d'Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz

Wine information: d'Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz is d'Arenberg's flagshig Shiraz. It takes it name from the Dead Arm vine disease caused by the fungus Eutypa Lata that randomly affects vineyards all over the world. Often vines affected are severely pruned or replanted. One half, or an ‘arm’ of the vine slowly becomes reduced to dead wood. That side may be lifeless and brittle, but the grapes on the other side, while low yielding, display amazing intensity. D’Arenberg is one of the most famous McLaren Vale wineries, founded in 1912 by Joseph Osborn, the estate is now in the hands of fourth generation winemaker Chester Osborn who, in 2007, was ranked in Australia’s Top 10 Shiraz producers by Wine & Spirits Magazine. The shiraz grapes for the Dead Arm are crushed in a Demoisey crusher prior to fermentation in open vats. After fermentation the grapes are foot-trodden and then gently basket-pressed prior to transfer to into oak barrels for maturation – 22 months in old French and American oak. The 2007 vintage saw yields down by about 50% for most of the dry grown vineyards that produce Shiraz for the Dead Arm. This resulted in a great concentration of flavours and great tannins for this vintage.The wine is not filtered or fined prior to bottling and this wine is therefore vegan friendly.

Tasting Notes: d'Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz - The heady aroma is both powerful and pretty with notes of fennel, purple flowers and blossom mingling with ripe, varietal purple fruits and black pepper. The oak is hardly evident which allows fruit and soil complexities to emerge with edges of rhubarb and red mulberry and savoury characters of dried herbs, game and spice. The palate opens with anise, black pepper, graphite and restrained dark cherries before it gives way to seductive mulberry, plum, licorice and spice. It has great power, depth and length with very vibrant, gritty fruit tannins providing immense structure. Notes of anise and spice linger for a long time after the last sip. The Dead Arm 2008 strikes a rare balance of power, complexity and finesse with impressive structure that will reward those with patience to cellar it.

Reviews: "Deep colour, vivid hue, black fresh fruits, liquorice, toasty oak and sappy complexity are all evident on the bouquet; the palate is dark and chewy, but falls short of being ponderous, as the wine progresses at an even and stately pace across the palate; excellent execution indeed. To 2025." 96pts, Named in ‘Best of the Best by Variety’, The Australian Wine Companion 2012, James Halliday "Deep garnet purple colored, the 2008 The Dead Arm Shiraz has a reduced rubber character to begin then pronounced aromas of warm blackberries, licorice, earth, thyme, moss and a whiff of game. Crisp, full and very concentrated in the mouth, it has firm, very fine tannins and a long earthy finish. Give it another year or two in bottle and drink it 2013 to 2020." 91 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, Lisa Perotti Brown

 
     

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