Easter Sunday opened two hours in advance. It has been over two years since I last tried a bottle.. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate is dark berries, cherry, plum, graphite and hints of spice leading to a moderately long finish.
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When I received this as a gift from my brother in law, he told me to age it. I obeyed.
And he was wise. This is a perfect mix of bold and mellow, structure and elegance. There's a deep core of dark fruit, black licorice and a touch of oak, and it's just really enjoyable. In a great spot now.
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Thought I had finished all these but found this one and we drank it in an “Aussie battle” over Cambodian food in VT with an Amon Ra 2005 Shiraz. The group agreed the Dead Arm was the more complete wine with its fruit, spice, tar, structure, etc all in balance, whereas the Amon Ra was a bit sweet.
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Dead Arm is my go to for aged Shiraz in the mid to upper bracket. It ages magnificently and in my experience is always consistent unlike many of its peers that are creaking at 16.
Black fruite, leather, and spice on the nose. The palate is still really fresh, with blackcurrants, black cherry, plum and eucalyptus, against a strong acid backdrop. Leather and spice come through after 15 seconds or so along with a still fairly forceful tannin structure.
Apart from the leather notes it doesn’t taste like a 16 year old wine and based on this bottle it still has the fruit to last another 5-10 years.
It paired wonderfully with a Pinoy lechon pork belly.
Happy days.
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Dark and dense colour - slight browning on the edge. Dark fruits, liquorice and Chinese five spice on nose. Smooth mouthfeel. Aniseed, menthol, eucalyptus and dark fruit flavours. Long finish with slightly drying tannins. Possibly at a peak and a superb match for steak. Lovely.
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Unctious dark florals, deep wood spice. Lifted aromatics and spicy acidity. Violets, cured meats. Nicely resolved chook poo and tannins. Concentrated, textural and drinking beautifully with armenian cured meats. Yums and juicy. In a good place, possibly at peak.
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Purple ruby color. Complex bouquet of wood and berries and vanilla. Balanced with integrated oak. Spicy with focused and delicious flavors of sweet dark berries, menthol and pine and eucalyptus resins. Mostly secondary flavors, with hint of tertiary flavors. Full bodied with medium to long length and pleasant finish. Paired well with grilled lamb cured with onion, herbs and saffron.
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A bunch of us decided that since distance and covid concerns are separating us we would have a Tuesday night cocktail hour on Zoom. So I picked this wine and I opened the bottle and let it sit for about a half hour. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate is dark berries, cherry, plum, graphite and hints of spice. This wine would have scored higher with either a nice slow ox or decanting.
A little past its best, with tertiary characters dominant and little fruit (in half bottles, so might age a bit faster). I hope it’s just bottle variation, since I have a few more. As I recall, the last one I opened 2 or 3 months ago was still in very good condition.
Best bottle yet, this has matured beautifully. Dark, ripe fruit on the nose with minerality behind it. Same beautiful fruit and minerality in the mouth, and then some nice salinity and tannins kick in at the end. Fantastic.
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Exactly what aged Shiraz should be. Nice tar, fruit, pepper and spice with good attack and a decent finish. Firing on all cylinders but not over the top or too sweet. Should have several years ahead of it. The prior note from the same night is spot on too. Glad I have a bottle or 2 left…
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Still quite purple with little browning on the edges. Nose shows abundant spice, both white and black pepper, along with a sweet floral note, wild crushed red berry, and minerals.
In the mouth, there is abundant sweet red and blue fruits balanced by refreshing acidity that keeps the fruit lifted and in the forefront. Earth, underbrush, and light spice notes meld into the creamy finish where more red berry fruit explodes into the palette. Finish is medium long with no harsh edges, but slightly drying.
Overall, wonderful shiraz, likely just entering prime drinking conditions that will likely continue for at least five more years. If opening now, a short decant is recommend. Drink 2021-2026.
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It was alright, but nothing profound. I was expecting something special like Dan aged northern Rhône or a bandol. This didn’t seem to have anything more than a brambly, black current stew, which goes well with charred meats
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This bottle was in an excellent shape! Intense nose of red/black fruits+cedar+chocolate. No hints of oxidation. Full bodied and round, still with good acidity and smooth tannins. A lot of black fruits on the palate too. Can be aged for a few more years!
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Normal cork. PnP. Tannin were resolved but the fruits were also started to fade. Plum, cassis, and black currants aroma shadowed by alcoholic heat. Fruity palate but lacking in structure. High in acidity. Good with meat but no more.
The Dead Arm Lives! Six years since my previous bottle. Maturity agrees very well with this McLaren Vale. On day one, after hour decant, the nose and palate were top notch, filled with berries. On day two, secondary flavors and textures emerged, adding depth and tone. Quite spectacular now, promising years more of positive changes. G'Day, Mates!
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PSUSteve nails it below! Huge nose already on the PnP, damn near goosebump level. Unfortunately, the palate is tightly coiled and does not yield near as much pleasure as the nose suggests. Consumed over a couple of hours and the palate never really took off, even if still very, very good and impressively youthful.
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Tight on PnP so I poured through the aerator. Deep purple in the glass with a very thin clear rim of bricking followed by a light purple rim. Nose is dark candied fruit with a focus on blueberry. On the palate, still full-bodied and quite plush. Jammy dark fruit with spice, meat and some smoke deep in the background.
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Very dry on opening. Improved significantly with some air. Does not have the heavy alcohol or glycerin characteristic of some of the Oz wines. But still full bodied with lots of dark fruit. Finish is chewy.
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Had not tried a bottle in over 2 years. It has gotten better with age. I opened the bottle and let it sit for two hours and then I decanted it and let it sit another hour. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate is dark berries, cherry, plum, graphite and hints of spice. The finish is moderate to long. Served with what is becoming our regular Thursday dinner. Marinated grilled tuna.
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Meðaldökkt á litinn. Orðið pínu brúnt í jöðrunum. Í ilminum komu aðallega jarðvegseinkenni til að byrja með. Dökkur þungur svartur kjarni, ryk, olíubleyta, öskulykt. Dökkur ávöxtur kom síðan fram eftir smá stund í glasinu. Á tungunni svo frábært jafnvægi og mikill ferskleiki. Þétt sýra og þéttur ávöxtur. Sólber, tóbak (vindlatóbak), eik og krydd. Blautur lakkrís kom síðan í lokin. Væri áreiðanlega frábært með mat eins og porterhouse steik eða lambahrygg (kjöt með fitu). Ég smakkaði þetta vín síðast fyrir 10 árum. Gott þá en frábært núna. Ég get alveg ímyndað mér að þetta vín eigi 10 ár eftir á þessu plani. Frábær frammistaða. Svo má ekki gleyma að minnast á að þetta vín var með skrúftappa. 14 ára gamalt og algerlega í fullu fjöri.
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Spicy almost Rhone like Shiraz. 5 hours in the decanter revealed a still strong but integrated tannin structure. Plums, 5 spice, tobacco and leather wrapped the whole thing up. Drinking beautifully it might still have a few years in it but I am going to drink now.
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Tasted alongside a (slightly underwhelming) 2006 Sorrel Hermitage and probably outperformed it.
Still very dark in colour and quite monolithic. Rich smoky blackberry on nose and palate, but not the super-concentrated over-ripeness that I associate with Dead Arm (and don't particularly like). Mrs H absolutely loved this.
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much better than my previous bottle where the fruit was stewed (not sure if this was stored properly). Brambly and smokey with a hint of cocoa and a sweet touch. It felt a little disjointed at the beginning but opened up with air. Long finish with a little bit of heat
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very enjoyable shiraz. nice length, reasonable complexity. My drinking buddies agreed that it outperformed a 2010 bin 389 (which was probably too young) and a few other competitors. still have a few. no hurry to consume.
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From magnum: lighter in body than I was expecting, albeit very McLaren Vale. Seems to be a fair way towards resolving itself, even in this format. I liked the upfront fruit profile, but there wasn't much complexity or length past that.
