Jack's Block Shiraz Named in Halliday's Top 100 Wines of 2026
Jack's Block Shiraz Named in Halliday's Top 100 Wines of 2026
We have been a little lost for words since we found out, so we will just say it plainly: the 2023 Jack's Block Shiraz has been named in Halliday's Top 100 Wines of 2026, ranking in the top 20 best Australian red wines over $50.
For a small family winery in Rutherglen, this is one of the proudest moments we have had in a very long time.
What the judges said
Reviewer Jeni Port awarded the wine 96 points and described it with a generosity that stopped us in our tracks.
"Deep complexity is a key note here, so too the darkest, ripest fruits and spices that carry long. A spice-driven lift arrives with violet florals, well-ripened plums, dark berries, cassis, anise, dark chocolate, earth, hints of charcuterie and cedary oak. Carried by sturdy tannins, it will live long and mature nobly."
96 points. Top 20 red wines over $50 in Australia. We will take that.
The wine
The 2023 Jack's Block Shiraz is made from hand-picked fruit off vines planted in 1921 on our Gracerray estate. The fruit is fermented in small open-top fermenters and matured for 18 months in French oak, 30% new. It is a wine of real depth and structure, and one that will reward patience in the cellar.
Jack's Block is only ever released in the best vintages. It is, in every sense, a wine the vines have to earn.
The story behind the block
In 1921, a 26-year-old returned soldier named Jack Stanton planted a block of Shiraz vines on his newly acquired Gracerray estate in Rutherglen. He built the winery himself with second-hand materials and worked those vines through drought, depression and decades of change. Jack never missed a vintage until his final years. He lived to 94.
The vines he planted are still producing. Over 100 years old, they are among the oldest Shiraz vines in Rutherglen. The wine they make carries more than a century of history in every bottle, and moments like this remind us what a privilege it is to be their custodians.
For the full story of Jack, the block and how this wine came to be, read our dedicated Jack's Block feature.
[LINK: Read the full Jack's Block story →]
The 2023 Jack's Block is available now, but not in large quantities. A Halliday Top 100 listing has a way of changing that very quickly.
2021 Jack's Block Shiraz | $65 per bottle
The centenary release, held back for the winery's 150th anniversary. Rich and full-bodied with blackcurrant, dark chocolate and coffee bean. Drink now or cellar with confidence.
[LINK TO 2021 JACK'S BLOCK]
2022 Jack's Block Shiraz | $65 per bottle
Deep colour, dark fruit and a savoury backbone. A wine for the cellar and the table in equal measure.
[LINK TO 2022 JACK'S BLOCK]
2023 Jack's Block Shiraz | $60 per bottle
The Halliday Top 100 wine. 96 points. Approachable now, built to age beautifully.
[LINK TO 2023 JACK'S BLOCK]
2023 Collector's Wooden Box — 6 x 2023 Jack's Block Shiraz | $420
Six bottles of the award-winning 2023 vintage in a handcrafted wooden box. Each bottle individually wrapped. Perfect for the cellar or as a gift. Limited numbers available.
[LINK TO 2023 COLLECTOR'S BOX]
Mixed Six-Pack — 2021, 2022 & 2023 | $420
Taste the evolution of Jack's Block across three consecutive vintages, presented in a handcrafted wooden box. A genuinely special way to explore this remarkable block over time. Each bottle individually wrapped. Limited numbers available.
[LINK TO COLLECTOR'S SIX-PACK]
2021 Collector's Wooden Box — 6 x 2021 Jack's Block Shiraz | $450
Six bottles of the centenary 2021 vintage in a handcrafted wooden box. Each bottle individually wrapped. Signed and numbered. Limited to 100 boxes.
[LINK TO 2021 COLLECTOR'S BOX]
Jack's Block Magnums — 2018 and 2019 | $159.95 each
Jack's Block in 1.5 litre format, built for long ageing and special occasions.
[LINK TO MAGNUMS]
A thank you
This result belongs to the whole S&K team — from the vineyard to the winery to the cellar door. And it belongs to everyone who has supported Jack's Block over the years, bought a bottle, shared it with friends and kept coming back. Thank you.
We hope to see you in the cellar door soon.
