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.
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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
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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
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[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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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(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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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)
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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.
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.
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I find MV shiraz too big so like to leave it long enough to soften. And this one didn't disappoint. While the colour is turning it is still showing a dark inky purple hue.
The nose is intense but complex, with notes of earth, spice, dark fruits, leather and a hint of eucalyptus. Full bodied, richly textured, ripe tannins but a well balanced wine with a good finish. Worth the wait!
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Its been 4 years since tasting, this was a last minute pull to have with some grilled steaks. Cork crumbled, strained and decanted
Prior notes: "Great nose of black fruits, spice, pepper. Palate repeats with rich dark fruits, blackberry, vanilla, plums, oak. Medium mouthfeel and finish."
Color faded a bit, garnet with mild separation. Nose was primarily dark fruits, leather. Savory palate showing cherry, plum and cedar. Palate picked up intensity about 90 minutes in, seemingly more viscous and expressive...some spice/pepper in the finish. Nose started to show more caramelized sugar notes. Medium weight and finish.
A restrained version of its youth, very pleasant to drink now. Technically past its "prime" but still nice, went well with the beef...almost like an Aussie version of a claret at this phase...
4th Saturday Group: Old vs Young (T&L's): Courtesy of Sue. Currant, red berry and dark plummy fruit, with eucalyptus overtones. Nicely integrated, with flavors of mint, red plum and macerated berries. Hints of pepper in the finish. Drinking very well.
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Monthly Tasting Group HWS #146; Australian Shiraz (By JZ): In the bouquet chocolate, tobacco, coffee, leather and celery. On the palate a sweet start, chocolate and celery again, caramel, lush and soft wit still good acidity and length. Quite mature and still very beautiful.
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First experience with 21 year old Australian wine. Very smooth spicey shiraz. Black cherry smell plum and taste. At peak drink up no reason to wait. Lovely with steak. Great bottle!!
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Last minute late night at Chateau Davyd. Tasted blind. Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of blackberry jam, black cherries, black olives, smoke, briar. Developed. On the palate, dry, high acidity, high alcohol (14.5%), velvety smooth high tannins, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of blackberry jam, black cherries, black olives, black tarry earth, black pepper spices. Long finish Very good quality. Guessed Australian Shiraz, not Barossa Valley though. Narrowed down to McLaren Vale but not Mollydooker style. So I guessed Dead Arm 2005/06. Wow this is 1998?! Still much life left for another 4-5 years.
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Slightly translucent black cherry color with somewhat developed, maroon overtones. The nose feels dry and somewhat restrained with aromas of roasted meat, wizened blackberries, some dark plums, a little bit of peppery spice, light earthy notes of sun-baked soil and garrigue, a hint of alcohol and a floral touch of dried flowers. The wine is ripe, full-bodied and remarkably intense on the palate with complex, slightly developed flavors of ripe blackberries, some meaty umami, a little bit plum compote, light licorice tones, hints of peppery spice and gamey meat and a touch of olive tapenade. The high alcohol lends a bit of warmth to the mouthfeel. The wine feels very harmonious and wonderfully balanced with its moderately high acidity and quite firm and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is juicy, rich and somewhat grippy with bold flavors of wizened plums, ripe blackberries, some licorice, a little bit of marmaladey dark berries, light gamey notes, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of olive. The high of alcohol makes the wine end on a slightly warm note.
A beautiful, harmonious and very complex Australian red that has not only survived remarkably well for +20 years, but manages to feel surprisingly youthful for its age - I wouldn't be surprised if this wine kept well for another 15-20 years! In a tasting of 1990's Australian reds, this wine was the most impressively structured with its quite high acidity and firm tannic backbone. Although quite Australian in style, this wine was still relatively "old world" in its overall feel. An outstanding effort and well worth its price at 51€.
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The nose is disturbingly dirty but the taste is clean, maybe even Pauillac-like and classic, tobacco, perfumy, elegant, tannins are still clearly present, I liked this one quite a bit.
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Still a bit of a baby. Fresh and youthful. Full of blueberry and boysenberry, cola, coffee and toasted tobacco. The body is just shy of full and there is plenty of acidity there to support it. Shocked by the vigor that is still present.
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Not sure where I picked up this bottle but opened it tonight with a prime filet and sautéed mushrooms and it paired very nicely. Not much nose on opening but legs were still strong. After a 30 minute wait, full taste came through. Though brickish around the edges, there were more than few tannins hanging around.
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The fruit was somewhat muted on opening. But once paired with roast lamb - and with half an hour of time - the fruit popped. Full bodied with ripe black fruit, but well structured and balanced with powerful tannins that are well integrated. Drinking very well now with plenty of life left.
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Color is deep red, little to no brown edges. Aroma still of darker red fruit however beginning to move to lighter notes. Reasonable tannin grip remains, well balanced wine with fruit still prominent and another 5 years left.
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Cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Dark red to rim. Dark fruits/berries, spice, meaty early tertiary notes. Medium to full body, nice balance, medium finish. Early maturity, no signs of tiredness, has years to go. Excellent..
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Still quite youthful at twenty years of age. No evidence of bricking. Big chewy concentrated wine with flavors of black fruit, spices, earth, roasted meat. Very concentrated, long finish and bold nose and hard to say whether this will ever develop more subtle notes.
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Ruby with purple hints with no signs of age. Black currants, cherries, hints of earth, spices, meaty components, tar and on the palate great amounts of tannins. From the aromatic profile it is reaching first adolescence from my relativ to textbook temperatures warm cellar. But structurally it is still very young. I guess that this needs another ten years minimum for reaching maturity from cellars that have temperatures less than 13° C. For those who have warmer cellars it is a race between the tannins and the fruit, but don't worry. It has enough poise to age gracefully for another 15+ years and to shed some of its high tannin levels. Nevertheless if you would like to have it with food, choose a meal with meat, e. g. grilled T-Bone-Steak and the sensory high tannin levels are going to decrease and you can drink this with great pleasure immediately. 95+, 2028-2040+ in textbook cellars if the cork does its job.
Opaque crimson color. Brooding nose of shoe polish, roasted meat, dried herbs, cinders, dry earthy notes, violets, and currants. Extraordinarily rich palate of brambles, savory sauces, and celery, supported by firm but well-integrated tannins. This has a lingering finish with stony terroir and a sweet and spicy note of sarsaparilla. This is complex and intense and complete from beginning to end; perhaps the best Dead Arm I have had yet. Drinking beautifully now, and for another few years.
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WCC Australian Shiraz Blind (Home of Chef Andrew Plummer, East Greenbush, NY): [Double-decanted for a half hour around 4pm.] I was disappointed when I found out that this was the bottle I brought. It was backward and tannic and not showing enough fruit for the tannin. But it had more fruit when I decanted it. I recommend pop and pour unless my bottle was just an advanced bottle. Still appealing, but not like when I opened it.
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Drank at WWS blind tasting, and was voted WOTN by a fairly wide margin (J$ supplies this one, and it beat out my 2000 Barton, tho not in my opinion). Solid ruby core, not looking its age. Still lots of ripe black fruit but in no way jammy or over the top. Still fairly tannic, but showing notes of tobacco & tar, along with still some sweet oak. A bit hot too. Overall, a very nice wine that has nicely stood the test of time--showed far better than I would have expected.
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Cork was perfect. No seepage whatsoever. Nice olive balsamic nose. Chocolate licorice slightly saline palate. 18 years and not within cooee of falling over. Still plenty of interest too.
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Totally on its last legs but still holding on. This is a nostalgia wine for me, as it was one of the very first Aussi wines I had that I flipped over. It is now more muted, but oh the memories...
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Now fully evolved, fellow tasers easily identified it as a mature Ozzie but it received plenty of praise for still being in good condition. Bit of eucalyptus still showing, and no shortage of weight. Attractive spicy notes and lots to like but not so much finesse.
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This wine was just awesome tonight. Impeccably balanced, and impressive restraint given its origin. It probably won't be confused for an old world wine, but it was also nothing like the jammy overripe wines that we love to hate. Suitably structured and a sustained harmonious depth. Drink.
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I really enjoyed this bottle. The Austrailian Syrah's are drinking great right now. The fruit is solid but not jammy, it is integrated and has enough tannins to make it sing.
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These older Dead Arms are still hanging in. The fruit is throttled right back, being replaced by tobacco and sandalwood. All in all a drink which is nuanced with flashes back to the bigger fruit of yesteryear.
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The older Australian Syrahs are drinking great right now. This is the third different one I have had in the last couple weeks. The typically "jammy" taste is gone and they have well integrated fruit and tannins. They are very smooth. I plan to "hit em hard" while they are in the pocket. My guess the older ones will go down hill from here.
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Startling good bottle. My last one of these was starting to fade. Not this one. Fresh nose of raspberry and plum. Medium body, brambly, raspberry in the mouth. Bit bloody and long finish. Gorgeous, moderated, aussi shiraz
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Sad. This is now starting to fade. Still has some great hits of tobacco and deep fruit along with some bloodiness. Hopefully this was just this bottle as I have a couple more. Still enjoyable juice.
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At Wendy and Simons post the tasting at Gary's...brought an Aussie for Simon. PnP, drank over an hour next to a cab and Clio Jumilla.
Consistent with prior notes: "Great nose of black fruits, spice, pepper. Palate repeats with rich dark fruits, blackberry, vanilla, plums, oak. Medium mouthfeel and finish."
Wine is possibly entering a tertiary phase. Still enjoyable with unmistakable Aussie fruit but loosing nuance on the finish. Drink up...
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Purchased six on release, haven't opened one in several years. My patience was well rewarded, as this is drinking really nicely now, with years of aging potential left. Room filling aroma as soon as cork was pulled, decanted for an hour. Deep ruby garnet color with no fading at rim, lots of cedar, smoke and spice in the nose and following through on palate. Obviously American Oak, reminiscent of Rioja with the cedar and spice. Red fruit and slight touch of chocolate. Tannins have softened with aging, nice lush mouth feel, Medium plus finish.
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The wine was very rusty brown and brick colored with medium legs. Unfortunately there was heavy sediment in the bottle and I ruined the first bottle by decanting it. The second bottle however was wonderful with aromas of blackberry, black currant (cassis), fig, forest floor, mushroom, black pepper and sherry. On the palate this is a very full bodied silky textured wine with hints of blackberry, sherry, chocolate, and black pepper.
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This has always been my favorite Dead Arm. I found another cache and got a few more bottles. It is definitely getting close to the end, but this is still drinking well. One of the wines that got me into Aussi wine. This one had all the leather and blood that I like. It just feels like it is starting to come apart! However second night was still good, so maybe another couple of years.
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Very intense, tons of fruity red berries, pencil case, balanced acidity and tannins still noticeable to carry out the taste. This wine is to be decanted in order to balance it and integrate it at its best. Among my favorite red wines.
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This really needs time in the decanter, I'd say at least 1 hour. Cork came out very easily after the initial inertia. Very funky smell of pumpkin pie (?), burnt sugar and rubber and evolved into vanilla, short bread, some cocoa and stewed dark fruits. Tasted of dark fruits, minimal tannins, some candied fruits. It probably has a few years left in it but I'd say it's close to peaking
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Surprisingly backward primordial wine. Needs a couple hours of decanting. Full bodied, powerful Syrah with black fruit, spices, earth, tobacco and minerals.
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Last of 4 bottles bought in 2009. Decanted drunk immediately It's delicious and still a forceful wine - deep purple with a lower toned eucalyptic note. Big in the mouth, merits sipping more than quaffing. By the last glasses it was beginning to show a little of the complexity you might hope for. I suggest decanting and leaving for a while if you have well stored bottles. Otherwise leave for 5 to 10 years.
This one is evolving very nicely and getting closer to drinking time. Last tasted about 15 months ago. Still dark ruby red. Dark bright berry fruits and mineral notes. Still quite primary. The palate is balanced with ripe fine tannins carried nicely by the fruit. Long and balanced finish. Little more subtle than the last bottle and very enjoyable. No need to rush. On the right track.
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I really liked this when popped as showed pretty vanilla and dark red fruit that showed nice soft mouth costing quality a real pleasure plush quality. But despite being argon gassed in a few days became unusually oxidized, do best to drink up.
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Wow, is this really 17 years old??! Pulls no punches and all the better for it. Still almost purple and a huge nose. Black pepper and cassis. Throwing lots of sediment but all primary flavours. This will remain at its peak for quite a while yet.
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Tasting nice. Still relatively young although I'd say it'll peak in 3-7 years from now. Very tasty. Still some good dark fruit, but not the fruit bomb it was years ago. Much better complexity. Definitely let it air a bit before drinking (little pre-sips are certainly allowed).
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From a bottle generously provided by J.P., this wine was tasted in double-blind fashion. It is very youthful in appearance, with an opaque ruby/red color. Dark bramble fruits, anise, vanilla, fig and chocolate adorn the nose and palate. The wine shows impressive acidity, especially for the appellation (and vintage). Full-bodied and with no evidence of alcoholic heat (14.5%), it wraps its flavors with medium-weight, fine-grained tannins. Solid in the middle and finishing long, this is nothing short of outstanding. Because of the wine's fresh acidity, I guessed it to be an Aussie Shiraz from McLaren Vale. While delicious now, there is no hurry to drink it, as it has the structure to last for another decade or more. Drink now-2024.
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Dark crimson colour, very slight bricking on rim. Ripe nose, touch of menthol & eucalyptus, leather, spice and gingerbread. Stewed plums, tarry palate. Still powerful, but showing age. Drying finish. Not growing old gracefully.
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Mature, and probably at peak. Generous fruit and depth, and all that young jamminess is gone. The oak has integrated, leaving behind a little smoky note. Very nice.
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Opaque, inky crimson color. This had a beautiful nose of black fruit, pepper and hot sauce, with a pervasive oily note, like olive tapenade. Palate was lush and juicy, with a textural element that suggested the oily character of the nose. This retained sufficient tannins to support perhaps another four year of optimal drinking. This had the power and concentration you'd expect from Aussie Shiraz but was simultaneously graceful and not at all over-the-top. Would happily seek out additional bottles of this.
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Nose of dark fruit and berries with some roast meat, vanilla and tobacco. Still a big wine on the palate but has come together nicely with a strong and clean finish. Has quite a few years left.