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Pulled this one instead of the '01 for the mother-in-law. Was well received. Thick rich full-bodied fruit, but not overpowering. Long finish. Could go a few more years.
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Strawberry, some darker fruit, and camphor on the nose. On the palate, blackberry, cherry, currant, and notes of black tea and some other earthy spice on the medium to long finish, with good acidity and little to no tannin, and no jamminess or alcoholic heat. The earthy black tea note is something I haven't noticed in a Syrah before. This is somewhere in the middle of its drinking window with some years left, although it isn't likely to improve. It was an average to good value at about $45.
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This has improved dramatically since my last bottle (or this was a better bottle). The fruit is more integrated with hard, herbal edges receding on the first night and gone on the second. There is a lot of spice and pepper to add interest at the finish.
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I'm similarly disappointed with this bottle, though for different reasons. Overall I think the wine is a little out of balance. Not sure it is going to last - and I still have a few bottles to go.
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Encore assez dense et extrait, confituré et presque syrupeux. C'est simple et soyeux, facile et un brin sucré. Long avec un peu de chauffe, un verre est presqu'un repas. Je suis ailleurs!
This bottle (my only) has been in my personal cellar since 2010. Decanted with little to no sediment, took a bit in the glass/decanter to open up, not as big, sweet or alcoholic as most Aussie Shiraz, still there was plenty of dark fruit, though a bit simple, some spice, very nice smooth finish. Doubtful based on this bottle there will be any further development but certainly you can hold for several more years in the proper environment.
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Extracted, big juicy licorice-like fruit coats the mouth and gums with this massive fruit forward Shiraz. While not for everyone, this monster wine pairs great with steak, lamb chops and other red meats. Finish lingers with a mild spice that has now mellowed after 13 years in the bottle.
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Lovely aroma which is primarily mineral & cool forest pine, with earthy, meat, leather , spicy peppery notes.
The palate is tobacco, deep & oh so very bitter. Bold tannins, with acid backbones. A masculine Shiraz....very fierce Shiraz with the spiciness blooming as time progresses.
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Good Shiraz drank with grilled pork chops. A bit on the rustic side with the tannin and acidity overshadowing the fruit. May improve with additional cellar time.
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Drinking ok now but really not into its drinking window yet. We Coravined a bottle to check in on the wine. Notes of red and black fruit - blackberry and cherry - with some interesting flavors of herbs and meat as well. But quite subdued vs. other vintages of this we have had.
It was best with our Mamoun’s hummus with paprika, which led it to pick up some tar notes as well. And it was too savory for our rare, grilled buffalo steaks, which needed an American syrah. (Silly me, there are no buffalo in Australia!)
But this really needs 5+ years of cellar time, based upon our experience with the 2003 vintage in 375 ml bottles, which drank best 2007-2011. (And 2003 may be an earlier drinking vintage than 2006, too.)
Great qpr for $30 / 750 ml bottle back in 2013
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First bottle of a 6 purchased upon release. Beautiful. Fruit balanced with maturing notes. No heat, no macerated cooked fruit character. Everything on point. Last glass at 4 hours in the decanter was the best. Should last at least another 5 years. I plan on drinking them every other year.
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Decanted, due to the presence of sediment. Medium (+) ruby, with a garnet edge and thick, stained tears. The nose is clean, with medium (+) intensity, developed, complex, and of fine quality, with aromas of black cherry, cinnamon, mocha, indian spices, dried herbs. The palate is clean, dry, with medium acidity and medium plus tannins. The alcohol is high, but nicely integrated. Overall, the wine is very smooth, balanced, full-bodied, with medium (+) intensity and length. Contrary to prior some prior reports, I don't think this is anywhere close to the end of its optimal drinking window. I think WS missed this one with their prediction of "drink by 2016." WS 91.
Excellent wine. SO smooth. Still potent, lovely cedary element coming through. Surely can't get any better but far from over the hill. Have 5 more to drink so I will get onto them.
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I've had the Dead Arm many times and always enjoy it. This vintage was great a couple years ago, but I'm afraid it's getting over the hill. Don't get me wrong, it's still pleasant and very nice, but I think it's nearing the end of it's life. Time to drink up.
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Magnum, fantastic Shiraz very old world, thought it was an old world Cabernet, best Aussie Shiraz I’ve had, very elegant, paired perfectly with cheese at the end of dinner, years left in this format
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double decanted- a fair bit of sediment. big smooth black and red fruits, slight sweet mintiness. great with beef carbonnade. drinking well but I'll hang onto my other 2 bottles and see what happens. while ready to drink its still a compact wine.
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Nose of black fruit, spices, little eucalyptus. Fruity blackcurrant, blackberry and cherry flavor. Quite smooth and drinkable. Very straight forward. Good quality Aussie Shiraz but not much distinct character. Drink now.
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Notes from day-2. Angular and tight at first, but it softened beautifully with a little air. Dark berry fruit framed by spice and just a hint of sweetness from the oak. Minerality was spot on and made for fantastic pairing with truffle ravioli stuffed with mushroom. Wish I had more...
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Opened a 375 and poured through a soiree and served with an assortment of cheese. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate was dark berry, dark cherry, graphite and spice. A very nice finish.
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Always a treat. Hard to understand how this will mature, other than it seems to have enough guts and Acidity to last much longer. Drinking great now with impressive complexity.
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A little jammy and not sure if this is due to sub-standard keeping before I bought it. The stuffing is all there and you can tell the quality, especially on the nose. On the palate it feels a little disjointed and hot. Very far experience from other bottle I tried in the past (01 and 04)
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2006 is proving to be a strong candidate for the best Dead Arm Shiraz. Impressively concentrated, dark, and drinkable on release and every bit as tannic, fruity, complex, plush, and delicious now as it ever was, from an 11 year old half bottle. Heading strong and undiminished into its next decade.
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Beautiful. Great drinking now but feels like it has another 10 - 15 years left it in. Silky mouth feel, rich without being over the top. Cherry and red berries. Nicest Australian wine I've had in a long time.
From a 375, I really enjoyed this wine. Dark fruit on the nose, the palate was dark cherry and dark berry, a touch of graphite and spice on the nice finish.
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The big aussies are fun to watch grow. There is a noticeable softening to the tannin in this wine, even though it is definitely pretty ripe. This is typical in my experience for Dead Arm - the funkiness of youth takes about 6-8 years to mellow, but if you're looking for development of flavours and colours you have to play the long game. This wine was still very primary, with deep black fruits and dark aromas.
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Fairly ready to drink straight from the bottle with the exception of some funk. Texture is syrupy but still more elegantly styled than expected. Raspberry syrup, tobacco, black tea, black pepper, and earth. Loads on minerals and tannins on the finish. Would have guessed hot climate Cabernet. Easily has 5 more years and could improve.
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Wasn't sure what to think on this one, thought it was time to drink but tasted really tannin filled when opened. I'll see what happens tomorrow when I finish it, but I'm going to put this other bottle away for a few years and see if it can come out of this funk.
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Weekly tasting group RWP #242: A randomly chosen blind tasted set. (@ JdB): In the bouquet dark forest fruits like blackberries, vanilla, licorice, coffee and chocolate. On the palate the same ripe fruits, firm sweetness and vanilla and also beautifully fresh acidity and good tannin. The wine will improve with some more ageing. 92 - 93+
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Very similar to previous tasting: the dark fruit, acid, grippy tannins are all there. The finish is of savoury spice, black pepper and dark cocoa. It just seems a little restrained. Will have to see how it develops
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Entäuschend! 6 Jahre gelagert und dann das: die Nase sehr petrollastig.keine Frucht mehr wahrnehmbar. Obwohl 3 Stunden dekantiert und über 2Tage getrunken kein Wow erlebnis.Säure zu dominant . Einige dunkle Früchte , Johannisbeere ,Kirsche leichtes Leder am Gaumen.So gut wie keime Tannine . langer Abgang. Für den Preis aber Erwatung nicht erfüllt.
