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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.8 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 288 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by AllRed on 4/19/2024 & rated 92 points: Friday Group Brown Bag Tasting (EBCC): Blind. Another that has some bricking and shows a bit of age. Chocolate, mint and black fruit notes. Full-bodied and integrated, with flavors of plum, black fruit and mint. There’s a subtle meaty element here as well. Excellent. 92-93 pts.
Double decanted off its sediment 90 minutes ahead of the tasting, and it needed that little bit of time to wake up and begin to show itself. Drink over the near term. (211 views) | | | Tasted by Texas Corkscrew on 1/29/2024 & rated 92 points: Very good, still had a lot of fruit but little real pizazz. (586 views) | | | Tasted by honest bob on 11/26/2023 & rated 95 points: From 75cl, perfect cork, a bottle of impeccable provenance, in my cellar since 2018. Decanted off grainy sediment 45 minutes, improved until very final drop. Initially tired, reserved, muted, even unbalanced towards (over)aged, oaky acidity, this sprung into action after about 90 minutes. Virile "Frutto di Bosco"meets turbo-cassis blackcurrant scent, with a couple of aromatic pine forests and bouquet garni gardens thrown in. Thrilling medium-bodied entry, with edgy acidity, and just enough unctuous-melting glycerine to fight with it; big, pure mid-palate berry fruit in full maturity, chastened by still-present, serious residual tannins. Insanely long finish. I paired this, my first 95P wine of 2023, badly with duck confit—it held its own, of course, but only started showing its star quality as the duck fat was well washed away. Just stunning. Drink now or soon. 95P (741 views) | | | Tasted by cbeye on 9/20/2023: Way past its best despite a good cork. No fruit and bitter at the back (926 views) | | | Tasted by hargy on 6/10/2023 & rated 93 points: lovely mature wine and as good an Australian shiraz I have had the pleasure of drinking - a few years left but I doubt it will improve much if at all from here (1112 views) | | | Tasted by JerM on 3/11/2023 & rated 95 points: [East Killara] Clay and poster. Color, leafy, dark berries. Juicy and developed, sweetness, dark dry berries. Unctuous developed, juicy and concentrated. Danggui, medicinal. Still vibrant, despite age. Superb. (700 views) | | | Tasted by Will Devize on 1/27/2023 & rated 93 points: Deep and brooding with notes of plum, fig, chocolate, coconut and eucalyptus. So much stuffing at 25 years old. This doesn't appear to be giving an inch and is evolving at a stately pace. Love ya guts! (1395 views) | | | Tasted by yaCellar on 11/4/2022 & rated 88 points: With my bottle I have to disagree with recent reviews. What we have here is a hollowed out, decrepit, less abled (forgive my poor pun) bottle. The nose and textures are interesting, but the palette is a runaway, melty acidic runoff.
Unlike its more endowed 2001 sibling, this 1998 bad boy has lost the little mojo it received at birth. And its remaining arm. Drink up now. (1362 views) | | | Tasted by wine4ever on 10/3/2022 & rated 95 points: Fabulous, with plenty of life left. Decanted for sediment and started to consume immediately. Lovely dark fruit nose with just a touch of leather in the background. Closed at first....took about 30 minutes for the palate to open up and then it was beautiful. Silky, smooth, elegant. Layers and layers of flavor...plums, berries, pepper, spice, herb, eucalyptus, earthiness, meat juice....everything in perfect harmony. So glad we got to enjoy it right now, but I wish I had another to try in 5-10 years. Not sure it will get better, but I think it will keep evolving gracefully. (1355 views) | | | Tasted by Geoff on 8/22/2022 & rated 94 points: Short decant. Deep color, showing some light, minimal but present browning at the rim. Sweet dark fruit, oak, smoke, eucalyptus and some secondary notes on the nose. Still present tannins and perhaps a bit out of balance with the fruit initially, but settling down and integrating with aeration in the glass. Initially somewhat bitey but, again, softened in the glass. Long pleasant finish. Seems a bit passed it's apoge, but still an impressive and pleasing wine to drink. Farewell to a great old friend. Last bottle. (1440 views) | | | Tasted by levinml on 7/31/2022 & rated 90 points: Definitely nearing over the hill status, but still very drinkable. Very good first night, but declined and became noticeably pruney second and third nights under pump. drink up. (1331 views) | | | Tasted by BAJRiley on 7/9/2022 & rated 94 points: Nose: complex. Blackberry and plum, black pepper, leather, earthy. Dark chocolate, some wood smoke. Lavender and violet notes came once it opened up.