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Birthday dinner wine with a PERFECT cork. This btl delivered :-)
Intensely dark red wine with small hints of browning. Nose is fabulous: Filled the kitchen with red berries and appley aromas upon decanting. At the restaurant, it gave way to rich aromas of red berries (red currants and cassis), refined earthy anise seeds, small integrated oak character, small smoke, small rubber and la garrigue (!). In the mouth, this immediately presents its gothic cathedral structure. Ample tannin build the walls, the acids are the pillars and the fruit is the stone floor. The refined aromas, mineral character and riches can be symbolized by the stained glass windows and the statues... A fantastic wine! Ready to go, but with many years left.
I really love the way Dead Arm btls usually deliver fantastic concentration with great acids and a balanced body with RED berries rather than the darker aromas that is the common for the genre. Not a Belgian Blue, this is an agile Dolph Lundgren with more depth than his usual movie characters. Wife: 93p. At Le Message in Yokohama, serving my Birthday week's 3rd fois gras. Yummy :-)
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Very much Aussie that is approaching drinking time. Dark ruby red. All the dark bright berry fruits make a showing on the nose with nice mineral note and charcoal. The palate is surprisingly balanced with intense fruit flavour balanced with great acidity and ripe fine tannins. Long and balanced finish. There is nothing subtle about this wine yet, but that was not expected. Overall, drinkable now but many many years ahead. On the right track.
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Finally seems to be open for business. Up there with the 99 RWT, this has tamed down a lot. Still big, with fruit in abundance, but its civialised now and has a long finish. Try again soon.
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In Key West at Sarabeth's. We brought wine from home, KW is not a place with great wine lists - most KW restaurants allow corkage for $15. Sarabeth's is a great spot...
Haven't had this vintage in a while, Dead Arm is reliably "Aussie", a big fruit crowd pleaser. You have to like the style, these are big fruit driven wines, nothing subtle about them.
With some age, the color is a deep maroon, mild bricking. Tannins have softened. Nose was dark fruits, leather, cigar box. Blackberry, vanilla, plums, oak. Medium mouthfeel and finish.
Adds depth and complexity after about 30 minutes opened - would decant future bottles.This one slow oxed for about 30 minutes, opened as we drank it. A fair amount of sediment that you could catch in a decant. Would drink over next few years. I think its mid range on its zone, it doesnt seem like waiting will improve the wine much.
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This intense shiraz is only really truly coming into its own now and should continue to improve over the next ten years, and will easily drink for another twenty years!
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Slight bricking is clearly evident, and I don't see any reason to sit on this any longer. A nice, complex wine that seemed true to the Parker style, but the fruit was a bit too "stewed" for my tastes. More interesting as an after-dinner drink perhaps, as opposed to the food I had hoped it would compliment.
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The wine looks Inky colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Blackberry, Black Pepper, and Violet. The body is Full. The wine has Smooth texture. The wine finishes Long. Threw an extraordinary amount of sediment. Vacuvinned half for the next night, not as good then.
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4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (Joe's): Blackberry, vanilla and plum liqueur aromas- shows a bit hot and ripe. Red fruit and roasted herb flavors of the palate. Slightly chalky feel to the tannins that remain. Medium finish.
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1998 Aussie Showdown dinner (Jade Palace Restaurant): Decanted before dinner for nearly an hour and served as 8th wine. Dark inky core with slight crimson red at the edge, the nose is still quite oak dominance with blackberry and dark plum. Robust and balance on palate, showing ripe fruits, blackberry, plum and toasted coffee notes. Rich mid-palate with long finish and soft grippy tannins
A complete disappointment. 1.5 hours of air time...drank over following 3 hours. Still tannic, this probably needs a couple more years. However, the overwhelming level of alcohol dominates, the finish is very short, and the mouthfeel is medium-to-thin, so I'm not sure waiting for the tannins to resolve will improve it. This will be my last Dead Arm purchase, as the 2002 also exhibited these qualities. Please save your money and buy Elderton Command instead.....you will thank me.
85 points; purchased from winebid.com in March 2012 for $46
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Served in the suite at Staples Center - has to go down as the best wine at a sporting event (too bad the Blackhawks lost to the Kings). Generous nose of black fruit, sweet oak, vanilla, herbs and spice. Palate has a medium body with good balance. Fruit is sweet but not overt or rich. Healthy dose of acidity. This has tamed into a more elegant wine than I remember, but still oak-driven with a sweet fruit profile. Aging gracefully.
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Opened by Otis. 3rd time I have had this wine. Each one has shown very well. Deep purple color. Some tar, charcoal, dark fruit and licorice notes. Full bodied. Still drinking very well with some youthful exuberance at 15 years ole. 93 points
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Decanted and drank...nice fruit, some spice, well integrated tannins...its in its drinking window...not the over the top Aussie shiraz...seems to have really mellowed with age.
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Dead Arm wines are consistently excellent and some of my favorites across the vintages. This is the wine that got me started drinking wine (2001 vintage) - and never fails to impress. For me, this is the gold standard to which all other wines are compared. Huge dark fruit, pepper and spice. Perfecty balanced and smooth with a stunning finish that goes on for well over a minute. Solid tannins hold up this massive structure. For those who like a big, in-your-face style of wine, you will absolutely love this. If the "finer" California cult cabs and "sophisticated" Bordeaux are like a symphony, this is Mötley Crüe: unapologetic, enduring...and absolutely f-ing awesome.
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Inaugural Great Steak-Off (Clarksville, Maryland): This aged gracefully, relatively speaking of course, as it is a quintessential aussie shiraz. Mint dominates, also black fruits, smoked meat and sweet spices may be nutmeg. Nice concentration, silky palate and fully integrated tannins. The fruit expression is a bit simple but drinking nicely.
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Open with 30 minutes in the bottle. rich purple to the rim showing a big nose ripe with blackberry, a peppery spice and smoke. On the palate, still a vigorous shiraz but much more evolved and expressive than my last tasting in early 2009. This is a rich soft mouthful of blackberry, dark fruit, earth, smokey meats and a wonderful spice. Very long silky finish belies a well structured wine with solid tannins and one showing the potential to go another 10 years. I thought this wine was peaking in '09 - anything but. It would have scored higher but for the 2001 Dead Arm it was paired with... this is great shiraz!!
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Immense oaky nose with black pepper, anise and dark fruit. Acidity seemed out of whack at first but mellowed over a couple of hours allowing subtle smoke, tobacco and liquorice notes to come through on the palate with a little fruit.
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Deep and dark color with a slightly carmine rim. Mature bouquet with a lot of Eucalyptus and menthol. Quite sweet blackberry and blueberry juice. Some spiciness. Silky soft tannin and beautiful acidity. A wonderful, complete and complex wine with beautiful freshness and a long finish. Ready now, but no hurry.
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Wine shop decided to open some cellar bottles. Still surprisingly young. It had been open for about an hour and a half. Very fruit forward, jammy, dark, spicy. Finish was a bit thin, but great on the palate. Not ready yet, give it another 5 years. Nice.
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Not particularly interesting. Packed with ripe black fruit with a strong minty topnote, very ripe and powerful but a little monolithic and heavy for my tastes.
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Remains deep; ripe, fulsome nose, chocolatey, a melange of baked black fruits & spiciness; dense, power packed fruit, velvet texture, retains decent acidity & thus freshness; hefty finish. Lingering. Unapologetically, textbook full blooded Aussie Shiraz. As it should be.
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Barossa Shiraz Tasting (Mike and Chris' Place in Evanston): Nice candied ripeness. Not huge but its there. Touch of elegant culty fruit. Finesse driven with nice integrated spice and earth. Ripe liqueur blackberries. Black fruit. Black flowers and licorice. Shoe polish! Cool wine. Liked it.
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This was smoked by an outstanding 97. Big fruit, acid, tannin are in this 13 year old. It drank young compared to its austere, wise sibling. Holding for 3-5 years.
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Dinner at Seaquam's (Vancouver, BC): Pop and pour, dark black in the glass. Huge nose of black fruit, prunes, ripe strawberry, and some spice. Incredibly dense and bloody on the palette, showing plum, jammy dark fruit, and lots of black pepper spicy-ness. This really coats the tongue, and has a nice, long finish. Very enjoyable.
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Much the same as the last bottle. Opened on Xmas day and it was undrinkable. 24 hours later though and it was a lovely wine. Full on, but with good fruit and acidity. Better than the last bottle though and if you have any then either decant 36 hours or, preferably, give it another 5-10 years. I'm convinced that patience wil be rewarded.
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No decant. Toffee, black raspberry and limestone on the nose with just a hint of sweet motor oil. Still dark to the core - surprisingly light on the the attack with lots of red fruit, black pepper and violets. Shows a little more heft on the finish, but a nice sweet eucalyptus finish that has enough acidity to balance fruit. Lovely.
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Tremendous nose of black fruit, spice and oak. 1 hour of decant time recommended (but do sip in between to appreciate the evolution). Long finish of well integrated tannins is just great. If you like classic high quality aussie, you will be pleased here.
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Glossy ruby with a black core. This has a dense spirity nose with intense blackcurrant and violet aromas. Still youthful and tight, much like other vintages of Dead Arm that I've tasted, it reveals little on the palate except for a compact ball of spicy black pepper, liquorice and cassis. The alcohol heat makes this slightly medicinal in the finish.
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A nose of boysenberry, prune, tar and lots of cedar and eucalyptus which builds on the palate. The finish shows a medicinal edge with dill and citrus. Lacks the meaty fruit from previous bottles. This bottle is over-the-hill and over-manipulated.
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Delicious. Blackberry, spice, eucalyptus, salinity. Long finish. A strangely sweet entry followed by a bone dry midpalate and finish. Not the merest hint of heat or, for that matter, of porty, pruny or raisiny flavors. Should last a good while yet. This was my last bottle....
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Drank right after a 97 tong and it completely blew that wine away. We opened this and an '01 dead arm, which was rated higher and this wine out shined. Where the 01 was all black pepper this was all fruit and the finish was perfect.
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Intense backberry aroma and flavors. Minimal tannin. Fantastic from the get-go. Decanting allowed it to open up a bit more, but is ready now. Thirty second aftertaste. A tour de force and worth the wait for it to mature in my cellar.
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The color is dark and the texture is thick. Blueberries and raspberries, connamon and cigar box are present. The tannins are starting to dry out a little.
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dark, powerful nose baking spice, ripe cheeries, a little chocolate, tannins still around but very integrated, color was very inky dark A friend brought this over - my 6 botttles were gone pretty quickly for me the wine was better initially. The evolution has produced a similar but different wine , complexity and secondary floavors have emerged Day two a half of glass remainded and was just as good as yesterday
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Still a bit of an enigma. Lovely inviting liquoirce and spice nose, but its a mess once I put it in my mouth. There is more spice, prunes and dark fruits, but its disjointed and out of kilter. The bottle had stood up for 24 hours, but it could have done with being decanted. The following night the wine performed a lot better, with slightly jammie blueberry fruit and a smooth finish. I've 10 bottles left I think the best is still to come, but if you want to drink this now then give it a long decant.
Dinner at Suze with Harry K (Suze Restaurant, Dallas): Blind red 1 - Dark garnet in the glass, translucent garnet at the edges. Sweet smelling with a touch of licorice and sweet oak. Medium full bodied with tangy sweet dark fruit and a bit of sour oak. The acidity on this is jacked up. Started off okay, but fell into a sour mess. I guessed late 90's Aussie, and was contemplating naming D'arenberg. I'll give myself a quick pat on the back for that. Disappointing.
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I still don't quite know what to make of the Dead Arms once they age. This wine is actually very good, and had this been served to me blind, I would have enjoyed it more than being the one that have cellared it for 10 years. The "dividend" of the investment (mainly in time) is simply too small. The wine has got the typical d'Arenberg black colour. Very nice and concentrated spicy nose and a full spicy/peppery taste. Should last for years - but will it evolve?
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OK I take back everything negative I've ever said about Dead Arms. Cellaring has finally paid off. This was absolutely lovely, floral, feminine, and elegant. Very worthwhile and not the typical Australian ooze-monster style. Day two picked up some black cherry fruit and a hint of chocolate. I just wished the 10 bottles that preceded this one were still around.
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Still young and not quite in its drinking prime. It should continue to show improvement for the next 3 - 4 years. The nose displays hints of white pepper and tobacco. The palate is of fresh plums and raspberries with a peppery finish. Tannins are very fine but overtaking the fruit, hence the need for moe time in the bottle.
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Drank along side some heavy competition, but this is a great example of a classic shiraz, produced with lower alcohol and plenty of structure for aging. There is full red fruit and a nice smooth mid palate. The finish still has some fine tannins. I would say that this will likely improve over the next few years and last for another 5. Impressive....one bottle left.
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Decanted three hours. Nose is surprisingly hot, with red raspberries and pencil lead predominating. The palate is considerably darker. Blueberries, graphite, cinnamon, allspice, and oak. Very luscious and ripe flavors for such a mature wine.
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TN: d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm Horizontal (New Buffalo, Michigan): Second time I have had this wine. Last time was 6 years ago.A $49 purchase. Lightly sedimented. Dark crimson color. Tight upon opening but with 2 hours in the decanter it opened up to show a lovely wine full of complexity and refinement. Sweet cassis flavors upfront. Notes of vanilla bean, cedar and blueberry syrup. Full bodied with a long finish. This is approaching the 96 points that Parker gave it. Excellent match with the ribs. 95 points.
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Wineflock - Scott M. Aussie Intro/Retro (Ken's): Group #10, My #10 - Another disappointing showing for this wine - I hope it's just bottle variation. Full deep red color. Medium nose of red and black fruit sweet tart. Big bold black fruit with some round firm tannins on the finish. Also didn't hold up that well over the evening in the glass...
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Pliant aromas of blackberry, tar, peppery beef jerky, weathered cedar and a little dill pickle. The flavors reflect the aromas with the addition of an orange blossum note. Asphalt and black pepper dominate the frisky finish. I like the older wine characteristics and weighting but the dill was a significant distraction.
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Dark fruits and menthol notes. Maturing with some fine tannin remaining - drinks older than I'd expect from a '98. A bit hollow in the middle, but in a good place now.