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A very good and now mature and ready to drink Aussie shiraz that at this point in maturation is in no way subtle but with age has softened, become much more cohesive and balanced and at this point is not overly fruity or jammy. A good QPR wine. Would recommend a longish decant - it was open and drinking well after about 3 hours in the decanter and after overnight refrigeration and re-warming was still drinking superbly the next evening. This has many years to go with proper cellaring. Very dark purple, big, full bodied, fruit forward as expected but also rather well balanced and definitely not a monolithic jammy fruit bomb at this stage of maturation. Nose slightly sweet, warm, dark and round with dark fruit, blackberry, allspice and a hint of eucalyptus with a flavor profile of as expected of intense but controlled / balanced dark stone fruit, coffee and plum up front with a more earthy and meaty finish. Definitely recommend this wine.
Still has lots of structure tannins are not fully integrated fruit is excellent - didn't hold up very well on day two but wasn't stored overnight properly still overall an excellent big wine
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Still quite tight/closed in my opinion. Acidity is there, black fruits are there, tannins drying but smooth. Spices (pepper) and chocolate on the after-taste, but really could do with more resting IMHO. Looking forward to the remaining bottles.
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Black to the edge. Concentrated aromas of smoked meat, plum, and blackberry. The mouth swish reveals a bright acidity, plush texture, concentrated and tasty black fruit, and juiciness, with an undertow of strong, drying, yet smooth tannin. The swallow carressingly glides down the throat and lasts for minutes. Overall, rich, delicious, well integrated, and complete, without any heaviness or sugar sweetness. Aging beautifully and fully enjoyable anytime in the next decade.
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This wine did not have the life I was expecting from a Dead Arm, though it had improved a lot by the last sip. Perhaps it needs a lot more decanting that I gave it. Overall I thought the fruit was a little muted. There was good structure to the wine, with firm tannins, so that gives me hope the next bottle will be better. I'll remember to decant properly next time.
Completely mature and feeling like it can keep running for several more years. Cherry kirsch, persimmon, and licorice highlights over soft tannins and solid acidity. Generous bouquet that jumps out of the bowl. Medium length finish. 5+12+16+8= 91
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Tasted as part of a 10 year vertical - '99 - '09. This vintage is still pretty closed. Firm body, tight tannins. Mint and pepper aromas. Needs to age for another 5-10 years.
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2.5 years after the last bottle..Has aged well, the "cola burn" is gone but still has been replaced by mature cherry and currant notes. Just a bit of alcohol on the finish. Ready to drink, now. Didn't decant but will next bottle.
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At Lee and Alison's. Continued improvement with time. Tannins fully resolved, dark, deep layers of dark berries, earth, slight oak. Big and bold, but not jammy. Chewy, elegant.
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A very primary Australian shiraz. Pop the cork for an hour and decant later for 20 mins and drank over the course of 2 hours. My palate tend to favour the subtle side but I wasn't disappoint by this style big and forward wine. I only wish it had more dimension. Compare to the 1998 Wynn Michael shiraz (magnum as well), the dead arm seem a bit brute. Perhaps it need another year in the cellar or few more hours in the decanter?
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High Scoring Aussies (Edina Country Club, Edina, MN): Very dark purple color. Slow-O for 8 hours; drank 1 glass over 30 minutes. This wa pretty intense, black fruits, heat on the nose. The palate has depth, intense, tannins, heat, dark fruit, grainy, full bodied, medium finish. Needs time or air. 90-91pts.
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Aussie's at Edina Country Club (Edina): Pitch black. Dark as night. Very smooth, round and balanced. Very long but hot on the end. Totally unevolved. Like a block.
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deep brick red color, nose of big vanilla and red fruit, red fruit followed through to the taste with good spice very nice with the Korean food far from over aged
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This, again, wasn't my style. I didn't get the meaty, gamey notes I thought the wine would have. It was dark, dark purple with muted blackberry and earth. Pnp. Massive mid pallet with gripping tannin and noticeable tannin. I had to get some cheese and meat to have with the wine to calm the wine down. To me, I thought this wine was like a rope that had a frayed ending. Not sure if it will come all back together since it was a bit unbalanced.
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Not a lot of notes. Needed two hour decant to begin opening up, but then sang. Deep, dark Shiraz with red and black fruits along with chocolate and espresso on the nose and palate. Palate adds licorice, pencil lead smoke and tar. Big structure, firm tannins with well-matched acidity. Medium extraction, there is some decent finesse in this lush, even creamy, wine. The finish lasts for a long time. Just starting to hit a nice drinking window that will extend for a good 5+ years. All-around good wine but nothing in the way of uniqueness.
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During a tasting event. Medium purple with ruby rim. Typical Barossa nose of torrefaction, cassis, wood, licorice. Full bodied with soft tannins and appropriate acidity, medium length. This is a well-made wine for sure but not at the level of the best Aussie Shiraz.
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Great bottle. As it opened up, there were jammy notes of bacon and roasted meat, plum and cassis. The wine was rich on the palate with distinct acidity and a long finish. Wine was entering it peak drinking window. Great stuff and I have one more bottle.
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Tasted this at the 2006 Australian Shiraz Barossa Valley vs McLaren Vale tasting at Extra Space Boon Keng last night. This wine was pitted against the 2006 Torbreck Shiraz The Struie.
Big, juicy, with meaty notes. Rounded with some rough edges. The heat was evident in this wine. The fresh acidity makes the consumer salivating for more.
As compared to The Struie, this wine was more powerful and contains riper fruits.
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Decanted for one hour. Drinking well now but will still aging. Aromas of floral blueberry. Intense and bold on the palate. Strong fruit on the finish. Blackberry,chokecherry and a touch of spicy cranberry. I enjoyed this wine.
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Blackberries, dark woods, earth, spicy, leather. Deep, layered flavors. Forward fruit but not jammy. Dark purple color. A,delight to drink. (doris- too tannic. Possibly spicy)
Picking some Australian Shiraz (plus a private dinner) (Vila Viniteca - Madrid): Really closed up. Aromas of asphalt, black olives too. I can't find that laughing magpie's creaminess anywhere. I think it needs time plus taking some air in order to show how it really is. Same story on the palate, astringent and drier. When finishing disgusting plastic smells...
Cerrado. Aromas a asfalto, a olivas negras. No encuentro la cremosidad de aquellas laughing magpie. Creo que necesita mucho tiempo aireándose para mostrarse, también en boca: astringente y secante. Al final desagradables olores a plástico.
1 1/2 hr decant, using a screen to filter out most of the sediment. Fruit forward with good balance and a medium-long finish. Certainly still a big boy but not as over the top as some Dead Arm's I've had in the past. Probably has more than a few years of life left but nothing wrong with drinking now.
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A little tar, plenty of sweet and a burst of tannin to open up with. Not sure about this baby. Still early but the bones are lacking IMHO. Won't be rushing for my other ones. Not atypical Aussie fruit bomb but not that close to the Rhone motherland.
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Here we go again, this time celebrating Sweden Day with a sprinkle of Australian flair.
It's striking how the palate is dominated by Sicilian blood oranges... Rich, intense, elegant, fruit driven, young, promising... And Dill...
Digging under the hood we drag out fine anise seeds, some small rubber, M++ acids, M+ tannin and a mineral character best described as very dry, crumbling, clay soil. Small bitter tinge crown the long finish.
Aaah! What a wine to write home about, but also a wine that will favor the keepers. Even if I can't say whether I'd go for a pure Oz wine or mistake it for a neo-Rioja. The dill really is a game changer here, meaning Oz is growing in its strength as a producer of extreme quality wines. Me like!
On second thought: this is a Shiraz that embodies everything that modern Tempranillio wants to become (at at least twice the price).
Three more, looking forward to the next one in ~2017, when we expect to experience early maturity. IF you care what others write, just forget about this wine until after 2020.
(Greatly preferred over today's 2000 Sandrone Le Vigne.)