Palate: harmonious, with well integrated tannins. Full bodied and concentrated. Drinking well. Paired well with Wagyu steak. Excellent. (378 views) | | | Tasted by JerM on 4/3/2022 & rated 95 points: (Yongs) Rich opulent dark purple, vibrant nose. Dark cherries, dark florals, soft leather, nicely resolved tannins, silky, yet lifted with bright acidity. Taut balance, power and finesse. this bottle is drinking rather better than the previous one - thankfully. Certainly mature, possibly past peak, but still very enjoyable and not flagging yet - wood spice, bramble, savoury, tepanade, long finish, incense, layered and translucent. Yum! (1440 views) | | | Tasted by fizz on 3/8/2022: Retaining dark hues. Black plums and cherries, smoke, wood spice, eucalyptus. Ripe, almost plump fruit on the palate. Liquorice, leather, earth, cedar, coconut. Medium to full weight, with a slight grip on the fleshy tannins. Showing well. (1191 views) | | | Tasted by walkerjfw on 12/2/2021 & rated 92 points: Impulse pull from the cellar, down to last 2 bottles of this.
Prior notes: "Great nose of black fruits, spice, pepper. Palate repeats with rich dark fruits, blackberry, vanilla, plums, oak. Medium mouthfeel and finish."
The last bottle was more subdued, tis one still a bright and brambly Aussie wine. Dark cherry and leather a bit more prominent on this tasting. Still going strong, taking it up a few points based on this tasting. (1540 views) | | | Tasted by hkbob on 10/30/2021 & rated 95 points: What a beautiful wine this has become. Clear, medium ruby. Right out of the gate, aromas of sweet warm blackberries, garrigue, cedar, a hint of smoky embers and iodine. Showing excellent concentration, with a cool mid-palate freshness and energy. Still some tannins in evidence as this fans out across a spicy, blackberry finish. Throws quite a bit of sediment so a careful decant is suggested. I believe this still has at least another decade of prime drinking ahead of it. (1377 views) | | | Tasted by Caruso on 9/26/2021 & rated 96 points: Ruby to garnet with slight orange rim. This is my last bottle of this vintage and it is ready to drink withs years or, in textbook cellars, decades to come. Complex nose of black berries, earth, licorice, meat and camphor. This is really impressive and showing much better now than the 2001 which is in decline from my cellar. 5/13/18/10 -2040 if cellared under textbook conditions since release. (1604 views) | | | Tasted by KristianT on 7/17/2021 & rated 93 points: My old tasting notes (last one from 2010) has been put to shame. Dead Arm doesn't just "keep", it evolves, but you need to wait at least 15 years! This beautiful 1998 is (finally) at a mature state. Still quintessential d'Arenberg in style - very dark and concentrated, but new showing some very interesting secondary notes. Great depth and balance. (1693 views) | | | Tasted by JerM on 7/10/2021 & rated 93 points: Vibrant deep purple-ruby in glass, just hint bricking of garnet on the rim. Lifted aromatics of incense and woodspice, exotic dark florals - patchoulli, ylangylang, sandalwood, ripe plums and maraschino cherries. Aged leather, tobacco leaf, cedar box, aged medicine cupboard. With time, fleshy white fruit, orange peel, sappy tannins, lifted and translucent. Probably past peak, but still vibrant, if a little see-through. Long minty eucalypt finish. Drink up! Nice bit of history there. (1500 views) | | | Tasted by aquacongas on 4/14/2021 flawed bottle: Magnum, corked (1760 views) | | | Tasted by Meeshka on 2/8/2021 & rated 93 points: We have recently drunk a lot of 98 Australian reds over the last several months and this wine shows great structure and potential to last several more years—comparable to the 1998 Wynn’s John Riddoch and Michael. Firm, well structured tannins and nicely balanced complex flavors and bouquet. It is a wonderful wine with many years left. We have have had several 98s from other wineries that have been showing their age and this is not one of them! (1732 views) | | | Tasted by msauer on 1/15/2021 & rated 91 points: Unerwartet „groß“
Kellerkühl- zunächst dem zuvor getrunkenen Marquis d‘Alesme nicht unähnlich, jedenfalls nicht als Neue-Welt-Wein zu entlarven.