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Knightsbridge Weekly Group: Sweet ripe red menthol aromas with fresh cut wood scent . Sweet vanilla flavor, dried ripe cherry berry, creamy but with slight wet soil edge. Drinking in prime window now. Tasty drinker. Likely holds for some time, but doubt it improves. Solid 92 pointer in my book.
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Rich and alcoholic with smooth but slightly grainy tannins. Didn't appear particularly long or complex last night. I suspect it needs another 5 to 10 years to develop. There was some left in the bottle on the second night: seemed to develop a bit more poise and complexity; somehow a less stark wine. Bodes well for future development.
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I'm going to miss this wine. A fabulous erasing of an earlier bad bottle. Took awhile to open up, but gorgeous nose of leather, tar, smoke, and dried black fruit. Much smoke and spice on the palate, with coffee and cinnamon dominating. Doubt I'll ever see this again, but damn well intend to look.
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This was probably decanted for too long, but was a remarkable wine nonetheless. Far more restrained than most wines of this type and price point, it really showed a balance of fruit, leather, and tannin. Towards the end the tannin was beginning to overtake the palate, but this was very exciting to get to try, especially in light of the disappointing experience with the 05 lately (which of course is now confirmed as a bad bottle).
Fantastic and a very nice conclusion to the evening. Many thanks to Alex for contributing this!
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Opened blind on Dad's 60th. Benny pulled the last one out of my cellar! What a shame, this has another decade in it easy. Almost old world in texture, I got leather, black pepper and a little herb.
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Shows only very slight signs of age in the color. Very nice spicy nose, with hints of eucalyptus and cedar - but no longer the peppery notes it had in its youth. The texture is smooth and the balance between fruit and tannins is very good - and still showing a lot of both. A good wine, that have aged well and gained by it. However once again I must conclude that The Dead Arm cannot match the complexity that Ironstone Pressings gains with similar aging.
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Aromas of dark berry and spice that fills the glass. Flavors of dark cherry, licorice and a hint of pepper. Seems fully mature at this point and the tannins are well integrated. See no point in holding much longer
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Distinctively Australian Shiraz character on the nose...can't really describe this with normal descriptors, but I've only ever found it in Aussie Shiraz, but sort of a combination of spicy black raspberry and loads of eucalpytus and mint with some dill (some American oak?). Dry as a bone and loads of minerality--no hints of "Aussie sweetness", over-ripeness, heat, etc. Balanced and really delicious....tremendously long finish. Plenty of tannin but there is no question there's enough fruit to keep it in check for the lifetime of this wine...
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Very disappointing, to go with a terrible meal at the Modern Pantry. The Dead Arm was monotonous and disjointed. One note overworked fruit, slightly sickly flavours and jarring acidity, that felt like it had been added to create freshness, all it did was linger unwanted on the alcoholic empty finish. Not my thing at all, I'm sure I remember liking this at the turn of the Century.
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Opened with 45 min air in bottle. In retrospect i should have opened and poured - this wine is drinking beautifully now. Translucent purple to the edge. Nose initially is blackberry and earth but nose and palate quickly show blackberry, licorice, cassis, and plum with hints of peppery spice & smoke woven in. Very complex with very well integrated tannins - silky smooth long finish with an earthy afternote that makes me thing this wine's time is now (+ 1-2 years) not ten years further out as some reviewers suggested early on.
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This is one of the best showings for this wine that I have had several bottles of through the years. There is nothing fruit-bomby about Dead Arm. Over the top Aussie wine haters may like this, as it has restraint, elegance and superb aromatics. The nose is Old Worldish, offering smoke, earth and serious black fruits. There are no remanents of wood any more and the tannin has softened some. This is drinking in peak form right now. After several dissapointing performances, Dead Arm comes on top today.
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It is always fun to drink a bottle you have been waiting on...With that said, this dead arm did not dissapoint. All components were well integrated and it still tasted fresh and vibrant. Great earthy fruity nose, rich cranberry, red fruits, smooth tannins with a slight bite and nice finish with just enough acid to keep you yearning for more. We spontaneously popped this with a bbq of burgers and sausages and it was a superb match. If you got some, it is drinking great but still has many years to go.
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Drank alongside the 99. Black raspberry and earthy black briar,white pepper and limestone on the nose. Sweet but savory on the nose at the same time - just delicious. Nice tannic stucture and velevety body to it with sweet blackberry fruit, toffee and coffee on the palate. Just in a great place at the moment - went very well with grilled pok tenderloin and roasted root vegetables.
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Dark brooding alcoh on the nose. Bitter black licorice on the shorter dense black fruit palte. Tannic and acidic finish, not quite in control, needs food?, but seems to me it may not help. Disappointing. Later in the night opend up a bit, earned a decent score, but sub par for pedigree. Second night, more expansive flavours, but same vein as above. Seemed closed and very young, but reading notes tell me otherwise, so not sure, just an off bottle?
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On opening, this features a fruit-filled, but cool nose - maybe some eucalyptus. This follows onto the palate, which is plummy, but not over-ripe with some cooling menthol notes. A hint of tar too. The mouthfeel is a bit grainy and powdery, but the wine has a nicely judged medium body. The acidity is quite strong - even a little spiky - and one wishes for more integration of this wine's components. Those looking for a fruit bomb need not apply here.
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decanted ~ 1 hour.. dark red color..terrific nose..dark fruit, roasted meat, pepper, In the mouth, well integrated fruit and tannins with good minerality on the medium fiinsh. at its peak now..still has at least 5 years of life.. a delicious Shiraz..perfect with our BBQ steak
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This fully mature aussie shiraz has well integrated tannins that still are a little tight and chalky, but the fruit is starting to fade oh so slightly, so I would say it is at its peak. Very nice wine.
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What a serious nose! This has a completely Old World nose. Earthy, smoky and dominated by retsrtained black fruits. In the mouth, the tannins are very fine and have a dusty quality. Lacking a bit of length, but this is nevertheless a revelation for an Aussie wine that is the antithesis of the expected flabby, hot, fruit bombs.
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One of my very favorite Shirazes. Deep tobacco, a taste of soy, deep dark fruit and wonderful length. This was showing a little age though - on the basis of this bottle this has got another 5/8 years to run
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Opened 2hrs prior to drinking. Im a big fan of the Dead Arm in most vintages and the '98 didn't disappoint. This didn't taste overly extracted but had a massive mouthfill. I got plenty of liquorice, black berry and chacoal on the palate. I reckon this baby has still got at least a decade left and I'll be opening my last bottle in 2016.
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Dark and brooding...decanted for almost two hours...lotsa sediment...bright blueberry on opening that settled down to nuances of ripe dark fruit, earthy components, a tad of wandering smoke, and maybe some pungent dark cherry. Easier entry than expected, but...quickly followed by a firm and multi layered fruit grip that still has a strong framework, and a tasty tannic edge that helps give a lingering finish. A lot going on here, including a touch of menthol with time...not a bruiser, but a lot of substance...and a lot of fun to drink.
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Tasted April 10, 2008. Opened and served immediately. Purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of black currants, plums, berries and white pepper. Flavors of black cherries, berries, currants, licorice and pepper. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, full bodied. Drink with a decant. Can continue to hold.
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This wine is massive, dark and broody; the colour of crude oil in the glass, completely opaque. The nose is an impressive and enticing mix of blackest cherries, figs and dates, with undertones of coal smoke, acetone and black liquorice. The texture is beautifully smooth but the tannins are puckeringly bitter straight out of the bottle. When things eventually mellow the length is firm and impressive, with a stocky complexity underlying the eye-watering early tannins. Excellent potential; but needs a few more years to chill out.
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WineFlock - 98 Aussies (Chris' Place): Nose has aromas of dark fruit, pine and mint. Palate is rich with loads of focused black fruits, spices and a minty note. Still feels tightly wound and holding something back. Give it more cellar time. My #2, Group #6.
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This wine had an initially foul smelling nose. Funk and volatile acidity made it disgusting to smell. I set the bottle aside for about an hour after un corking and it worked, although it did not live up to Parker's hype (like almost all Dead Arms). Full bodied, tannic and a bit short.
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No surprise, but this is a dark, dark wine. A delight in the nose, with ripe blackberry, licorice and charcoal. The tannins were intense at first, but mellowed nicely after about an hour. Nice acidity cutting the fruitiness. But that licorice stands out, along with pepper. This is a really nice Aussie wine, good structure, and one that drinks well now, with air, and should drink well for a long time.
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9/03 . Welcome to Shiraz! Wow -- what a wake up call for a devout cab drinker. First sip and I thought there must be something wrong with the bottle. By the second sip I began understanding the flavor of shiraz. Its still way too young -- this definitely is not one to open up at a dinner party. But its got layers of depth and complexity and has the fruit of a true shiraz flavor -- but those tannins. Try drinking it with bitter chocolate -- that should round out the finish. There is a balance between the intensity of the fruit and the intensity of the finish. This is a decade lay-down. At least it didn't taste like burnt Manischevitz malaga like so many of the "by the glass" shirazes I'd had before.
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Very dark ruby color. The nose is very ripe, offering caramel fudge and good black fruit density. TGhe palate offers a bit more acidity than all other wines and a medium to full bodied, tannic finish. I liked this wine, but expected more once its identity was un-veiled.
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Very complex nose of cherry, blackberry, cedar, licorice, a touch of boot polish, and violets. Not quite as satisfying on the palate, which seemed a little tart and disjointed. Flavors of sappy cherry, black pepper and a dill note. Finish has good length but rather citrusy. Hopefully another 2-3 years will integrate the acids a little more.
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Dark, super concentrated black fruit, dill and eucalyptus nose.
Sour flavors over uber-concentrated black fruits. Pickle juice. A saline quality that, mixed with the level of concentration and the disjointed acidity makes this wine uniquely unappetizing. Really horrid stuff. Borders on undrinkable.
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Australia Day Dinner (Tagine - Chicago, IL): Effusive and lavish aromas of black fruits, spice, mint and smoke. Juicy and opulent in the mouth with blackberry, licorice, smoke and pepper. Silky tannins are melded to the fruits. Excellent.
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Blood red color, with no signs of lightening. Similar experience to the bottle I opened last year, with the addition of some strong initial dill pickle/new American oak flavors. The oak integrated after being open a few hours, and the overall experience was quite enjoyable. The tannins seem well resolved, and this should be drunk up.
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Knockout nose comes leaping out of the decanter, even when the wine is still cellar-cold. Color appeared deep purple in the decanter, but closer examination in the glass revealed a more brick-burgundy hue, suggestive of a little age, although the bottle has been impeccably stored. On the palate the wine gives an impression of higher alcohol but without heat, almost in the sense of a liqueur, which is what this wine most closely resembles. As expected, massive impression of dark berry fruit, specifically blackberry. Finishes long with a late oak accent. Tough match with food and definitely not your Aunt Madeline's Syrah, but a fun drink nonetheless.
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Drank at Jonathan Club with Messinas, Whites, Barretts. A bit astringent after open, but smoothed out the rough edges after being open for 30-40 minutes. Great wine.
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New World Syrah Showdown (Chicago IL): Blind tasting. Spice driven aromas. Muscular and angular on palate with lots of black fruit. Moderate finish with substantial structure.
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This bottle did not show like others I've had, not sure why - I hope the wine is not taking a turn for the worse. Full deep red. Wow, huge mentholated nose of minty eucalyptus, red fruit, and licorice. Interesting, almost hollow, red fruit with spice, mint, and acidity on the finish. 91 pts. 4/06
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Coming together. Light sediment. Decanted for a few hours. Has a tartness to it, not really a stand alone wine along the lines of Integrity but the acidity pairs well with food.
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At Prime 1112 with Rapoports. Also had Clarendon Hills 97 Piggot Range. Liked both equally. Deanted for 2 hours in am. Jammy; dense, intense wine, should develop nicely.
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Still dark inky purple, not showing any hint of age other than the sediment, nothing on the rim...HUGE nose, my wife walked in the room and could smell the wine. Still a fruit bomb, with blueberry and hints of cedar and spice starting to make its way thru the fruit. On the palate; it's a Shiraz, thick...but for the first time the wine is coming in balance and getting softer, I could not find the wood which had dominated the last taste. The midpalate was exceptional and the finish left you wanting the next sip. These will never be confused with Rhone's...still wondering where these wines will go...
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Tried another one of these at a local Italian restaurant we enjoyed very much earlier this year (and in the SMH Good Food Guide). Should have stayed at home with pizza & beer. Food was mediocre (don't visit on Sunday is the message) and the wine was a match! Nose was impressive - rich ripe blueberry, hints of soy and worcestershire sauce. A fair slather of vanillan oak as well, come to think of it, but quality aromas. The palate was rather raisined, however. Tannins have settled down with age, but are still kind of obvious and lack subtlety. The wine is warm on the palate without being overly hot, but I still find that all the fruit flavours disappear in a puff - like turning off an old TV and getting the image burnt on the screen. There's a brief bloom and then...nothing. How this justifies 96 or 98 Parker points (or whatever) and the $70-odd it seem to pull at auction is beyond me.
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Kirsch and prune on the nose; concentrated taste with hints of mint, chocolate, blackberry and cherry; long, lingering finish with slightly astringent after taste which betrays lingering tannins and some acidity. No question this is a blockbuster shiraz but needs more time.
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The First Biennial Big Beastly Shiraz-o-rama (Vancouver): I think this bottle was off, so I won't score it. I wrote a full tasting note, but when I came back to the wine after a few hours, I was getting a light TCA aftertaste - I was not picking it up on the nose. Mild TCA might explain the lacklustre earlier tasting note, which I'll provide for completeness: A closed nose and revealing high alcohol and VA (showing as paint). On the palate, the structure dominates the fruit. Superfine tannins. The fruit that is there is sweet and not over the top.
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Ruby/violet color with hardly any bricking. Muscular, smoky, peppery nose, with a good amount of structure and acid to balance the fruit, and a hint of iodine on the finish. More of an earthy style of Shiraz, as opposed to a jammy fruit bomb. Lots of sediment, so I suggest decenting in the future. Drinking well now; should last many more years.