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The nose is somewhat reticent but opens up to tarry, meaty notes with just a hint remaining of blackberry and blueberry fruit. The palate hits with a bang of acid and alcohol initially before the fruit, meat and graphite kick in. In spite of the upfront bang the overall palate is very enjoyable with deep fruit and savory flavors melding into complex whole. The finish is medium length and ends on a very nice slightly mineral note. After the first few sips the upfront bang becomes less noticeable and the overall experience ascends to new heights.
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Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for 1.5 hours. Aromas of blackberry, black plum, mocha and spice. Blackberry, plum, red licorice, chocolate and spice combine with soft tannins. Rich, dense texture that leads to a long finish. Paired with macaroni and cheese.
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Dead Arm has been sleeping in my cellar for four years. Today, for SuperBowl, I opened the first bottle. Boom. This is ready to begin. Deep garnet with light ruby at the edge, with powerful legs. Dark berries and fall brambles on the nose. Blueberries, blackberries, cassis, and cinnamon on the palate, backed by distinctive tannins (which are well integrated, but showing a strength that promises at least another decade of maturity). The finish lasts on and on, with cracked pepper on the finale).
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Drank our first bottle on 1/22/13 paired with a pumpkin and black bean soup. It was a nice pairing. It seemed drinkable, but I will look forward to another year or two before I try it again..
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An excellent Shiraz, 'one of the best I've had in a long time' quoted by my wife, it was huge, but enough freshness and acidity that it is definitely one for the long haul, simply delicious - Black, full bodied with a nose plum, blueberry, mocha, pepper and vanilla, excellent structure and balance, fruit forward yet complex, sweet, velvety smooth on the palate with terrific length (94 Points).
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Moins bien que les précédentes. Nez sur les bleuets et la vanille. En bouche c'est satiné et assez fruité, long sur des relents sucrés. Bien dans le style!
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Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for one hour. Aromas of blackberry, plum, pepper, mocha, vanilla and baking spice. Dark berry, plum, cocoa and spice on the palate integrated with firm tannins. Leads to a long, smooth finish. Full bodied and well balanced. Paired with macaroni, brocolli and cheese.
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Decanted for a few hours and that really took the sharp edges off quite nicely. As is typically the case with this wine, it is a full, hearty, chewy Syrah. Fairly fruit-forward at this point with good but mellowed tannins. Seems to be ready to drink now, but the decanting definitely helps.
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Very much the Aussie Shiraz you would expect. Dark red with a nose of oak mint, licorice and black fruits. Developed nicely in the glass. After several hours breathing it calmed down and was quite pleasant to drink. To my surprise it went great with a spicy cilantro, lime marinated turkey breast.
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Purple/red colour. This opened up really meaty and rubbery. Too meaty...like a meat pie! This blew off a bit after an hour in the decanter but it will still too stinky. On went the lid and into the fridge it went until the next day.
Much better. Still beefy and smoky but with plums, blackberry, chocolate and spice too. Maybe a hint of licorice. It was quite complex but I'm not sure I enjoyed the flavours that much still. Silky tannins, with really good length. Undecided on this.
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Had this with marinated, BBQ'ed steaks. Very intense wine. Some fruity sweetness and fortunately not any sign of alcohol. Not complex at all, just deep, dark fruit flavors. Although not my typical kind of wine, this actually did the job very well with marinated BBQ-steaks.
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A cola burn followed by nice sweet cherry flavors. Great with marinated, barbecued brisket. My first of 4 bottles, after drinking this bottle 'll be looking for more.
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Intense, complex, lots of blackberries and sweet cherries, some vanilla and oak, yet not overpowering. Quite elegant. Yhere was no tannins at all in this wine. Very smooth, could be mistaken for a Cabernet Sauvignon, though this is a Shiraz. Not as robust/powerful as the Elderton Command Shiraz (probably because this is not from Barossa). Overall, an enjoyable wine.
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NobleRottersSydney - Random night (Verde, East Sydney): [screwcap, 14.5%] {DavidC} There’s something wrong with this; it’s fungal and bretty. There are inky earthy spiced flavours underneath, but the palate is overlaid with a distinctly bacterial character, giving a harsh finish. There’s charcoal oak, sure, but there’s little presence on the mid-palate (in a McLaren Vale chiraz, of all things!) and the finish is very short. I can’t believe this bottle is characteristic. Weird.
opened and let breath for 60 minutes, aerated into glass. This, syrupy, inky Shiraz. Still bright and tangy. Heat gone, long finish. Even better next day, thicker and chewier.
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Day 1, tight and dry. Really not giving up much. Austere. Had this two years ago and didn't open up at all, very young. Day 2, starting to mellow out, still bone dry. Powerful and plenty of fruit. This appears to have a long life ahead of it.
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Well, it's been 2 years since the last bottle and this wine is coming into it's own. Decanted for an hour. Dark purple and fruit is maturing well. Dried blackberry and casis. tannins are rustic and dry and very harmonious. Finish is full and lush. From beginning to end it didn't disappoint. Not sure how this will take the long haul. Enjoyed at Deer Valley after a day of spring skiing.
Aerated with Vinturi and decanted for 1.5 hours. Fruity nose with blackberry, plum, cherry, spice and pepper. Dark berries, plum, and fine tannins lead a long finish. Full bodied. A fruit forward Aussie Shiraz that paired well with filet mignon and a port wine and cherry sauce.
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Opened this at a party, probably a little young and certainly not the best place to allow for breathing. Still, there was grilled meat and tar on the nose, with a complete pivot into crushed blackberry, cherry and sweet spices when tasted...I think a few more years would bring out the secondary flavors and take this wine up a notch or 2.
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From a 375. Opened up nicely after about half an hour. Dark fruits like I previously remembered but not as overtly fruit-driven. There's nice acidity here and a smoothed out mouthfeel. This shows some of the non-fruit character of syrah.
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at 6:30 it was at 87 points, by 9:30 it head reached 90 with a nice combination of fruit, slight tannin and a little oak. Not as peppery as some others.
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Lighter than anticipated, not so much in-your-face fruit bomb as earlier vintages. Smoke and eucalyptus on nose. Taut, racy underpinnings of nicely integrated tannins with layers of black fruit mocca and mint. Long finish. maybe a 92
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Consensus favorite of the night. Big and powerful as expected but also much more approachable than expected, particularly because it was just popped and poured. Delicious.
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Big, lush cherry and currant with some tobacco undercurrent. Huge mouth feel, great finish. Needs and hour or more in the decanter to really show its stuff.
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Very nice glass. Very dark intense wine. Al lot of fruit (blueberries, blackberries). Maybe to young to drink now, needs more aging. Did not lived up fully to its expectations, but pleasant wine. Paired with home made steak-tartare, pommes frites with mayonaise of truffle and Caesar salad.
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I had this wine when it came public, 2009 and then it was fantastic. Now it had time to mature some and get more collected in its form. I must say its still a fantastic wine, well balanced and on the border of elegance.. Good fruit and black berries, balanced acidity and oak.. well structured wine and nice 6 year old color.
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A very enjoyable wine. An exquisite balance of sweet extracted fruit, and mineral, plumy backbone, with a bit of mint and eucalyptus in the mid palate. Long finish. Drinks well now, will undoubtedly improve in complexity.
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NobleRottersSydney - Eighty Bucks Plus (Alio's, Surry Hills): [14.5%, screwcap] {Geoffrey) Six years old and tastes like a barrel sample. Huge and youthful nose of chocolate, liquorice, vanilla bean/oak, and a fumey warmth too. The palate is as big and ripe as you expect, but is much softer in texture than you’d expect; the hugely ripe fruit dominates everything, including medium dusty tannins and rather low acid, rendering the structure dangerously fragile. But there’s no doubting the full-body, and terrific presence on the mid-palate of the saturated blackberry fruit and chocolate flavours, which eventually resolve into a jkind of jam compote. Oak itself isn’t so noticeable; it’s really just a big fruitbomb. Not too sweet, just rich. Almost certainly best before its tenth anniversary, I’d say.
