued at around $840, which places it squarely in the premium Barossa bracket, shoulder‑to‑shoulder with other serious cabernet and Shiraz labels from the valley. Being able to pick it up at $510 for six effectively moves it into a different value conversation: you are paying a mid‑tier price for what is positioned as a top‑tier, limited‑release Barossa cabernet.

For drinkers who already know the Black on Black Shiraz and trust the producer’s style, that discount makes the decision to grab a case far easier. It allows one or two bottles to be opened in the short term to track how the wine is evolving, while the rest can be tucked away in the cellar without worrying that each cork pulled is an extravagant indulgence. In a market where premium Barossa reds routinely command high prices, this kind of offer stands out as a rare chance to stock up on something both distinctive and age‑worthy.

Why this release matters for Blickinstal and Barossa drinkers

The arrival of Blickinstal Black on Black Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 marks an important step for the brand. Instead of being known solely for a high‑impact Shiraz, Blickinstal now has a pair of Black on Black flagships, each exploring a different side of Barossa red wine: Shiraz for pure, hedonistic fruit and spice; cabernet for structure, line and slow‑burning complexity. For Barossa enthusiasts, it offers another lens on a region they already love, showing that cabernet can be just as compelling as Shiraz when given the same level of care and ambition.

For those discovering Blickinstal for the first time, this release is an invitation: start with a variety you know, but see what happens when it is filtered through a label that clearly revels in intensity, richness and a touch of drama. Between the established reputation of Blickinstal Black on Black Shiraz 2022 and the promise wrapped up in Blickinstal Black on Black Cabernet Sauvignon 2023, there is every reason to expect that Black on Black will become a regular presence on both dinner tables and cellar inventories for anyone serious about Barossa reds.