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Still a dark blue/black colour. The nose is lifted and intense - soy, vanilla, charry oak, raisin fruits. Nothing subtle at all, and with little sign of much secondary development. Warm on the palate, swingeing tannins from the oak which feel somewhat coarse, although softened a bit by age. Little acid to speak of. The flavour comes on the palate like a wave - but a dumper, a great wall of oaky sweetness which rushes over the tongue, but leaves very little behind. It lacks the volume of a 'flavour tsunami', the kind of depth which persists in great wines. I think at 14.5% this is at the very limit of alcohol that it's fruitiness and structure can carry, and I fear it will grow more disjointed with age. As the wine sat I suspected a little VA was adding to the aromatics, but I wouldn't insist on that. $42 in 2001, and I'm not sure my remaining pair are likely to improve much.
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St. Hallett Old Block Shiraz Vertical '94-'99 (My Apartment): This just about stole the show after a 6-vintage vertical of Old Block. It is just so likeable and in a straight-ahead in-your-face style. Yet this wine is not over the top - at least not to my taste. It is not jammy and hot: it is big and brawny. In spite of this, I find the flavour profile more complex than most vintages of Old Block (excepting '98). This might have to do with the McLaren Vale origin. The Dead Arm is simultaneously more fruity and more earthy; more primary and more secondary. About as good an old vines Shiraz as you can find for the money.
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Deep black/purple color. Focused aroma of black fruit with a hint of cassis. Focused black fruit on the palate. Really nicely balanced around a core of coffee and black cassis. 94 pts. 10/04
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Lola: Whoa…another tight one. Aromas of ink, vanilla, toast. Swirling brings out dark fruit. Teeth staining. Lots of potential, but this monster was tight tonight.
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Deep garnet/purple. Aromas of vanilla, cassis, raspberry, graphite, liquid black licorice, brown sugar. Full-bodied elegant wine, slightly closed, but can sort out black fruits and graphite from behind the wall of tannin. Short finish. Only decanted for 20 minutes, which is not nearly enough. Let this one sleep for many more years. Not rated.
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This wine has shut down completely since the last time I tried it (2001). Even after decanting and breathing for two hours it was revealing almost nothing of note. I was presentable and 'correct', but it wasn't the hedonistic pleasure bomb I had experienced several years prior. It certainly paled in comparison to the '98 E&E Black Pepper I had the same night, which was drinking beautifully.
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Sampled (blind) at an off-line in Mexico City with Pelochain and Gusbo. Not as dark as the other two wines ('96 Orlando Lawsons and '01 Mitolo GAM shirazes), and throwing a lot of sediment. Flavors and aromas of plum, raspberry, and latté coffee. Deep and bright, this wine was very polished, with expansive fruit in the mouth. A somewhat smoky and tannic finish. Lacking the ripeness of the other two shirazes in the flight. A firm and subtle wine, more like a cab than a shiraz. Would recommend another 2-4 years aging before trying again.
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This dark crimson wine had a floral and pepper nose. Exceedingly smooth which is really what stood out for me. Notes of chocolate and berry with a long finish. Very nicely integrated wine. A pleasure to taste. 92+ points.
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Drank at Tuskies in Leesburg along with rack of lamb. Decanted but started quaffing it immediately. The most massive wine I had ever tasted up to that point in my life, it was almost too big and too overwhelming for my palette to process. As was usual for me in those days I did not let it air long enough, so the first 90% of the bottle was mired in overwhelming tannins. The last 10% was heavenly, though, and convinced me to seek out some for the cellar.
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4/19/2024 - AllRed wrote: 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.
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1/29/2024 - Texas Corkscrew Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good, still had a lot of fruit but little real pizazz.
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11/26/2023 - honest bob wrote: 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
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9/20/2023 - cbeye wrote:
Way past its best despite a good cork. No fruit and bitter at the back
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6/10/2023 - hargy Likes this wine: 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
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3/11/2023 - JerM wrote: 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.
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1/27/2023 - Will Devize wrote: 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!
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11/4/2022 - yaCellar Likes this wine: 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.
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10/3/2022 - wine4ever Likes this wine: 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.
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8/22/2022 - Geoff Likes this wine: 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.
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7/31/2022 - levinml wrote: 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.
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7/9/2022 - BAJRiley Likes this wine: 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.
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4/3/2022 - JerM wrote: 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!
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3/8/2022 - fizz wrote:
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.
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12/2/2021 - walkerjfw wrote: 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.
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10/30/2021 - hkbob Likes this wine: 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.
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9/26/2021 - Caruso Likes this wine: 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.
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7/17/2021 - KristianT Likes this wine: 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.
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7/10/2021 - JerM wrote: 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.
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4/14/2021 - aquacongas wrote: flawed
Magnum, corked
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2/8/2021 - Meeshka Likes this wine: 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!
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1/15/2021 - msauer Likes this wine: 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)
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8/31/2020 - Goldstone Likes this wine: 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.
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6/6/2020 - wineloveraussie Likes this wine: 91 Points
probably beyond its peak but still drinking well. Great mouthfeel, smooth, fine tannins with dark fruit, licorice, meaty notes
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5/31/2020 - Zingrrl Likes this wine: 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.
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5/22/2020 - BAJRiley Likes this wine: 91 Points
I find MV shiraz too big so like to leave it long enough to soften. And this one didn't disappoint. While the colour is turning it is still showing a dark inky purple hue.
The nose is intense but complex, with notes of earth, spice, dark fruits, leather and a hint of eucalyptus. Full bodied, richly textured, ripe tannins but a well balanced wine with a good finish. Worth the wait!
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5/13/2020 - walkerjfw wrote: 89 Points
Its been 4 years since tasting, this was a last minute pull to have with some grilled steaks. Cork crumbled, strained and decanted
Prior notes: "Great nose of black fruits, spice, pepper. Palate repeats with rich dark fruits, blackberry, vanilla, plums, oak. Medium mouthfeel and finish."
Color faded a bit, garnet with mild separation. Nose was primarily dark fruits, leather. Savory palate showing cherry, plum and cedar. Palate picked up intensity about 90 minutes in, seemingly more viscous and expressive...some spice/pepper in the finish. Nose started to show more caramelized sugar notes. Medium weight and finish.
A restrained version of its youth, very pleasant to drink now. Technically past its "prime" but still nice, went well with the beef...almost like an Aussie version of a claret at this phase...
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3/31/2020 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Tasted like, well, good old red wine. Might have been a Claret for all that. Ddin't get drunk up fast though...
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3/24/2020 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Earthy and tobacco. Savory and salty on the palate. Really tangy on the palate and doesn't taste acidified.
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2/22/2020 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
4th Saturday Group: Old vs Young (T&L's): Courtesy of Sue. Currant, red berry and dark plummy fruit, with eucalyptus overtones. Nicely integrated, with flavors of mint, red plum and macerated berries. Hints of pepper in the finish. Drinking very well.
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2/12/2020 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #146; Australian Shiraz (By JZ): In the bouquet chocolate, tobacco, coffee, leather and celery. On the palate a sweet start, chocolate and celery again, caramel, lush and soft wit still good acidity and length. Quite mature and still very beautiful.
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11/17/2019 - Tbone74 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Superb, nicest bottle of wine I’ve had for quite some time
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10/31/2019 - chbeaumont wrote: 89 Points
Dark; rugged nose, plenty of brash fruit; smooth tannins prominent, brutish. Probably needs another decade to pull together. Unapologetic.
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6/22/2019 - Handy1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
First experience with 21 year old Australian wine. Very smooth spicey shiraz. Black cherry smell plum and taste. At peak drink up no reason to wait. Lovely with steak. Great bottle!!
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4/11/2019 - Derek Darth Taster Likes this wine: 93 Points
Last minute late night at Chateau Davyd. Tasted blind.
Appearance is clear, deep intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, pronounced intensity, with aromas of blackberry jam, black cherries, black olives, smoke, briar. Developed.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, high alcohol (14.5%), velvety smooth high tannins, full body. Pronounced flavour intensity, with flavours of blackberry jam, black cherries, black olives, black tarry earth, black pepper spices. Long finish
Very good quality. Guessed Australian Shiraz, not Barossa Valley though. Narrowed down to McLaren Vale but not Mollydooker style. So I guessed Dead Arm 2005/06. Wow this is 1998?! Still much life left for another 4-5 years.
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2/27/2019 - hargy Likes this wine: 91 Points
certainly mature but at least a few years of life left - lovely wine -unmistakably Australian
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2/19/2019 - forceberry wrote: 95 Points
14,5% alcohol.
Slightly translucent black cherry color with somewhat developed, maroon overtones. The nose feels dry and somewhat restrained with aromas of roasted meat, wizened blackberries, some dark plums, a little bit of peppery spice, light earthy notes of sun-baked soil and garrigue, a hint of alcohol and a floral touch of dried flowers. The wine is ripe, full-bodied and remarkably intense on the palate with complex, slightly developed flavors of ripe blackberries, some meaty umami, a little bit plum compote, light licorice tones, hints of peppery spice and gamey meat and a touch of olive tapenade. The high alcohol lends a bit of warmth to the mouthfeel. The wine feels very harmonious and wonderfully balanced with its moderately high acidity and quite firm and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is juicy, rich and somewhat grippy with bold flavors of wizened plums, ripe blackberries, some licorice, a little bit of marmaladey dark berries, light gamey notes, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of olive. The high of alcohol makes the wine end on a slightly warm note.
A beautiful, harmonious and very complex Australian red that has not only survived remarkably well for +20 years, but manages to feel surprisingly youthful for its age - I wouldn't be surprised if this wine kept well for another 15-20 years! In a tasting of 1990's Australian reds, this wine was the most impressively structured with its quite high acidity and firm tannic backbone. Although quite Australian in style, this wine was still relatively "old world" in its overall feel. An outstanding effort and well worth its price at 51€.
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2/19/2019 - Lype Likes this wine:
The nose is disturbingly dirty but the taste is clean, maybe even Pauillac-like and classic, tobacco, perfumy, elegant, tannins are still clearly present, I liked this one quite a bit.
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2/19/2019 - Ran-Dom-Perignon wrote: 93 Points
Nose: woody, ripe raspberry, coffee, dates, baking spices
Body++, tannins++, acid+, intnsity+, length+, still very young wine
Palate: ripe raspberry, boysenberry, coffee, red cherry, spicy
Still quiet young
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12/22/2018 - djchango77 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still a bit of a baby. Fresh and youthful. Full of blueberry and boysenberry, cola, coffee and toasted tobacco. The body is just shy of full and there is plenty of acidity there to support it. Shocked by the vigor that is still present.
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12/15/2018 - Vine2Glass Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not sure where I picked up this bottle but opened it tonight with a prime filet and sautéed mushrooms and it paired very nicely. Not much nose on opening but legs were still strong. After a 30 minute wait, full taste came through. Though brickish around the edges, there were more than few tannins hanging around.
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11/3/2018 - levinml wrote: 93 Points
Still drinking well, although no reason to wait. Very balanced flavors without the classic Aussie licorice overtones. Good length and finish. Enjoy.
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10/23/2018 - ctjared Likes this wine:
lots of fruit left - needs a bit of air though
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6/3/2018 - Space Nine Likes this wine: 95 Points
The fruit was somewhat muted on opening. But once paired with roast lamb - and with half an hour of time - the fruit popped. Full bodied with ripe black fruit, but well structured and balanced with powerful tannins that are well integrated. Drinking very well now with plenty of life left.
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4/22/2018 - alamoave Likes this wine: 93 Points
Best bottle of this yet and my highest rating of it by 2 points. Finally calmed down enough to be interesting.
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3/1/2018 - europat55 wrote: 91 Points
Modest nose: B++ Very nice palate: A-
My #6, Group's #8 (74 pts) Tasted Blind.
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2/4/2018 - Orroma Likes this wine: 90 Points
Color is deep red, little to no brown edges. Aroma still of darker red fruit however beginning to move to lighter notes. Reasonable tannin grip remains, well balanced wine with fruit still prominent and another 5 years left.
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1/20/2018 - KenK Likes this wine: 92 Points
In a surprisingly nice place, somewhat faded dark red fruits with nice spices and a nice firm texture with a long finish. Drinking very well.
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12/6/2017 - dbg wrote:
Cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Dark red to rim. Dark fruits/berries, spice, meaty early tertiary notes. Medium to full body, nice balance, medium finish. Early maturity, no signs of tiredness, has years to go. Excellent..
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9/16/2017 - mclanew Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still quite youthful at twenty years of age. No evidence of bricking. Big chewy concentrated wine with flavors of black fruit, spices, earth, roasted meat. Very concentrated, long finish and bold nose and hard to say whether this will ever develop more subtle notes.
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6/25/2017 - Caruso Likes this wine: 95 Points
Ruby with purple hints with no signs of age. Black currants, cherries, hints of earth, spices, meaty components, tar and on the palate great amounts of tannins. From the aromatic profile it is reaching first adolescence from my relativ to textbook temperatures warm cellar. But structurally it is still very young. I guess that this needs another ten years minimum for reaching maturity from cellars that have temperatures less than 13° C. For those who have warmer cellars it is a race between the tannins and the fruit, but don't worry. It has enough poise to age gracefully for another 15+ years and to shed some of its high tannin levels. Nevertheless if you would like to have it with food, choose a meal with meat, e. g. grilled T-Bone-Steak and the sensory high tannin levels are going to decrease and you can drink this with great pleasure immediately. 95+, 2028-2040+ in textbook cellars if the cork does its job.
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6/4/2017 - NineteenEightyTwo Likes this wine: 96 Points
Opaque crimson color. Brooding nose of shoe polish, roasted meat, dried herbs, cinders, dry earthy notes, violets, and currants. Extraordinarily rich palate of brambles, savory sauces, and celery, supported by firm but well-integrated tannins. This has a lingering finish with stony terroir and a sweet and spicy note of sarsaparilla. This is complex and intense and complete from beginning to end; perhaps the best Dead Arm I have had yet. Drinking beautifully now, and for another few years.
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5/27/2017 - TwoSmoochies wrote: 91 Points
Has age but still nice.
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5/25/2017 - kenv Likes this wine: 92 Points
WCC Australian Shiraz Blind (Home of Chef Andrew Plummer, East Greenbush, NY): [Double-decanted for a half hour around 4pm.] I was disappointed when I found out that this was the bottle I brought. It was backward and tannic and not showing enough fruit for the tannin. But it had more fruit when I decanted it. I recommend pop and pour unless my bottle was just an advanced bottle. Still appealing, but not like when I opened it.