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Non-blind. Small glass at tasting. Decanted for 5 hrs. Almost black wine. Rich, concentrated nose that blew me away. Anise seed, licorice, mint and leather with clarity and strength. On the palate it is full bodied. A superbly balanced wine with everything in place. Attack is with mouth watering acids, mid palate picks up steam as the myriad tastes are released. Sucking in air is like a stroll in a beautiful park. The end palate explodes with everything from the nose intertwined with timid gushes of medium fine tannins and red berries galore. Ahh! The racing acids! Aah! The length! Aah! The complexity! Ahh! The personality!
* Boy do I feel lucky to re-have this wonderful juice so near in time from last btl :-) A truly unique wine that I will look forward to forevermore. Gives me goose bumps just thinking of this one in 5 years' time...
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Non-blind. 3hrs dbl decant. Not a flamboyant Australian, no jam, no spice-store. This is a "berried" wine where the oak-treatment is now almost fully integrated. Cassis notes, deep red fruits, pure, clean grapey aromas (still) and tart-red-fruit. High concentration, wonderfully grippy tannins of the [M] coarse type. The perfect [M+] acids and tremendous [XL] pure fruit work together in making this a tremendous wine. Still young - according to my taste it needs at least 3 more years. Wife 90p. Gave away 2 btls to great friends, still 4 to enjoy. Next one in ~3 yrs time. An honor, a privilege and a pleasure... Exceptional QPR.
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Cherry, spice, smooth chocolate flavors dominated this wine. It was the hit of the night although the salesman told me to wait another few years. I still have another bottle and I will be waiting eagerly. Not spicy or peppery at all like a typical shiraz.
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Opaque carmine with hint of purple color with funk, dark fruit spice aromas. On the palate medium-full bodied, and well integrated with cherry, cassis, spice and a bit of bittersweet chocolate flavors. Long finish.
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8/10 - Alcohol was still just a tad bit obvious in this bottle. Looks like not all the bottles have matured and smoothened out at the same rate as the previous one. Still a good wine but not as integrated as it could have been
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8.5/10 - What a complete turnaround from my last tasting of this wine, very surprised at the difference a year (and a few months) make. Gone is the overly tannic and alcoholic wine, which has matured into a beautifully crafted wine. Still powerful and packed with blackberries and dark cherries with just some subtle hints of oak, spices and white pepper. The tannins, while still relatively heavy, are now sweet and smooth and no longer grainy, and the alcohol was not obtrusive at all. A big hit with the crowd, much to my surprise. Very pleased with how this turned out. Will keep the rest of my bottles still for a while more but am now confident that this is already a good drinker which will further improve with time.
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Thank goodness I found it for 45 bucks! Fascinating history and vinification methods but the end product does not live up to the hype. I suspect its been created specifically for the export market (read USA) with the emphasis on hand harvesting, foot pressing and quaint cork closure. Bouquet of spice and chocolate but the taste is dominated by the astringent tannins with flavours of chocolate and spice struggling to break through. Medium length finish gives a hint of plum at the end. I suspect cellaring will help the balance. But I won't be buying anymore bottles till after I try the second bottle in 10 years time or so! Stay tuned. Much better value available in Australia in this price range.
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Almost black with a purple rim. Very expressive and special bouquet with loads of black fruits and also some spicy biscuit scents. Really complex and beautiful. On the palate loads of ripe black forest fruits and a lot of good acidity which gives it elegance. A beautiful, complex , concentrated and exiting wine.
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Consistently one of the best Syrah wines you can buy. This is definitely young and tight, but I thought it was delicious. Great black berry fruits, clove and a touch of peppercorn - definitely a French style and less Aussie. Great finish, high acid and some grit with the tannins. This will hold well for a while.
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Wine still too young. Tannic and a touch out of balance but all the stuffing is there. Northern rhone attriibutes and the pepper nd spicy notes last nd last. Touch of tar and leather. This will improve but needs at least 2 more years.
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Needs to be opened for a while to get the Right body / flavor coming through. Drank better with each glass The wine looks Purple colored. The legs are Slow. It smells like and Toast. It tastes like Forest floor, and Toast. The body is Medium. The wine is textured Leathery. The wine finishes Medium.
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Pristine cork, no sediment. Deep purple color. Great sweet nose of blueberry and cherry. Amazing taste of blueberry pie! I expected more big peppery aussie Shiraz monster, but she drank more like a very boisterous Pinot Noir and blue and red fruits. Very refreshing. 91 pts.
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"Revolutons Meet" - 2011 (Wine Road Tel-Aviv): dark red-black color strong dark-fruits & spicy typical-Shiraz aroma full body, intense, dominants fruits flavors, with hints of spices. A classical Dead Arm.
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I would give it a 93-94 just for the nose. Lots going on there, more than I can pick out. I get the bell pepper, maybe a green one. And, the licorice, cassis, some black fruit. But... there's the oak, and some heat midway and the finish stops short. I think this just needs time. From a 375 .
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Very dark ruby, but not a glass-stainer. Leathery fruit in the nose. Rustic. In the mouth, very chewy, briary, and a little savage, but in a good way. Clearly a wine with potential not meant for drinking this young. Still, with discounting to $43, I could afford to try it and see whether I want to buy more. Will hold overnight for a final verdict. Right now, in the upper 80s.
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Decanted for a few hours, the fruit was there, lots of blackberry and licorice, eucalyptus and pepper. The tannins were very prominent and need time to integrate just a bit. Medium finish. I won't be opening another bottle for at least 4 years.
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2011 Sydney International Wine Show - Top 100 tasting (Menzies Hotel, Sydney): {screwcap, 14.5%} A bit reticent on the nose. Plums, coal, violet aromas; these also appear on the palate along with some quality vanilla oak. The palate is pretty closed too; there’s some presence on the front palate, but it otherwise doesn’t make a huge impression on the tongue (although there’s some palate fatigue in here now). Overall pretty big and ripe, not over-the-top – a lot of Oz wineries who don’t owe their entire existance to Robert Parker seem to be moving back towards more traditional styles of red wine. This has a medium-length finish, and should be a better drink in another 5 years.
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Deep red, almost black, color. Nose of red fruit, licorice, and a bit of brown sugar. Very Cab-like taste, with strong oily (petroleum) notes over a plum & cherry background. Mild tannins & acidity on the finish. Decanted for quite some time & was still hot, which took away from the overall experience.
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Black color. Concentrated nose of black plum skin, blackberry, black licorice & some brown spice. Not overly intense, but nice. Full entry of dusty black plum & blackberry fruit that runs quickly into an alcoholic finish. Not over done, but the alcohol is a problem.
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Drank along side a 2005 Pintia (Toro) with a prime porterhouse. I paid about 30% lees for the Pintia and enjoyed it twice as much. Too bad. The Dead Arm had decent fruit and medium finish. However, it lacked in tannic backbone compared to the Pintia.
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Dark, not-yet-ripe fruits on the nose. A quality palate, but not terribly remarkable. The nose shut down for me late, and the wine was a little under-ripe on the finish.
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Aussie Gems (Smith & Wollensky - Washington, DC): Cork was popped on this four hours prior to it being served, but no decant. This was a promising sign of things to come from this wine and a reminder of what I like about d'Arenberg reds - some restraint! On the nose this shows blueberry, black raspberry, with a bramble and earth note pairing nicely to a meatier and rich note. Some eucalyptus and oak spice as well. On the palate, this is well-balanced with a less forward fruit profile than the other big aussies. Rich and elegant mouthfeel with a nice amount of acid and tannin structure. This has great length on the finish and has the potential to grow a few points with age.
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Australian Gem Tasting (Smith & Wollensky - Washington, DC): I thought this showed better than the first bottle I tried over a year ago. The nose was very meaty and rich...almost like a winter stew; spicy, meaty and rich. Palate had a nice silkiness to it, with deep black fruit, some sour cherries, and beef jerky. The warm spices were well integrated...nice balance for the most part. I think some mentioned that the heat spiked a bit on the end - I didn't get this too much, but it was a bit warm.
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Dense, purple hue in color. Minimal sediment in the bottle. Smells of ripe dark fruit (dark cherries / black berries), light oak, and a hint of incense. The midpalate and finish are mundane. The finish is lightly astringent with time. Definately a ripe and fruity Shiraz that is smooth and easy to drink. Not one of the power-house Aussie Shiraz, but still enjoyable.