Dicht, kraftvoll, leider 14,5%
rauchige Aromen (Lagerfeuer,Rösterei) (1684 views) | | | Tasted by Goldstone on 8/31/2020 & rated 93 points: Monthly Boys' Wine Night (Eric's House, Hong Kong): Only briefly decanted after extracting the broken cork. Too rushed to make detailed notes after 14 previous bottles. Beautiful but needs another 10 years.. but almost silence-making. I loved this, as always. (2387 views) | | | Tasted by wineloveraussie on 6/6/2020 & rated 91 points: probably beyond its peak but still drinking well. Great mouthfeel, smooth, fine tannins with dark fruit, licorice, meaty notes (2071 views) | | | Tasted by Zingrrl on 5/31/2020 & rated 93 points: I wish I had more. Cork slid out easily using an ah-so. I was a bit concerned although there was no depression showing under the capsule. Immediate smack in the face of crushed blueberries. Strained right into shiraz stems with no decant. Started a bit acidic and then had brushes of tar. Followed by tart cranberry combined with balsamic reduction. I hope this makes sense. Excellent finish. Really sorry to be out of these. (2143 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Mike Bennie
The WINEFRONT (11/19/2016)
(d’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, November 2008
(D'Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz (McLaren Vale)) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, February 2002
(D'Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz (McLaren Vale)) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, July/August 2000, IWC Issue #91
(d'Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz McLaren Vale) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Halliday
Halliday Wine Companion (2/22/2000)
(d'Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (2/25/2008)
(d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm) Group's #6 (my #4) – 45 pts.; 0, 3, 0, 1 – dark red violet color; roasted meat and blackberry liqueur nose; tasty, juicy, boysenberry, sweet meat jus palate with depth; medium-plus finish 93 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of The WINEFRONT and Winedoctor and Vinous and Halliday Wine Companion and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| d'Arenberg Producer website | Wine Doctor.com profile
U.S. Importer (Addt'l Info)
Producer Location (Google Maps)
One of the most significant wineries in McLaren Vale founded in 1912. The winemaking processes of the past have been maintained, capturing the unique small-batch character of the wines and the true flavour of the McLaren Vale region. All grapes, red and white, are basket-pressed. The reds are still traditionally fermented with the grape skins (caps) submerged in open wax-lined concrete fermenters utilising the age-old technique of foot-treading.
Winemaking duties are carried out by fourth-generation Chester d’Arenberg Osborn. In June 2004 Chester’s father, d’Arry was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his contributions to the wine industry and to the McLaren Vale region. After more than 65 consecutive vintages d’Arry is very proud of his achievements in creating an internationally recognised wine brand commonly known as the ‘Red Stripe’ due to the distinctive diagonal red stripe that adorns the label. d’Arenberg’s art of being different extends to a range of fortified and dessert wines, which have legendary status worldwide.Shiraz Varietal article (Wikipedia) | Varietal character (Appellation America)The Dead ArmThe Story Behind The Name
Dead Arm is a 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.
The Winemaking
Each batch of fruit received is gently crushed in our Demoisy open-mouthed, rubber-toothed crusher so as many of the berries as possible remain whole. After crushing, the must is transferred to open fermenters where the seeds and skins are permanently submerged beneath the free run juice.
The must receives no plunging or pumping over while fermentation occurs. Once the primary fermentation is nearly complete, traditional foot-treading takes place prior to basket-pressing. The wine is then transferred to barrel to complete its primary and secondary fermentation.
After 20 months every barrel is individually assessed for quality.
Only the best barrels are selected to be bottled as The Dead Arm Shiraz.Australia Wine Australia (Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation) | Australian Wines (Wikipedia)South Australia South Australian Wine Industry Association | South Australian Wines (Wikipedia)Fleurieu Fleurieu Wineries & Cellar Doors (southaustralia.com)McLaren Vale McLaren Vale (McLaren Vale Grape, Wine and Tourism)
(Hastwell & Lightfoot webpage) |
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