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3/21/2017 - cephomer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank at WWS blind tasting, and was voted WOTN by a fairly wide margin (J$ supplies this one, and it beat out my 2000 Barton, tho not in my opinion). Solid ruby core, not looking its age. Still lots of ripe black fruit but in no way jammy or over the top. Still fairly tannic, but showing notes of tobacco & tar, along with still some sweet oak. A bit hot too. Overall, a very nice wine that has nicely stood the test of time--showed far better than I would have expected.
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1/31/2017 - GeorgeSW wrote: 93 Points
Still time. Took hours to open up. Lovely
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1/23/2017 - mychurch wrote: 93 Points
In its drinking window now, but still better on day 2 than on day 1. Very intense wine that needs to be sipped.
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1/4/2017 - isjomia Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cork was perfect. No seepage whatsoever. Nice olive balsamic nose. Chocolate licorice slightly saline palate. 18 years and not within cooee of falling over. Still plenty of interest too.
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1/2/2017 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 91 Points
Totally on its last legs but still holding on. This is a nostalgia wine for me, as it was one of the very first Aussi wines I had that I flipped over. It is now more muted, but oh the memories...
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12/7/2016 - Chimer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Now fully evolved, fellow tasers easily identified it as a mature Ozzie but it received plenty of praise for still being in good condition. Bit of eucalyptus still showing, and no shortage of weight. Attractive spicy notes and lots to like but not so much finesse.
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8/28/2016 - robmatic wrote: 94 Points
This wine was just awesome tonight. Impeccably balanced, and impressive restraint given its origin. It probably won't be confused for an old world wine, but it was also nothing like the jammy overripe wines that we love to hate. Suitably structured and a sustained harmonious depth. Drink.
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8/9/2016 - awineo Likes this wine: 94 Points
I really enjoyed this bottle. The Austrailian Syrah's are drinking great right now. The fruit is solid but not jammy, it is integrated and has enough tannins to make it sing.
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5/27/2016 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 91 Points
These older Dead Arms are still hanging in. The fruit is throttled right back, being replaced by tobacco and sandalwood. All in all a drink which is nuanced with flashes back to the bigger fruit of yesteryear.
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5/3/2016 - awineo Likes this wine: 93 Points
The older Australian Syrahs are drinking great right now. This is the third different one I have had in the last couple weeks. The typically "jammy" taste is gone and they have well integrated fruit and tannins. They are very smooth. I plan to "hit em hard" while they are in the pocket. My guess the older ones will go down hill from here.
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4/17/2016 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 93 Points
Startling good bottle. My last one of these was starting to fade. Not this one. Fresh nose of raspberry and plum. Medium body, brambly, raspberry in the mouth. Bit bloody and long finish. Gorgeous, moderated, aussi shiraz
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3/12/2016 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 90 Points
Sad. This is now starting to fade. Still has some great hits of tobacco and deep fruit along with some bloodiness. Hopefully this was just this bottle as I have a couple more. Still enjoyable juice.
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1/27/2016 - ctjared wrote:
Might be gone or evolved in a way that isn't my favorite
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1/22/2016 - Alex H wrote: 89 Points
Controlled , Minty menthol and jujubes with red fruits and a smooth powdery finish. Vanilla and sweet oak to finish
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1/2/2016 - walkerjfw wrote: 88 Points
At Wendy and Simons post the tasting at Gary's...brought an Aussie for Simon. PnP, drank over an hour next to a cab and Clio Jumilla.
Consistent with prior notes: "Great nose of black fruits, spice, pepper. Palate repeats with rich dark fruits, blackberry, vanilla, plums, oak. Medium mouthfeel and finish."
Wine is possibly entering a tertiary phase. Still enjoyable with unmistakable Aussie fruit but loosing nuance on the finish. Drink up...
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1/1/2016 - His-excellency Likes this wine: 95 Points
Purchased six on release, haven't opened one in several years. My patience was well rewarded, as this is drinking really nicely now, with years of aging potential left. Room filling aroma as soon as cork was pulled, decanted for an hour. Deep ruby garnet color with no fading at rim, lots of cedar, smoke and spice in the nose and following through on palate. Obviously American Oak, reminiscent of Rioja with the cedar and spice. Red fruit and slight touch of chocolate. Tannins have softened with aging, nice lush mouth feel, Medium plus finish.
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12/31/2015 - jmc167@me.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
The wine was very rusty brown and brick colored with medium legs. Unfortunately there was heavy sediment in the bottle and I ruined the first bottle by decanting it. The second bottle however was wonderful with aromas of blackberry, black currant (cassis), fig, forest floor, mushroom, black pepper and sherry. On the palate this is a very full bodied silky textured wine with hints of blackberry, sherry, chocolate, and black pepper.
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12/24/2015 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 92 Points
This has always been my favorite Dead Arm. I found another cache and got a few more bottles. It is definitely getting close to the end, but this is still drinking well. One of the wines that got me into Aussi wine. This one had all the leather and blood that I like. It just feels like it is starting to come apart! However second night was still good, so maybe another couple of years.
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11/23/2015 - Pearls_b4Swine wrote: flawed
Alas, too late. I waited too long and this last bottle had turned. Nice wine in the past, though.
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11/16/2015 - sembefu Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very intense, tons of fruity red berries, pencil case, balanced acidity and tannins still noticeable to carry out the taste. This wine is to be decanted in order to balance it and integrate it at its best. Among my favorite red wines.
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11/12/2015 - warrenpeace wrote: 94 Points
Drinking great with a sweet core of fruit, has at least 3 mor years before it starts to possibly decline
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11/6/2015 - nmoreilly Likes this wine: 92 Points
This really needs time in the decanter, I'd say at least 1 hour. Cork came out very easily after the initial inertia. Very funky smell of pumpkin pie (?), burnt sugar and rubber and evolved into vanilla, short bread, some cocoa and stewed dark fruits. Tasted of dark fruits, minimal tannins, some candied fruits. It probably has a few years left in it but I'd say it's close to peaking
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10/2/2015 - soyhead wrote:
tasted blind
nice rich berry fruit, big fruit, candied even, attractive
not everyday that I taste a 17 year old Aussie shiraz
This one has aged nicely
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9/18/2015 - Geoff Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tremendous nose with smoky oak, eucalyptus, dark fruits. Full bodied, tannins resolving and almost gone, long finish. Great wine!
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9/7/2015 - mclanew wrote: 92 Points
Surprisingly backward primordial wine. Needs a couple hours of decanting. Full bodied, powerful Syrah with black fruit, spices, earth, tobacco and minerals.
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8/30/2015 - rob1869 Likes this wine:
Last of 4 bottles bought in 2009. Decanted drunk immediately
It's delicious and still a forceful wine - deep purple with a lower toned eucalyptic note. Big in the mouth, merits sipping more than quaffing. By the last glasses it was beginning to show a little of the complexity you might hope for. I suggest decanting and leaving for a while if you have well stored bottles. Otherwise leave for 5 to 10 years.
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7/11/2015 - Milos Likes this wine: 93 Points
This one is evolving very nicely and getting closer to drinking time. Last tasted about 15 months ago. Still dark ruby red. Dark bright berry fruits and mineral notes. Still quite primary. The palate is balanced with ripe fine tannins carried nicely by the fruit. Long and balanced finish. Little more subtle than the last bottle and very enjoyable. No need to rush. On the right track.
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3/11/2015 - KenK Likes this wine: 91 Points
I really liked this when popped as showed pretty vanilla and dark red fruit that showed nice soft mouth costing quality a real pleasure plush quality. But despite being argon gassed in a few days became unusually oxidized, do best to drink up.
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3/6/2015 - Pikemeister123 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wow, is this really 17 years old??! Pulls no punches and all the better for it. Still almost purple and a huge nose. Black pepper and cassis. Throwing lots of sediment but all primary flavours. This will remain at its peak for quite a while yet.
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3/4/2015 - LemurKing Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasting nice. Still relatively young although I'd say it'll peak in 3-7 years from now.
Very tasty. Still some good dark fruit, but not the fruit bomb it was years ago. Much better complexity.
Definitely let it air a bit before drinking (little pre-sips are certainly allowed).
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12/19/2014 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 93 Points
From a bottle generously provided by J.P., this wine was tasted in double-blind fashion. It is very youthful in appearance, with an opaque ruby/red color. Dark bramble fruits, anise, vanilla, fig and chocolate adorn the nose and palate. The wine shows impressive acidity, especially for the appellation (and vintage). Full-bodied and with no evidence of alcoholic heat (14.5%), it wraps its flavors with medium-weight, fine-grained tannins. Solid in the middle and finishing long, this is nothing short of outstanding. Because of the wine's fresh acidity, I guessed it to be an Aussie Shiraz from McLaren Vale. While delicious now, there is no hurry to drink it, as it has the structure to last for another decade or more. Drink now-2024.
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12/6/2014 - Cellar Bear Likes this wine: 93 Points
Good stuff. Now drinking very nicely. Drank with the friends 12 or so years after our first tasting. All delighted with how it evolved.
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11/13/2014 - IanL wrote: 88 Points
Dark crimson colour, very slight bricking on rim. Ripe nose, touch of menthol & eucalyptus, leather, spice and gingerbread. Stewed plums, tarry palate. Still powerful, but showing age. Drying finish. Not growing old gracefully.
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11/8/2014 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 93 Points
Good bright color, good nose, good finish, nice legs. Strong start and after a while began to fall off on the palate.
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10/17/2014 - walkerjfw wrote: 89 Points
At Agricola with Scott, Bill and Louie. I had them decant this for about 30 minutes, drank over an hour. It needs the time to open up
Great nose of black fruits, spice, pepper. Palate repeats with rich dark fruits, blackberry, vanilla, plums, oak. Medium mouthfeel and finish.
Starting to loose some of its depth, drying out a bit. Not as plush on the mid palate as I remember prior bottles. Would drink over next 2 years
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8/30/2014 - robmatic wrote: 91 Points
Mature, and probably at peak. Generous fruit and depth, and all that young jamminess is gone. The oak has integrated, leaving behind a little smoky note. Very nice.
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8/2/2014 - NineteenEightyTwo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opaque, inky crimson color. This had a beautiful nose of black fruit, pepper and hot sauce, with a pervasive oily note, like olive tapenade. Palate was lush and juicy, with a textural element that suggested the oily character of the nose. This retained sufficient tannins to support perhaps another four year of optimal drinking. This had the power and concentration you'd expect from Aussie Shiraz but was simultaneously graceful and not at all over-the-top. Would happily seek out additional bottles of this.
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6/17/2014 - Taronti wrote: 93 Points
Nose of dark fruit and berries with some roast meat, vanilla and tobacco. Still a big wine on the palate but has come together nicely with a strong and clean finish. Has quite a few years left.
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6/13/2014 - AFulk wrote: 92 Points
Good, with lots of fruit and some secondary notes of camphor and tar. Not nearly as complex as the 2001 we enjoyed a few months ago.
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6/5/2014 - moany rhoney wrote: 95 Points
Oddbods Colchester Tasting Group (Back Room, Victotia Inn): Neils' wine - Big sweet fruited, but resolved everything in its place. A mellowness and roundness which surrounds the complex fruit and seconady flavours. 18.5/20
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5/14/2014 - mychurch wrote: 94 Points
Really starting to come together. Still better on day 3 than day 1, so plenty still to come.
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5/5/2014 - vumansky wrote: 94 Points
Drinking well.
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4/13/2014 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine: 94 Points
Birthday dinner wine with a PERFECT cork. This btl delivered :-)
Intensely dark red wine with small hints of browning.
Nose is fabulous: Filled the kitchen with red berries and appley aromas upon decanting. At the restaurant, it gave way to rich aromas of red berries (red currants and cassis), refined earthy anise seeds, small integrated oak character, small smoke, small rubber and la garrigue (!).
In the mouth, this immediately presents its gothic cathedral structure. Ample tannin build the walls, the acids are the pillars and the fruit is the stone floor. The refined aromas, mineral character and riches can be symbolized by the stained glass windows and the statues... A fantastic wine! Ready to go, but with many years left.
I really love the way Dead Arm btls usually deliver fantastic concentration with great acids and a balanced body with RED berries rather than the darker aromas that is the common for the genre. Not a Belgian Blue, this is an agile Dolph Lundgren with more depth than his usual movie characters.
Wife: 93p.
At Le Message in Yokohama, serving my Birthday week's 3rd fois gras. Yummy :-)
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3/28/2014 - Milos wrote: 92 Points
Very much Aussie that is approaching drinking time. Dark ruby red. All the dark bright berry fruits make a showing on the nose with nice mineral note and charcoal. The palate is surprisingly balanced with intense fruit flavour balanced with great acidity and ripe fine tannins. Long and balanced finish. There is nothing subtle about this wine yet, but that was not expected. Overall, drinkable now but many many years ahead. On the right track.
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3/22/2014 - sortcode Likes this wine: 91 Points
22.3.2014: Super zum Spasstrinken, schöner und runder Shiraz, Dunkle Beeren und Tanine super verwoben
11/2013: Sehr schöner gereifter Shiraz, leider ohne Notiz
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2/25/2014 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 92 Points
Substantial sediment. Still sweet rich and good fruit.
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1/23/2014 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 90 Points
A tad heavy last night. substantial sediment.
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12/23/2013 - mychurch wrote: 93 Points
Finally seems to be open for business. Up there with the 99 RWT, this has tamed down a lot. Still big, with fruit in abundance, but its civialised now and has a long finish. Try again soon.
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11/9/2013 - walkerjfw wrote: 89 Points
In Key West at Sarabeth's. We brought wine from home, KW is not a place with great wine lists - most KW restaurants allow corkage for $15. Sarabeth's is a great spot...
Haven't had this vintage in a while, Dead Arm is reliably "Aussie", a big fruit crowd pleaser. You have to like the style, these are big fruit driven wines, nothing subtle about them.
With some age, the color is a deep maroon, mild bricking. Tannins have softened. Nose was dark fruits, leather, cigar box. Blackberry, vanilla, plums, oak. Medium mouthfeel and finish.
Adds depth and complexity after about 30 minutes opened - would decant future bottles.This one slow oxed for about 30 minutes, opened as we drank it. A fair amount of sediment that you could catch in a decant. Would drink over next few years. I think its mid range on its zone, it doesnt seem like waiting will improve the wine much.