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I was let down by this wine, I had higher expectations. I must admit, I drank 1 bottle the day after it was shipped to me and I drank it over the course of 2 days. Muted nose, restrained boysenberry and blackberry. Midpallet was flat and flabby and a little hot, a bit disjointed. Finish was short and unremarkable. The wine carried considerable weight and focus as highlights. I look forward to seeing what this wine does in another couple of years.
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Very dark. Purple, almost black. Nose of herbs and spice, and hints of camphor and earth. Smooth full bodied mouthfeel. Rich herbs, raspberry and dark cherry. This is a big, dense wine, heavy on herb and spice, with a dense fruit core. It promises a lot, but it's just not connecting with me ... seems too herbal, especially in this price range.
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A fruit-forward (but not over the top) very well balanced Aussie Shiraz. Nice acidity, long finish, outstanding wine. It lived up to the hype, and represents a benchmark Shiraz for me.
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Very tight and closed at the open, after just 30 minutes the wine opens up and reveals a nose of berry and bacon. Bright, juicy acidity and flavors of bramble fruit, with good weight and length. This wine will age for a long time.
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Decanted for 3 hours before drinking. Paired with some food that had some decent zest to it, but the wine was surprisingly smooth. Had a bottle a few months ago and it was pretty harsh at the time. While still closed off a bit, the tannins were pleasantly soft this time around. Really enjoyed it overall and definitely expect it to continue to get better with time.
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Drank this to the Russian-marinated moose steak with potato cake, red wine sauce, cranberry jelly and Brussels sprouts-
Fine sharpness and crisp tannins, crisp fruit, barrels of character, hints of blackberries and raspberries. Good balance but hardly nuanced, a typical wine as a teenager who needs to mature a few years to reach their full potential.
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Great Syrahs and Shirazes (Wine Route Tel Aviv): Inky black and opaque color. Complex and expressive in the nose – red and black fruits, moss, earth. Mouthfilling in the palate, soft tannins and excellent acidity. Superb (72$)
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Dark purple with medium viscosity in the glass. Big dark berries, bramble and coffee on the nose. Nicely layered dark fruit, herbs and cocoa on the palette. Medium finish. Solid, but predictable and boring to me.
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This is the first time I've ever had a dead arm. I was pretty impressed by this. Still a baby, it took hours and hours to really open up. My girlfriend and I thought it was pretty cool that she could smell the fruit from the glass from about 5 ft. away from where I was sitting. Very dark and almost black in color. There were lots of blackberries, blueberry pie filling at the core to this wine with meaty and gamy undertones. I'm not so sure if this was the best shiraz I've ever had, but it was certainly one of the better. Excellent quality to this wine, and you will certainly get your money's worth if you pick one up. You could keep it in the cellar for a decade, I'm sure. I can't wait til I open another in a few years from now. 4 stars out of 5.
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One more point than 6 months ago. Lovely full nose of pepper, blackberry, chocolate & ink but now the palate is fuller, rounder and much more subtle. Flavours of cherry & chocolate dominate but there is that lovely finish of apple skin and blackcurrant.
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Popped and poured Clear dark ruby. Touch of age atthe rim. Clean nose Dark red fruit. Some spice. Dry. High acidity. Med tannin. Full body. Long finish. Primary fruit. Wood. Leather. Touch of tar
Good quality. Best with food.
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Decanted for about an hour... needs another 3 hours in a decanter at this stage though. Deep dark opaque purple. On the nose - grilled meat/bacon, blackberry, cassis. Good acid and strong tannins. Definitely needs another 5+ years in the cellar to begin to show properly.
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I too was a bit disappointed by this - very dark color, black fruit, spice, long finish but all a bit muddled. Hopefully this sorts itself out in the future.
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6.5/10 - Beautiful bouquet of blackberries, dark cherries and cassis with a nice hint of oak. Palate, however, did not match up. Tannins were heavy, astringent and grainy. A bit too much heat as well. Underneath the tannins were some nice elegant fruit without the bomb. Think it's too early to write this wine off but don't think I'll be opening up the rest for a few years to come.
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Made these notes after tasting last night and this morning. Overall I thought it was great on the nose, but nowhere NEAR matching the nose on the palate, not up to my expectations at all for such a highly touted wine.
In the glass, dark inky garnet/purple, but red on the edges. It left big glass staining legs on swirling.
Nose: Fruity; blackcurrant, cherry, banana, prunes, coffee and charred wood.
Taste: Tarry oak and charred earth dominated the mouth, as well as sour citrusy tannins (which softened somewhat overnight in the bottle). The fruity aromas I picked up with the initial nose seemed sour and spoiled on the tongue. The tannins seemed harsh, even as they softened. This was my problem with the wine - the nose promised so much, and the body of the wine solid, but perhaps too much seeds and stems spoiled the overall flavour? Or maybe just too much charred oak? I'm thinking BOTH...
I have one left in the cellar, which I will leave for a few more years, in case some here are correct, but based on the color already starting to change, and the taste, I'm not sure if that is the key, but I'll give it a try since I do have another.
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I thought this was a huge disappointment. Not much on the nose. Blackberry, oak, a touch of bluebery, and some white pepper on the palate. It all seemed kind of muddled and dead without the vibrancy I expect from a high-end shiraz.
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Why don't I buy more of this stuff? It's bold without kicking you in the teeth. Has a gorgeous nose of sandalwood, triple berry pie, and a fragrant floral note, backed by a supersleek palate of blackberry and a long, inky finish. I don't find the tannins that some others have mentioned. It seems to me more like a cool-weather California Syrah or a Cote-Rotie than a bombastic Aussie Shiraz, but apparently I'm one of the few who think so. Either way, the style suits me; I don't remember the last time I had an Aussie wine this good at this price point.
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Dark blood red colour. Simple but dense nose with blackcurrant and new oak. Massive and flavoursome with dry grippy tannins. The palate shows sweet blackcurrant fruit and spicy oak, balanced by the bright acidity. Too young to judge fairly.
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Australia Trip: Tasted at the winery. Big nose of fruit and earth. This is a big, mouth filling wine. Very tannic and needs a few more years in the bottle. Big bold fresh fruit flavors with spices, forest floor and mushrooms underneath. A very nice wine, especially in a few years. (Doris 92)
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Great wine packed with fruit but with structure to make it long lived. Nicely oaked but I think with a little bit more time the secondary aromas will make this wine even better. It is exceptional value for money and I believe this will be a monumental wine in 10 years from now.
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A really nice shiraz. The wine is dark violet yet exhibits a clarity I rarely notice with Shiraz. The nose consists of aromas of cherry, blueberry, spice and just the right amount of oak. The texture exhibits great balance of tannins, acid, and good, clean fruit. There is a hint of earthy grit that really helps bring it all together and adds an old world twist to the wine. I don't think this wine is one to age for the long haul, but it certainly has the balance to mature nicely over the next few years.
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On the menu in Hu', downtown Saigon, for a steal at usd100 w Jack.
Dark as you would expect, but not extracted. Very beautiful accessible wine, well crafted, seamless. Surprisingly ready and open, acid & tannins not there, but not flabby, just a huge yummy factor. Loads of sweet fruit, asian spice, pepper, licorice. Loved it.
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From a 375. Expressive nose. Blackberry is the obvious scent and flavor with more complexity showing up with air time inculding licorice, coffee and spice. Good acidity, texture and finish.
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This was not as good as I expected having had a several 05's and a couple of the previous vintages. I'm going to be generous and put this down to the fact that it is still very young. Decanted for about 2 hours, nice full nose of blackberry, blueberry, ink and chocolate. The palate is also full with flavours of black pepper, chocolate, herbs and minerals. Good but will definitely get better.
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dark red, dark fruit, with oak/vanilla, mild spice, floral aroma and maybe chocolate. Initial aroma was astringent, but opened up after one hour. Don't believe the hype on aging this one. The tannin level is not that high. Short finish. I would drink now +2 years. Decant it.