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11/1/2013 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 94 Points
This intense shiraz is only really truly coming into its own now and should continue to improve over the next ten years, and will easily drink for another twenty years!
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10/25/2013 - 2loyal wrote: 90 Points
Slight bricking is clearly evident, and I don't see any reason to sit on this any longer. A nice, complex wine that seemed true to the Parker style, but the fruit was a bit too "stewed" for my tastes. More interesting as an after-dinner drink perhaps, as opposed to the food I had hoped it would compliment.
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10/9/2013 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
The wine looks Inky colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like Blackberry, Black Pepper, and Violet. The body is Full. The wine has Smooth texture. The wine finishes Long. Threw an extraordinary amount of sediment. Vacuvinned half for the next night, not as good then.
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8/31/2013 - AllRed wrote: 90 Points
4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (Joe's): Blackberry, vanilla and plum liqueur aromas- shows a bit hot and ripe. Red fruit and roasted herb flavors of the palate. Slightly chalky feel to the tannins that remain. Medium finish.
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7/12/2013 - hkm520240 wrote: 92 Points
1998 Aussie Showdown dinner (Jade Palace Restaurant): Decanted before dinner for nearly an hour and served as 8th wine.
Dark inky core with slight crimson red at the edge, the nose is still quite oak dominance with blackberry and dark plum.
Robust and balance on palate, showing ripe fruits, blackberry, plum and toasted coffee notes.
Rich mid-palate with long finish and soft grippy tannins
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6/29/2013 - smcilhen wrote: 85 Points
A complete disappointment. 1.5 hours of air time...drank over following 3 hours. Still tannic, this probably needs a couple more years. However, the overwhelming level of alcohol dominates, the finish is very short, and the mouthfeel is medium-to-thin, so I'm not sure waiting for the tannins to resolve will improve it. This will be my last Dead Arm purchase, as the 2002 also exhibited these qualities. Please save your money and buy Elderton Command instead.....you will thank me.
85 points; purchased from winebid.com in March 2012 for $46
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6/4/2013 - Nanda wrote: 92 Points
Served in the suite at Staples Center - has to go down as the best wine at a sporting event (too bad the Blackhawks lost to the Kings). Generous nose of black fruit, sweet oak, vanilla, herbs and spice. Palate has a medium body with good balance. Fruit is sweet but not overt or rich. Healthy dose of acidity. This has tamed into a more elegant wine than I remember, but still oak-driven with a sweet fruit profile. Aging gracefully.
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5/26/2013 - otisabdul wrote: 92 Points
First Dead Arm I've ever liked. Finally integrated and smooth.
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5/26/2013 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
Opened by Otis. 3rd time I have had this wine. Each one has shown very well. Deep purple color. Some tar, charcoal, dark fruit and licorice notes. Full bodied. Still drinking very well with some youthful exuberance at 15 years ole. 93 points
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5/18/2013 - smcilhen wrote: flawed
I think this was flawed. No mouthfeel, only acidity. I have 1 more bottle so I hope it isn't like this one.
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4/20/2013 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Has lost it's fruit and opulence, and hasn't evolved into anything noteworthy.
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4/16/2013 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Has lost it's rich opulent fruit. Has not developed, and is slightly acidic now. Disappointed!
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4/14/2013 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Has lost it's fruit and opulence, and hasn't evolved into anything noteworthy.
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2/27/2013 - Tarpon222 wrote: 91 Points
Beautifully aged. Earthy with some fruit and silky smooth. Relatively low (for Aussie shiraz) alc level at 14.5% makes this enjoyable
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12/24/2012 - Grod wrote:
Decanted and drank...nice fruit, some spice, well integrated tannins...its in its drinking window...not the over the top Aussie shiraz...seems to have really mellowed with age.
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12/1/2012 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 87 Points
Garnet. Nose of Eucalyptus and tobacco. Taste was fairly flat, fruit missing, all tertiary with some aspects gone. Drink up!
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9/23/2012 - cubswinws wrote: 93 Points
Big flamboyant wine definitely not showing its age. Probably a bit more mellow than in its youth but still has a long life aHead. Really nice.
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5/18/2012 - Dave33609 wrote: 98 Points
Dead Arm wines are consistently excellent and some of my favorites across the vintages. This is the wine that got me started drinking wine (2001 vintage) - and never fails to impress. For me, this is the gold standard to which all other wines are compared. Huge dark fruit, pepper and spice. Perfecty balanced and smooth with a stunning finish that goes on for well over a minute. Solid tannins hold up this massive structure. For those who like a big, in-your-face style of wine, you will absolutely love this. If the "finer" California cult cabs and "sophisticated" Bordeaux are like a symphony, this is Mötley Crüe: unapologetic, enduring...and absolutely f-ing awesome.
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5/11/2012 - dcwino wrote: 92 Points
Inaugural Great Steak-Off (Clarksville, Maryland): This aged gracefully, relatively speaking of course, as it is a quintessential aussie shiraz. Mint dominates, also black fruits, smoked meat and sweet spices may be nutmeg. Nice concentration, silky palate and fully integrated tannins. The fruit expression is a bit simple but drinking nicely.
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5/10/2012 - ctjared wrote:
This is drinking great right out of the gate. A little spice on top of red and black fruit. Nice long finish.
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3/17/2012 - RayOB wrote: 88 Points
d'Arenberg The Dead Arm Vertical '95 - '04: Deep dark core , small bricking with a slight purple taint
Fresh slight nose with hardly any aromas
Complex mouth with some sharpness
Short length
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2/28/2012 - Coollawyer wrote: 90 Points
Very lovely wine. With great fruits like rasberry, cherries some flint. Copious amounts and acids with nicely integrated tannins.
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1/27/2012 - CMz wrote: 94 Points
Open with 30 minutes in the bottle. rich purple to the rim showing a big nose ripe with blackberry, a peppery spice and smoke. On the palate, still a vigorous shiraz but much more evolved and expressive than my last tasting in early 2009. This is a rich soft mouthful of blackberry, dark fruit, earth, smokey meats and a wonderful spice. Very long silky finish belies a well structured wine with solid tannins and one showing the potential to go another 10 years. I thought this wine was peaking in '09 - anything but. It would have scored higher but for the 2001 Dead Arm it was paired with... this is great shiraz!!
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12/18/2011 - danp wrote: 90 Points
Immense oaky nose with black pepper, anise and dark fruit. Acidity seemed out of whack at first but mellowed over a couple of hours allowing subtle smoke, tobacco and liquorice notes to come through on the palate with a little fruit.
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10/2/2011 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Deep and dark color with a slightly carmine rim. Mature bouquet with a lot of Eucalyptus and menthol. Quite sweet blackberry and blueberry juice. Some spiciness. Silky soft tannin and beautiful acidity. A wonderful, complete and complex wine with beautiful freshness and a long finish. Ready now, but no hurry.
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9/1/2011 - vumansky wrote: 92 Points
Opened for about 2 hours but not decanted. Still rich and dark in the glass. Bold, Jammu, fruit forward. Well integrated tannins. Long finish.
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6/24/2011 - alamoave wrote: 91 Points
Progressing well as big fruit finally mellowing a bit ; opened in the morning but not decanted; great match with philly cheesesteaks.
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6/4/2011 - atubbs wrote: 91 Points
Wine shop decided to open some cellar bottles. Still surprisingly young. It had been open for about an hour and a half. Very fruit forward, jammy, dark, spicy. Finish was a bit thin, but great on the palate. Not ready yet, give it another 5 years. Nice.
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5/24/2011 - YQUEM90 wrote:
drink now. a bit disjointed, aggressive, not smooth.
I think this is past prime.
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5/7/2011 - reichken wrote: 89 Points
big bold and brash
ok wine but will it ever evolve into a very good wine?
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4/18/2011 - YQUEM90 wrote:
Opened and served. Not decanted. Heavy, aggressive. This wine needs to be paired w/food.
Mellowed at room temp, and a few hours later was much nicer.
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4/2/2011 - salil wrote: 82 Points
Not particularly interesting. Packed with ripe black fruit with a strong minty topnote, very ripe and powerful but a little monolithic and heavy for my tastes.
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3/27/2011 - chbeaumont Likes this wine: 93 Points
Remains deep; ripe, fulsome nose, chocolatey, a melange of baked black fruits & spiciness; dense, power packed fruit, velvet texture, retains decent acidity & thus freshness; hefty finish. Lingering. Unapologetically, textbook full blooded Aussie Shiraz. As it should be.
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3/9/2011 - beezer6 wrote: 91 Points
Barossa Shiraz Tasting (Mike and Chris' Place in Evanston): Nice candied ripeness. Not huge but its there. Touch of elegant culty fruit. Finesse driven with nice integrated spice and earth.
Ripe liqueur blackberries. Black fruit. Black flowers and licorice. Shoe polish! Cool wine. Liked it.
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2/26/2011 - arthrovine wrote: 91 Points
This was smoked by an outstanding 97. Big fruit, acid, tannin are in this 13 year old. It drank young compared to its austere, wise sibling. Holding for 3-5 years.
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2/13/2011 - hargy wrote: 89 Points
nicely evolved and well balanced wine - ready to drink but no rush
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1/29/2011 - MattTM wrote:
Dinner at Seaquam's (Vancouver, BC): Pop and pour, dark black in the glass. Huge nose of black fruit, prunes, ripe strawberry, and some spice. Incredibly dense and bloody on the palette, showing plum, jammy dark fruit, and lots of black pepper spicy-ness. This really coats the tongue, and has a nice, long finish. Very enjoyable.
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12/26/2010 - mychurch wrote: 90 Points
Much the same as the last bottle. Opened on Xmas day and it was undrinkable. 24 hours later though and it was a lovely wine. Full on, but with good fruit and acidity. Better than the last bottle though and if you have any then either decant 36 hours or, preferably, give it another 5-10 years. I'm convinced that patience wil be rewarded.
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12/25/2010 - jreis wrote:
No decant. Toffee, black raspberry and limestone on the nose with just a hint of sweet motor oil. Still dark to the core - surprisingly light on the the attack with lots of red fruit, black pepper and violets. Shows a little more heft on the finish, but a nice sweet eucalyptus finish that has enough acidity to balance fruit. Lovely.
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12/10/2010 - reichken wrote: 89 Points
big black still smelling of oak. this wine still coming together? lots of giant dark jammy fruits. ok drink but needs something to stand up to it
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12/8/2010 - ctjared wrote:
Tremendous nose of black fruit, spice and oak. 1 hour of decant time recommended (but do sip in between to appreciate the evolution). Long finish of well integrated tannins is just great. If you like classic high quality aussie, you will be pleased here.
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11/1/2010 - jsully75 wrote: 92 Points
Not nearly up to par with the last bottle.
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8/28/2010 - Pearls_b4Swine wrote: 94 Points
Excellent. Has evlvoed nicely over time, and now has secondary notes of charcoal and smokiness that round things out well.
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8/27/2010 - Biggsy wrote: 89 Points
Glossy ruby with a black core. This has a dense spirity nose with intense blackcurrant and violet aromas. Still youthful and tight, much like other vintages of Dead Arm that I've tasted, it reveals little on the palate except for a compact ball of spicy black pepper, liquorice and cassis. The alcohol heat makes this slightly medicinal in the finish.
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8/18/2010 - pgordon62 wrote: 86 Points
A nose of boysenberry, prune, tar and lots of cedar and eucalyptus which builds on the palate. The finish shows a medicinal edge with dill and citrus. Lacks the meaty fruit from previous bottles. This bottle is over-the-hill and over-manipulated.
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8/6/2010 - Employee500 wrote: 94 Points
Delicious. Blackberry, spice, eucalyptus, salinity. Long finish. A strangely sweet entry followed by a bone dry midpalate and finish. Not the merest hint of heat or, for that matter, of porty, pruny or raisiny flavors. Should last a good while yet. This was my last bottle....
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7/20/2010 - jsully75 wrote:
Drank right after a 97 tong and it completely blew that wine away. We opened this and an '01 dead arm, which was rated higher and this wine out shined. Where the 01 was all black pepper this was all fruit and the finish was perfect.
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7/19/2010 - depdoc wrote: 96 Points
Intense backberry aroma and flavors. Minimal tannin. Fantastic from the get-go. Decanting allowed it to open up a bit more, but is ready now. Thirty second aftertaste. A tour de force and worth the wait for it to mature in my cellar.
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7/7/2010 - Colia wrote: 92 Points
The color is dark and the texture is thick. Blueberries and raspberries, connamon and cigar box are present. The tannins are starting to dry out a little.
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5/28/2010 - Softie wrote: 95 Points
Fantastic rich plum; beautifully balanced and moorish. Fine tannins. Outstanding example of aged premium McLaren Vale Shiraz from a top vintage.
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4/16/2010 - wineandski wrote: 93 Points
A real true, well made shiraz. High alcohol, but not obvious. Great aroma, followed by a fantastic taste and finish--not bad for 12 years old
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4/11/2010 - Rick-again wrote: 92 Points
dark, powerful nose baking spice, ripe cheeries, a little chocolate, tannins still around but very integrated, color was very inky dark
A friend brought this over - my 6 botttles were gone pretty quickly
for me the wine was better initially. The evolution has produced a similar but different wine , complexity and secondary floavors have emerged
Day two a half of glass remainded and was just as good as yesterday
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4/6/2010 - Employee500 wrote: flawed
Sweet, and tart....tastes acidified, and slightly stewy fruit....I've had much better bottles and think this is probably a heat damaged bottle.
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4/5/2010 - edjBoca wrote: 87 Points
This was an off bottle....
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4/5/2010 - mychurch wrote: 84 Points
Still a bit of an enigma. Lovely inviting liquoirce and spice nose, but its a mess once I put it in my mouth. There is more spice, prunes and dark fruits, but its disjointed and out of kilter. The bottle had stood up for 24 hours, but it could have done with being decanted. The following night the wine performed a lot better, with slightly jammie blueberry fruit and a smooth finish. I've 10 bottles left I think the best is still to come, but if you want to drink this now then give it a long decant.
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3/31/2010 - OneLastSyrah wrote: 87 Points
Dinner at Suze with Harry K (Suze Restaurant, Dallas): Blind red 1 - Dark garnet in the glass, translucent garnet at the edges. Sweet smelling with a touch of licorice and sweet oak. Medium full bodied with tangy sweet dark fruit and a bit of sour oak. The acidity on this is jacked up. Started off okay, but fell into a sour mess. I guessed late 90's Aussie, and was contemplating naming D'arenberg. I'll give myself a quick pat on the back for that. Disappointing.
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3/18/2010 - kjcampbell wrote: 94 Points
Paired excellent with lamb, a very good wine with black pepper and spice coming through.
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3/13/2010 - KristianT wrote: 89 Points
I still don't quite know what to make of the Dead Arms once they age. This wine is actually very good, and had this been served to me blind, I would have enjoyed it more than being the one that have cellared it for 10 years. The "dividend" of the investment (mainly in time) is simply too small. The wine has got the typical d'Arenberg black colour. Very nice and concentrated spicy nose and a full spicy/peppery taste. Should last for years - but will it evolve?
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1/23/2010 - suttonri wrote: 94 Points
OK I take back everything negative I've ever said about Dead Arms. Cellaring has finally paid off. This was absolutely lovely, floral, feminine, and elegant. Very worthwhile and not the typical Australian ooze-monster style. Day two picked up some black cherry fruit and a hint of chocolate. I just wished the 10 bottles that preceded this one were still around.
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12/31/2009 - Marc McSorley wrote:
did not show well
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11/28/2009 - Derrick&Susan wrote: 92 Points
Still young and not quite in its drinking prime. It should continue to show improvement for the next 3 - 4 years. The nose displays hints of white pepper and tobacco. The palate is of fresh plums and raspberries with a peppery finish. Tannins are very fine but overtaking the fruit, hence the need for moe time in the bottle.
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10/31/2009 - edjBoca wrote: 93 Points
Drank along side some heavy competition, but this is a great example of a classic shiraz, produced with lower alcohol and plenty of structure for aging. There is full red fruit and a nice smooth mid palate. The finish still has some fine tannins. I would say that this will likely improve over the next few years and last for another 5. Impressive....one bottle left.
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10/30/2009 - alamoave wrote: 90 Points
Good and softening up but I was hoping for more secondary flavors at this age. No hurry.
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9/25/2009 - winelovr2001 wrote: 92 Points
This wine is still showing lots of acid, and a little austere still. Maybe it just needs time...maybe it will never come together...we will see!
Great black fruits, leather, menthol, roasted game, and spice. A great wine...I wish I had more to follow in the decades to come.
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9/21/2009 - Colia wrote: 91 Points
Decanted three hours. Nose is surprisingly hot, with red raspberries and pencil lead predominating. The palate is considerably darker. Blueberries, graphite, cinnamon, allspice, and oak. Very luscious and ripe flavors for such a mature wine.
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8/4/2009 - Vino Me wrote: 95 Points
TN: d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm Horizontal (New Buffalo, Michigan): Second time I have had this wine. Last time was 6 years ago.A $49 purchase. Lightly sedimented. Dark crimson color. Tight upon opening but with 2 hours in the decanter it opened up to show a lovely wine full of complexity and refinement. Sweet cassis flavors upfront. Notes of vanilla bean, cedar and blueberry syrup. Full bodied with a long finish. This is approaching the 96 points that Parker gave it. Excellent match with the ribs. 95 points.
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7/15/2009 - winefool wrote: 91 Points
Wineflock - Scott M. Aussie Intro/Retro (Ken's): Group #10, My #10 - Another disappointing showing for this wine - I hope it's just bottle variation. Full deep red color. Medium nose of red and black fruit sweet tart. Big bold black fruit with some round firm tannins on the finish. Also didn't hold up that well over the evening in the glass...
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6/15/2009 - pgordon62 wrote: 90 Points
Pliant aromas of blackberry, tar, peppery beef jerky, weathered cedar and a little dill pickle. The flavors reflect the aromas with the addition of an orange blossum note. Asphalt and black pepper dominate the frisky finish. I like the older wine characteristics and weighting but the dill was a significant distraction.
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6/13/2009 - psmith wrote:
Dark fruits and menthol notes. Maturing with some fine tannin remaining - drinks older than I'd expect from a '98. A bit hollow in the middle, but in a good place now.
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6/13/2009 - KenK wrote: 92 Points
Knightsbridge Weekly Group: Sweet ripe red menthol aromas with fresh cut wood scent . Sweet vanilla flavor, dried ripe cherry berry, creamy but with slight wet soil edge. Drinking in prime window now. Tasty drinker. Likely holds for some time, but doubt it improves. Solid 92 pointer in my book.
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5/1/2009 - rob1869 wrote: 91 Points
Rich and alcoholic with smooth but slightly grainy tannins. Didn't appear particularly long or complex last night. I suspect it needs another 5 to 10 years to develop. There was some left in the bottle on the second night: seemed to develop a bit more poise and complexity; somehow a less stark wine. Bodes well for future development.
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3/28/2009 - ProfessorHTF wrote: 92 Points
I'm going to miss this wine. A fabulous erasing of an earlier bad bottle. Took awhile to open up, but gorgeous nose of leather, tar, smoke, and dried black fruit. Much smoke and spice on the palate, with coffee and cinnamon dominating. Doubt I'll ever see this again, but damn well intend to look.
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3/27/2009 - thirtyoneknots wrote:
This was probably decanted for too long, but was a remarkable wine nonetheless. Far more restrained than most wines of this type and price point, it really showed a balance of fruit, leather, and tannin. Towards the end the tannin was beginning to overtake the palate, but this was very exciting to get to try, especially in light of the disappointing experience with the 05 lately (which of course is now confirmed as a bad bottle).
Fantastic and a very nice conclusion to the evening. Many thanks to Alex for contributing this!
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3/10/2009 - tonsta wrote: 95 Points
Opened blind on Dad's 60th. Benny pulled the last one out of my cellar! What a shame, this has another decade in it easy. Almost old world in texture, I got leather, black pepper and a little herb.
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2/8/2009 - KristianT wrote:
Shows only very slight signs of age in the color. Very nice spicy nose, with hints of eucalyptus and cedar - but no longer the peppery notes it had in its youth. The texture is smooth and the balance between fruit and tannins is very good - and still showing a lot of both. A good wine, that have aged well and gained by it. However once again I must conclude that The Dead Arm cannot match the complexity that Ironstone Pressings gains with similar aging.
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2/6/2009 - chilepepper wrote: 91 Points
Aromas of dark berry and spice that fills the glass. Flavors of dark cherry, licorice and a hint of pepper. Seems fully mature at this point and the tannins are well integrated. See no point in holding much longer
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2/4/2009 - Employee500 wrote: 94 Points
Distinctively Australian Shiraz character on the nose...can't really describe this with normal descriptors, but I've only ever found it in Aussie Shiraz, but sort of a combination of spicy black raspberry and loads of eucalpytus and mint with some dill (some American oak?). Dry as a bone and loads of minerality--no hints of "Aussie sweetness", over-ripeness, heat, etc. Balanced and really delicious....tremendously long finish. Plenty of tannin but there is no question there's enough fruit to keep it in check for the lifetime of this wine...
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1/27/2009 - The Wine Bum wrote:
Very disappointing, to go with a terrible meal at the Modern Pantry. The Dead Arm was monotonous and disjointed. One note overworked fruit, slightly sickly flavours and jarring acidity, that felt like it had been added to create freshness, all it did was linger unwanted on the alcoholic empty finish. Not my thing at all, I'm sure I remember liking this at the turn of the Century.
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1/22/2009 - CMz wrote: 95 Points
Opened with 45 min air in bottle. In retrospect i should have opened and poured - this wine is drinking beautifully now. Translucent purple to the edge. Nose initially is blackberry and earth but nose and palate quickly show blackberry, licorice, cassis, and plum with hints of peppery spice & smoke woven in. Very complex with very well integrated tannins - silky smooth long finish with an earthy afternote that makes me thing this wine's time is now (+ 1-2 years) not ten years further out as some reviewers suggested early on.
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1/10/2009 - hcampana wrote: 94 Points
This is one of the best showings for this wine that I have had several bottles of through the years. There is nothing fruit-bomby about Dead Arm. Over the top Aussie wine haters may like this, as it has restraint, elegance and superb aromatics. The nose is Old Worldish, offering smoke, earth and serious black fruits. There are no remanents of wood any more and the tannin has softened some. This is drinking in peak form right now. After several dissapointing performances, Dead Arm comes on top today.
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1/2/2009 - burgbob wrote: 90 Points
Well made and fully ready. Missing some complexity which would have given it a higher score. Reasonable length.
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12/31/2008 - shakedown wrote: 93 Points
It is always fun to drink a bottle you have been waiting on...With that said, this dead arm did not dissapoint. All components were well integrated and it still tasted fresh and vibrant. Great earthy fruity nose, rich cranberry, red fruits, smooth tannins with a slight bite and nice finish with just enough acid to keep you yearning for more. We spontaneously popped this with a bbq of burgers and sausages and it was a superb match. If you got some, it is drinking great but still has many years to go.
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12/28/2008 - gdbarton1@gmail.com wrote:
Very dark purple, opaque. Dark black fruit, pine, eucalyptus, big beautiful nose. Beautiful, mature, complex fully integrated and balanced.
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12/21/2008 - Vinecon wrote: 94 Points
Wine is in full bloom--slight tannins and well-endowed with flavors of dark raspberries & chocolate. long finish with a fine pepper residual
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12/13/2008 - jreis wrote:
Drank alongside the 99. Black raspberry and earthy black briar,white pepper and limestone on the nose. Sweet but savory on the nose at the same time - just delicious. Nice tannic stucture and velevety body to it with sweet blackberry fruit, toffee and coffee on the palate. Just in a great place at the moment - went very well with grilled pok tenderloin and roasted root vegetables.
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10/20/2008 - tplskylrk wrote: 89 Points
Pop & pour, my bad?
Dark brooding alcoh on the nose. Bitter black licorice on the shorter dense black fruit palte. Tannic and acidic finish, not quite in control, needs food?, but seems to me it may not help. Disappointing. Later in the night opend up a bit, earned a decent score, but sub par for pedigree. Second night, more expansive flavours, but same vein as above. Seemed closed and very young, but reading notes tell me otherwise, so not sure, just an off bottle?
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10/4/2008 - Blair Curtis wrote: 90 Points
On opening, this features a fruit-filled, but cool nose - maybe some eucalyptus. This follows onto the palate, which is plummy, but not over-ripe with some cooling menthol notes. A hint of tar too. The mouthfeel is a bit grainy and powdery, but the wine has a nicely judged medium body. The acidity is quite strong - even a little spiky - and one wishes for more integration of this wine's components. Those looking for a fruit bomb need not apply here.
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9/21/2008 - michaelgor wrote: 94 Points
decanted ~ 1 hour.. dark red color..terrific nose..dark fruit, roasted meat, pepper,
In the mouth, well integrated fruit and tannins with good minerality on the medium fiinsh.
at its peak now..still has at least 5 years of life.. a delicious Shiraz..perfect with our BBQ steak
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9/13/2008 - winelovr2001 wrote: 93 Points
This fully mature aussie shiraz has well integrated tannins that still are a little tight and chalky, but the fruit is starting to fade oh so slightly, so I would say it is at its peak. Very nice wine.
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8/8/2008 - hcampana wrote: 92 Points
What a serious nose! This has a completely Old World nose. Earthy, smoky and dominated by retsrtained black fruits. In the mouth, the tannins are very fine and have a dusty quality. Lacking a bit of length, but this is nevertheless a revelation for an Aussie wine that is the antithesis of the expected flabby, hot, fruit bombs.
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8/3/2008 - Winevestor wrote: 94 Points
One of my very favorite Shirazes. Deep tobacco, a taste of soy, deep dark fruit and wonderful length. This was showing a little age though - on the basis of this bottle this has got another 5/8 years to run
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6/9/2008 - tonsta wrote: 93 Points
Opened 2hrs prior to drinking. Im a big fan of the Dead Arm in most vintages and the '98 didn't disappoint. This didn't taste overly extracted but had a massive mouthfill. I got plenty of liquorice, black berry and chacoal on the palate. I reckon this baby has still got at least a decade left and I'll be opening my last bottle in 2016.
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6/4/2008 - Tejano wrote:
Dark and brooding...decanted for almost two hours...lotsa sediment...bright blueberry on opening that settled down to nuances of ripe dark fruit, earthy components, a tad of wandering smoke, and maybe some pungent dark cherry. Easier entry than expected, but...quickly followed by a firm and multi layered fruit grip that still has a strong framework, and a tasty tannic edge that helps give a lingering finish. A lot going on here, including a touch of menthol with time...not a bruiser, but a lot of substance...and a lot of fun to drink.
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4/11/2008 - dbg wrote:
excellent
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4/10/2008 - wineismylife wrote: 91 Points
Baird does Dallas! (Amici's in Carrollton, TX): WIML91+
Tasted April 10, 2008. Opened and served immediately. Purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of black currants, plums, berries and white pepper. Flavors of black cherries, berries, currants, licorice and pepper. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, full bodied. Drink with a decant. Can continue to hold.
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4/6/2008 - Madidus wrote: 94 Points
This wine is massive, dark and broody; the colour of crude oil in the glass, completely opaque. The nose is an impressive and enticing mix of blackest cherries, figs and dates, with undertones of coal smoke, acetone and black liquorice. The texture is beautifully smooth but the tannins are puckeringly bitter straight out of the bottle. When things eventually mellow the length is firm and impressive, with a stocky complexity underlying the eye-watering early tannins. Excellent potential; but needs a few more years to chill out.
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4/3/2008 - Nanda wrote: 94 Points
WineFlock - 98 Aussies (Chris' Place): Nose has aromas of dark fruit, pine and mint. Palate is rich with loads of focused black fruits, spices and a minty note. Still feels tightly wound and holding something back. Give it more cellar time. My #2, Group #6.
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2/24/2008 - bon vivant wrote: 94 Points
One of Bruce's at Cabin -opened for the day , than decanted 4 hrs -very nice some good secondaries -entering drinking window
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2/19/2008 - SBA Guru wrote: 92 Points
Great nose, nice varied fruit, dry
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2/16/2008 - cjstrunk wrote: 92 Points
Big wine, still youthfull. Nice tannins, present and noticable but not over the top. This will age for awhile.