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Nice nose of caramel, pumpkin spice, and black pepper. There was some essence of the rhone, but this had undeniable new world notes. Very big, very ripe, but very young. Looking forward to trying more of this in 5+ years.
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Monthly Tasting Group LTB 2010-01; Australia; d'Arenberg (By HV): Very dark purple. Blackberry and cassis juice. Ink. A mouth full of wine. Full bodied but not plumb. Same ripe fruits in the taste. Some chocolate. Elegant and well balanced. Will probably improve over the next three years and last many more 91+
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14.5% ABV. The nose on this Shiraz showed a chemical note. My wife suggested it smelled like "blue markers", for me it came across as more of a pickle/vinegar note. Some cedar, vanilla, and dark fruit compote notes also. Medium full bodied tangy and a bit oaky with more of the pickle suggestion. Not horrible, but not great either. Flawed bottle?
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This is a very large wine with pepper and oak on the nose. Nice mouth feel and then bam! Vanilla, fruit, oak and pepper round out nicely with a pile of tannins. This wine is big, but not an over the top fruit bomb. This wine will last a while.
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Oakish aroma with notes burned caramel and burned rubber, and a dash of mild vanilla sugar Powerful with decent structure and high extraction. A little harsh on the mid-palate, which overpowers other potential flavors. Decent length
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Pretty closed at first, though the huge structure was evident. With time and vigorous swirling, black fruits, oak and floral notes emerged, but the finish was short. Would most likely improve with time but rather disappointing right now, especially given the reputation of the wine.
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OC Poker for Wine/CT Virtual Tasting III (Wine Cellar Club, Irvine, CA): Tasted next to the 05 vintage and this wine jumped out at me as being an improvement right off the bat. Similar characteristics in the nose and on the palate to the 05, but all of it seemed more subtle and restrained, which was my main complaint with the 05. Soft floral nose with vanilla, chocolate, some white pepper, and black fruits. On the tongue, the 05 seemed to just go all over the place, but this seemed to come in with more structure to it. The flavors, while still big and rich as expected, seemed deliberate and focused in comparison. I am really glad we had this next to the 05 because I think a lot of those nuances would have been lost if I tasted this on its own. Still a bit much (both stylistically and price point) for me to really get excited about. But a very enjoyable wine none-the-less.
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VCTE III & OC Poker (Wine Cellar Club): A step up from the 2005 for me. Floral nose over candied berries. Tight focused blackberry palate with plenty of tannins and good balance. This needs a couple of years to unwind but a a nice wine is in here.
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Very atypical Shiraz. Way too young, but will develop into a great Aussie wine. Currently muted and lacking complexity and confidence. Will be a 92+ wine in a couple of years
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Inky colour with a concentrated blueberry, blackberry and floral nose. Dense, firm and fresh palate with a long, concentrated finish. needs 3+ years. 3.5/5
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3/31/2024 - markcic Likes this wine: 92 Points
Easter Sunday opened two hours in advance. It has been over two years since I last tried a bottle.. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate is dark berries, cherry, plum, graphite and hints of spice leading to a moderately long finish.
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2/3/2024 - wirelesswine Likes this wine: 94 Points
When I received this as a gift from my brother in law, he told me to age it. I obeyed.
And he was wise. This is a perfect mix of bold and mellow, structure and elegance. There's a deep core of dark fruit, black licorice and a touch of oak, and it's just really enjoyable. In a great spot now.
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10/7/2023 - Duncan H Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good and not over the hill; Liz slightly disappointed with the fruit
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7/27/2023 - Sperls Likes this wine: 92 Points
Thought I had finished all these but found this one and we drank it in an “Aussie battle” over Cambodian food in VT with an Amon Ra 2005 Shiraz. The group agreed the Dead Arm was the more complete wine with its fruit, spice, tar, structure, etc all in balance, whereas the Amon Ra was a bit sweet.
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6/30/2023 - Racer117 wrote: 90 Points
A bit more primary than expecting. Good but not what I was hoping for. Red ripe fruit, spices, subtle savory elements.
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6/13/2023 - Winiac wrote: 96 Points
This is your fruit bomb turning into nectar after more than a decade.L ucious, thick and hedonistic. Concentrated and balanced with sweet fruit.
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4/30/2023 - kfjincott Likes this wine: 95 Points
Big fruity shiraz with a taste of mellowing age . Lovely wine great drinking .
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11/4/2022 - Brucie69 Likes this wine: 93 Points
In rude health.
Dead Arm is my go to for aged Shiraz in the mid to upper bracket. It ages magnificently and in my experience is always consistent unlike many of its peers that are creaking at 16.
Black fruite, leather, and spice on the nose. The palate is still really fresh, with blackcurrants, black cherry, plum and eucalyptus, against a strong acid backdrop. Leather and spice come through after 15 seconds or so along with a still fairly forceful tannin structure.
Apart from the leather notes it doesn’t taste like a 16 year old wine and based on this bottle it still has the fruit to last another 5-10 years.
It paired wonderfully with a Pinoy lechon pork belly.
Happy days.
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11/1/2022 - mankam wrote: 93 Points
Plummy sweet. Medium bouquet. A good Shiraz but not exceptional.
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7/31/2022 - ColoradoTaster wrote:
Decant!! Mucho sediment
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7/23/2022 - SCosgrove Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful, full bodied, drinking very well.
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7/15/2022 - rjsmall Likes this wine:
Dark and dense colour - slight browning on the edge. Dark fruits, liquorice and Chinese five spice on nose. Smooth mouthfeel. Aniseed, menthol, eucalyptus and dark fruit flavours. Long finish with slightly drying tannins. Possibly at a peak and a superb match for steak. Lovely.
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6/25/2022 - JerM wrote: 93 Points
Unctious dark florals, deep wood spice. Lifted aromatics and spicy acidity. Violets, cured meats. Nicely resolved chook poo and tannins. Concentrated, textural and drinking beautifully with armenian cured meats. Yums and juicy. In a good place, possibly at peak.
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4/11/2022 - Sperls Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last bottle. Still a big mouthful of dark fruit, plum, spice, tar, some secondary characteristics, etc. Aged well.
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3/4/2022 - benny wrote: 95 Points
Decant for 2 hours. In a good place now.
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2/18/2022 - dontime wrote:
Showing well, still plenty of black fruit but lots of secondary flavors including chocolate, spice and licorice. If scoring, 92-94.
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1/17/2022 - Winiac wrote: 93 Points
Purple ruby color. Complex bouquet of wood and berries and vanilla. Balanced with integrated oak. Spicy with focused and delicious flavors of sweet dark berries, menthol and pine and eucalyptus resins. Mostly secondary flavors, with hint of tertiary flavors. Full bodied with medium to long length and pleasant finish. Paired well with grilled lamb cured with onion, herbs and saffron.
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1/4/2022 - markcic Likes this wine: 91 Points
A bunch of us decided that since distance and covid concerns are separating us we would have a Tuesday night cocktail hour on Zoom. So I picked this wine and I opened the bottle and let it sit for about a half hour. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate is dark berries, cherry, plum, graphite and hints of spice. This wine would have scored higher with either a nice slow ox or decanting.
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12/31/2021 - jasj wrote: 89 Points
Past its peak. Still quite impressive.
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12/26/2021 - swiftr wrote: flawed
A little past its best, with tertiary characters dominant and little fruit (in half bottles, so might age a bit faster). I hope it’s just bottle variation, since I have a few more. As I recall, the last one I opened 2 or 3 months ago was still in very good condition.
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11/7/2021 - Andrew Beckett wrote: 89 Points
(Screw cap)
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11/1/2021 - skifree wrote: 94 Points
Best bottle yet, this has matured beautifully. Dark, ripe fruit on the nose with minerality behind it. Same beautiful fruit and minerality in the mouth, and then some nice salinity and tannins kick in at the end. Fantastic.