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2/3/2008 - SBA Guru wrote: 92 Points
Great nose
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1/8/2008 - hcampana wrote: 87 Points
This wine had an initially foul smelling nose. Funk and volatile acidity made it disgusting to smell. I set the bottle aside for about an hour after un corking and it worked, although it did not live up to Parker's hype (like almost all Dead Arms). Full bodied, tannic and a bit short.
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12/8/2007 - jt wrote:
No surprise, but this is a dark, dark wine. A delight in the nose, with ripe blackberry, licorice and charcoal. The tannins were intense at first, but mellowed nicely after about an hour. Nice acidity cutting the fruitiness. But that licorice stands out, along with pepper. This is a really nice Aussie wine, good structure, and one that drinks well now, with air, and should drink well for a long time.
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8/26/2007 - SBA Guru wrote: 92 Points
Great dense plum, spice and balance.
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8/15/2007 - GA wrote:
9/03 . Welcome to Shiraz! Wow -- what a wake up call for a devout cab drinker. First sip and I thought there must be something wrong with the bottle. By the second sip I began understanding the flavor of shiraz. Its still way too young -- this definitely is not one to open up at a dinner party. But its got layers of depth and complexity and has the fruit of a true shiraz flavor -- but those tannins. Try drinking it with bitter chocolate -- that should round out the finish. There is a balance between the intensity of the fruit and the intensity of the finish. This is a decade lay-down. At least it didn't taste like burnt Manischevitz malaga like so many of the "by the glass" shirazes I'd had before.
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7/3/2007 - SBA Guru wrote: 92 Points
On par with 2002, not the complexity of finish of 2001 but still a great wine
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5/24/2007 - hcampana wrote: 91 Points
'98 Dead Arm, '03 Montes Folley, '03 Catena Alta, '03 Luigi Bosca Gala & 4 high-end Mexican wines (Monterrey, Mexico): Red Wine No. 7
Very dark ruby color. The nose is very ripe, offering caramel fudge and good black fruit density. TGhe palate offers a bit more acidity than all other wines and a medium to full bodied, tannic finish. I liked this wine, but expected more once its identity was un-veiled.
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5/7/2007 - pgordon62 wrote: 91 Points
Very complex nose of cherry, blackberry, cedar, licorice, a touch of boot polish, and violets. Not quite as satisfying on the palate, which seemed a little tart and disjointed. Flavors of sappy cherry, black pepper and a dill note. Finish has good length but rather citrusy. Hopefully another 2-3 years will integrate the acids a little more.
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3/4/2007 - BordeauxNut wrote: 74 Points
Dark, super concentrated black fruit, dill and eucalyptus nose.
Sour flavors over uber-concentrated black fruits. Pickle juice. A saline quality that, mixed with the level of concentration and the disjointed acidity makes this wine uniquely unappetizing. Really horrid stuff. Borders on undrinkable.
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2/10/2007 - PathDoc wrote:
Closed......We'll see how it is tomorrow, but it's not looking good.
Nope, day 2 still closed.
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1/26/2007 - Nanda wrote: 95 Points
Australia Day Dinner (Tagine - Chicago, IL): Effusive and lavish aromas of black fruits, spice, mint and smoke. Juicy and opulent in the mouth with blackberry, licorice, smoke and pepper. Silky tannins are melded to the fruits. Excellent.
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12/31/2006 - Siggy wrote: 90 Points
Blood red color, with no signs of lightening. Similar experience to the bottle I opened last year, with the addition of some strong initial dill pickle/new American oak flavors. The oak integrated after being open a few hours, and the overall experience was quite enjoyable. The tannins seem well resolved, and this should be drunk up.
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12/22/2006 - TampaDan wrote: 92 Points
Knockout nose comes leaping out of the decanter, even when the wine is still cellar-cold. Color appeared deep purple in the decanter, but closer examination in the glass revealed a more brick-burgundy hue, suggestive of a little age, although the bottle has been impeccably stored. On the palate the wine gives an impression of higher alcohol but without heat, almost in the sense of a liqueur, which is what this wine most closely resembles. As expected, massive impression of dark berry fruit, specifically blackberry. Finishes long with a late oak accent. Tough match with food and definitely not your Aunt Madeline's Syrah, but a fun drink nonetheless.
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11/19/2006 - sbeeks wrote: 92 Points
Drank at Jonathan Club with Messinas, Whites, Barretts. A bit astringent after open, but smoothed out the rough edges after being open for 30-40 minutes. Great wine.
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6/13/2006 - hcampana wrote: 95 Points
3 Grapes, 3 Countries: '97 Tignanello, '97 Pian delle Vigne, '97 Cinq Cepages, '97 Taylor, '01 Zind Windsbuhl, '96 Cornerstone Beatty & '02 Beringer PR Chardonnay (Monterrey, Mexico): This is my first great 1998 Dead Arm. Previous bottles have been completely closed. I forgot it for 4 years and it worked. This wine is finally enjoyable. Black in color, the nose was crammed with black and blue fruits, licorice and black pepper. The texture was phenomenal, the mid palate coverage absolute and the lingering richly fruity finish was to die for. This wine was double decanted two and a half hours prior to consumption and threw some sediment in the process. Time in the bottle really works! My WOTN.
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5/27/2006 - dwhsieh wrote: 95 Points
sublime... drinking very nicely.
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5/21/2006 - beachbum wrote:
I guess I do not get this wine. Way to alcoholic, thick and heavey for my taste, it gives me a headache, even with food. Dump it.
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4/11/2006 - Burgundy Al wrote: 87 Points
New World Syrah Showdown (Chicago IL): Blind tasting. Spice driven aromas. Muscular and angular on palate with lots of black fruit. Moderate finish with substantial structure.
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4/2/2006 - PHerreid wrote:
With flank steak, Dick and Toni visiting
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4/1/2006 - winefool wrote: 91 Points
This bottle did not show like others I've had, not sure why - I hope the wine is not taking a turn for the worse. Full deep red. Wow, huge mentholated nose of minty eucalyptus, red fruit, and licorice. Interesting, almost hollow, red fruit with spice, mint, and acidity on the finish. 91 pts. 4/06
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1/15/2006 - WStucker wrote: 93 Points
Coming together. Light sediment. Decanted for a few hours. Has a tartness to it, not really a stand alone wine along the lines of Integrity but the acidity pairs well with food.
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1/14/2006 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 94 Points
At Prime 1112 with Rapoports. Also had Clarendon Hills 97 Piggot Range. Liked both equally. Deanted for 2 hours in am. Jammy; dense, intense wine, should develop nicely.
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1/8/2006 - JPF16 wrote: 95 Points
Still dark inky purple, not showing any hint of age other than the sediment, nothing on the rim...HUGE nose, my wife walked in the room and could smell the wine. Still a fruit bomb, with blueberry and hints of cedar and spice starting to make its way thru the fruit. On the palate; it's a Shiraz, thick...but for the first time the wine is coming in balance and getting softer, I could not find the wood which had dominated the last taste. The midpalate was exceptional and the finish left you wanting the next sip. These will never be confused with Rhone's...still wondering where these wines will go...
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12/4/2005 - graemeg wrote:
Tried another one of these at a local Italian restaurant we enjoyed very much earlier this year (and in the SMH Good Food Guide). Should have stayed at home with pizza & beer. Food was mediocre (don't visit on Sunday is the message) and the wine was a match! Nose was impressive - rich ripe blueberry, hints of soy and worcestershire sauce. A fair slather of vanillan oak as well, come to think of it, but quality aromas. The palate was rather raisined, however. Tannins have settled down with age, but are still kind of obvious and lack subtlety. The wine is warm on the palate without being overly hot, but I still find that all the fruit flavours disappear in a puff - like turning off an old TV and getting the image burnt on the screen. There's a brief bloom and then...nothing. How this justifies 96 or 98 Parker points (or whatever) and the $70-odd it seem to pull at auction is beyond me.
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11/6/2005 - jfs5 wrote:
Kirsch and prune on the nose; concentrated taste with hints of mint, chocolate, blackberry and cherry; long, lingering finish with slightly astringent after taste which betrays lingering tannins and some acidity. No question this is a blockbuster shiraz but needs more time.
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9/24/2005 - Blair Curtis wrote:
The First Biennial Big Beastly Shiraz-o-rama (Vancouver): I think this bottle was off, so I won't score it. I wrote a full tasting note, but when I came back to the wine after a few hours, I was getting a light TCA aftertaste - I was not picking it up on the nose. Mild TCA might explain the lacklustre earlier tasting note, which I'll provide for completeness: A closed nose and revealing high alcohol and VA (showing as paint). On the palate, the structure dominates the fruit. Superfine tannins. The fruit that is there is sweet and not over the top.
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8/7/2005 - Siggy wrote: 92 Points
Ruby/violet color with hardly any bricking. Muscular, smoky, peppery nose, with a good amount of structure and acid to balance the fruit, and a hint of iodine on the finish. More of an earthy style of Shiraz, as opposed to a jammy fruit bomb. Lots of sediment, so I suggest decenting in the future. Drinking well now; should last many more years.
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7/15/2005 - graemeg wrote:
Still a dark blue/black colour. The nose is lifted and intense - soy, vanilla, charry oak, raisin fruits. Nothing subtle at all, and with little sign of much secondary development. Warm on the palate, swingeing tannins from the oak which feel somewhat coarse, although softened a bit by age. Little acid to speak of. The flavour comes on the palate like a wave - but a dumper, a great wall of oaky sweetness which rushes over the tongue, but leaves very little behind. It lacks the volume of a 'flavour tsunami', the kind of depth which persists in great wines. I think at 14.5% this is at the very limit of alcohol that it's fruitiness and structure can carry, and I fear it will grow more disjointed with age. As the wine sat I suspected a little VA was adding to the aromatics, but I wouldn't insist on that. $42 in 2001, and I'm not sure my remaining pair are likely to improve much.
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5/1/2005 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
Group #7, My #3 - Deep black/red. Huge aroma of blacberry, anise, and briar. Huge balck fruit with earthy spice. Long finish. 94pts. 5/05
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12/24/2004 - FeloniousMonk wrote: 89 Points
Another closed-down bottle, another wasted bottle,
another example of me failing to heed my own advice....
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12/11/2004 - Blair Curtis wrote: 95 Points
St. Hallett Old Block Shiraz Vertical '94-'99 (My Apartment): This just about stole the show after a 6-vintage vertical of Old Block. It is just so likeable and in a straight-ahead in-your-face style. Yet this wine is not over the top - at least not to my taste. It is not jammy and hot: it is big and brawny. In spite of this, I find the flavour profile more complex than most vintages of Old Block (excepting '98). This might have to do with the McLaren Vale origin. The Dead Arm is simultaneously more fruity and more earthy; more primary and more secondary. About as good an old vines Shiraz as you can find for the money.
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11/6/2004 - jonphillips wrote: 94 Points
This opened up nicely after about two hours, and has calmed down considerably since Dec 2001.
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10/1/2004 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
Deep black/purple color. Focused aroma of black fruit with a hint of cassis. Focused black fruit on the palate. Really nicely balanced around a core of coffee and black cassis. 94 pts. 10/04
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9/4/2004 - OneLastSyrah wrote:
Lola: Whoa…another tight one. Aromas of ink, vanilla, toast. Swirling brings out dark fruit. Teeth staining. Lots of potential, but this monster was tight tonight.
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6/1/2004 - FeloniousMonk wrote: 89 Points
Still completely closed up. When will I learn to
trust my palatte and quit drinking dormant/shut-down
bottles? Sigh....
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3/28/2004 - futronic wrote:
Deep garnet/purple. Aromas of vanilla, cassis, raspberry, graphite, liquid black licorice, brown sugar. Full-bodied elegant wine, slightly closed, but can sort out black fruits and graphite from behind the wall of tannin. Short finish. Only decanted for 20 minutes, which is not nearly enough. Let this one sleep for many more years. Not rated.
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3/24/2004 - buckeye76 wrote: 93 Points
RICH DEEP FRUIT IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. CHERRIES AND DEEP BERRY FRUITS, NICE COMPLEXITY AND A LONG FINISH.
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1/3/2004 - FeloniousMonk wrote: 89 Points
This wine has shut down completely since the last
time I tried it (2001). Even after decanting and breathing
for two hours it was revealing almost nothing of note.
I was presentable and 'correct', but it wasn't the hedonistic
pleasure bomb I had experienced several years prior. It certainly
paled in comparison to the '98 E&E Black Pepper I had the same night, which
was drinking beautifully.
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8/7/2003 - otisabdul wrote: 92 Points
Sampled (blind) at an off-line in Mexico City with Pelochain and Gusbo. Not as dark as the other two wines ('96 Orlando Lawsons and '01 Mitolo GAM shirazes), and throwing a lot of sediment. Flavors and aromas of plum, raspberry, and latté coffee. Deep and bright, this wine was very polished, with expansive fruit in the mouth. A somewhat smoky and tannic finish. Lacking the ripeness of the other two shirazes in the flight. A firm and subtle wine, more like a cab than a shiraz. Would recommend another 2-4 years aging before trying again.
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4/15/2003 - Vino Me wrote: 92 Points
This dark crimson wine had a floral and pepper nose. Exceedingly smooth which is really what stood out for me. Notes of chocolate and berry with a long finish. Very nicely integrated wine. A pleasure to taste. 92+ points.
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3/8/2003 - IanL wrote:
Drank in a blind tastings of rhones and rhone-style wines. Very well received and confused for a good Rhone.
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10/2/2001 - Double-A wrote:
Blackberry, currant, vanilla, pepper and eucalyptus nose. Dense and concentrated; firm with notable acidity on the long finish. Needs time.
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7/2/2001 - tendring wrote:
Wine Education Service - Syrah/Shiraz (LSE): A nose of brambles, compost and leaf mulch.
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5/1/2001 - FeloniousMonk wrote: 96 Points
Drank at Tuskies in Leesburg along with rack of lamb.
Decanted but started quaffing it immediately.
The most massive wine I had ever tasted up to that
point in my life, it was almost too big and too overwhelming
for my palette to process. As was usual for me in those days
I did not let it air long enough, so the first 90% of the bottle
was mired in overwhelming tannins. The last 10% was heavenly,
though, and convinced me to seek out some for the cellar.
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4/28/2001 - SadEdjo wrote:
rich, intense & crisp vanilla strawberry. long plush finish.
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