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9/25/2021 - ddhanraj Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours very smooth purple color with hints of blackberry and currants. Beautiful Shiraz which still has 7 plus years. Enjoy!
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9/3/2021 - Sperls wrote: 92 Points
Exactly what aged Shiraz should be. Nice tar, fruit, pepper and spice with good attack and a decent finish. Firing on all cylinders but not over the top or too sweet. Should have several years ahead of it. The prior note from the same night is spot on too. Glad I have a bottle or 2 left…
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9/3/2021 - SchlaepDog Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still quite purple with little browning on the edges. Nose shows abundant spice, both white and black pepper, along with a sweet floral note, wild crushed red berry, and minerals.
In the mouth, there is abundant sweet red and blue fruits balanced by refreshing acidity that keeps the fruit lifted and in the forefront. Earth, underbrush, and light spice notes meld into the creamy finish where more red berry fruit explodes into the palette. Finish is medium long with no harsh edges, but slightly drying.
Overall, wonderful shiraz, likely just entering prime drinking conditions that will likely continue for at least five more years. If opening now, a short decant is recommend. Drink 2021-2026.
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6/26/2021 - Mr Coone wrote: flawed
Slightly corked, unfortunately :-(
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6/18/2021 - skp88 wrote: 90 Points
It was alright, but nothing profound. I was expecting something special like Dan aged northern Rhône or a bandol. This didn’t seem to have anything more than a brambly, black current stew, which goes well with charred meats
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6/15/2021 - madia wrote: 93 Points
This bottle was in an excellent shape! Intense nose of red/black fruits+cedar+chocolate. No hints of oxidation. Full bodied and round, still with good acidity and smooth tannins. A lot of black fruits on the palate too. Can be aged for a few more years!
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3/4/2021 - burgburgburg wrote: 89 Points
Normal cork. PnP. Tannin were resolved but the fruits were also started to fade. Plum, cassis, and black currants aroma shadowed by alcoholic heat. Fruity palate but lacking in structure. High in acidity. Good with meat but no more.
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2/22/2021 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 93 Points
The Dead Arm Lives! Six years since my previous bottle. Maturity agrees very well with this McLaren Vale. On day one, after hour decant, the nose and palate were top notch, filled with berries. On day two, secondary flavors and textures emerged, adding depth and tone. Quite spectacular now, promising years more of positive changes. G'Day, Mates!
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2/15/2021 - SineQuaNon Likes this wine: 92 Points
PSUSteve nails it below! Huge nose already on the PnP, damn near goosebump level. Unfortunately, the palate is tightly coiled and does not yield near as much pleasure as the nose suggests. Consumed over a couple of hours and the palate never really took off, even if still very, very good and impressively youthful.
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12/4/2020 - PSUSteve wrote: 91 Points
Tight on PnP so I poured through the aerator. Deep purple in the glass with a very thin clear rim of bricking followed by a light purple rim. Nose is dark candied fruit with a focus on blueberry. On the palate, still full-bodied and quite plush. Jammy dark fruit with spice, meat and some smoke deep in the background.
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11/5/2020 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very dry on opening. Improved significantly with some air. Does not have the heavy alcohol or glycerin characteristic of some of the Oz wines. But still full bodied with lots of dark fruit. Finish is chewy.
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10/18/2020 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 90 Points
BYO with friends - The 2000s (The Ranch by Aston's): Deep ruby. Upfront and intense, tannins softened, with ripe dark fruits, and loads of sweet cinnamon and clove spices, and paprika. Medium finish
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10/8/2020 - markcic Likes this wine: 92 Points
Had not tried a bottle in over 2 years. It has gotten better with age. I opened the bottle and let it sit for two hours and then I decanted it and let it sit another hour. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate is dark berries, cherry, plum, graphite and hints of spice. The finish is moderate to long. Served with what is becoming our regular Thursday dinner. Marinated grilled tuna.
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10/3/2020 - benmhunter Likes this wine:
Full and smokey. Very nice wine.
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9/5/2020 - no leashes wrote: 92 Points
Really drinking well. Layers of red fruit and hints of chocolate and coffee. Delicious.
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7/19/2020 - mlawren1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is an amazing wine. Layers of cherries, plums and currants. Finishes with some chocolate and coco.
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6/14/2020 - bitdrerik wrote: 95 Points
Meðaldökkt á litinn. Orðið pínu brúnt í jöðrunum. Í ilminum komu aðallega jarðvegseinkenni til að byrja með. Dökkur þungur svartur kjarni, ryk, olíubleyta, öskulykt. Dökkur ávöxtur kom síðan fram eftir smá stund í glasinu. Á tungunni svo frábært jafnvægi og mikill ferskleiki. Þétt sýra og þéttur ávöxtur. Sólber, tóbak (vindlatóbak), eik og krydd. Blautur lakkrís kom síðan í lokin. Væri áreiðanlega frábært með mat eins og porterhouse steik eða lambahrygg (kjöt með fitu). Ég smakkaði þetta vín síðast fyrir 10 árum. Gott þá en frábært núna. Ég get alveg ímyndað mér að þetta vín eigi 10 ár eftir á þessu plani. Frábær frammistaða. Svo má ekki gleyma að minnast á að þetta vín var með skrúftappa. 14 ára gamalt og algerlega í fullu fjöri.
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4/26/2020 - Ulaa wrote: 95 Points
Spicy almost Rhone like Shiraz. 5 hours in the decanter revealed a still strong but integrated tannin structure. Plums, 5 spice, tobacco and leather wrapped the whole thing up. Drinking beautifully it might still have a few years in it but I am going to drink now.
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4/7/2020 - Grenik Likes this wine: 90 Points
Classic spicy shiraz. Not outstanding but the soft fruit danced well with the spice and earthen notes.
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2/28/2020 - bagash Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark red. Fruit+++++. light homogeneous sediment. Oak mellowing nicely. Excellent long finish.
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12/24/2019 - RoccoSydney wrote:
Robert Parker
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10/12/2019 - Duncan H Likes this wine: 89 Points
Tasted alongside a (slightly underwhelming) 2006 Sorrel Hermitage and probably outperformed it.
Still very dark in colour and quite monolithic. Rich smoky blackberry on nose and palate, but not the super-concentrated over-ripeness that I associate with Dead Arm (and don't particularly like). Mrs H absolutely loved this.
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8/28/2019 - burgburgburg wrote: 89 Points
Screw cap. Heavy black fruits and oak in nose. Tannin dissolved. Fruity palate. Medium body. Good acidity. Acceptable as a meat pairing fruit wine.
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7/27/2019 - fedro Likes this wine: 91 Points
much better than my previous bottle where the fruit was stewed (not sure if this was stored properly). Brambly and smokey with a hint of cocoa and a sweet touch. It felt a little disjointed at the beginning but opened up with air. Long finish with a little bit of heat
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7/22/2019 - isjomia Likes this wine: 94 Points
very enjoyable shiraz. nice length, reasonable complexity. My drinking buddies agreed that it outperformed a 2010 bin 389 (which was probably too young) and a few other competitors. still have a few. no hurry to consume.
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7/3/2019 - srshane Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking perfectly now. Balanced
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6/22/2019 - psi wrote: 92 Points
Nice and mature
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6/2/2019 - Jimmy_D wrote: 89 Points
From magnum: lighter in body than I was expecting, albeit very McLaren Vale. Seems to be a fair way towards resolving itself, even in this format. I liked the upfront fruit profile, but there wasn't much complexity or length past that.
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5/13/2019 - ogres3 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Pulled this one instead of the '01 for the mother-in-law. Was well received. Thick rich full-bodied fruit, but not overpowering. Long finish. Could go a few more years.
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5/7/2019 - Artmount Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lots of dark berry on the nose. Hint of cedar, concentrated with tasting lasting long on the palate
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4/11/2019 - RichardP wrote: 92 Points
Strawberry, some darker fruit, and camphor on the nose. On the palate, blackberry, cherry, currant, and notes of black tea and some other earthy spice on the medium to long finish, with good acidity and little to no tannin, and no jamminess or alcoholic heat. The earthy black tea note is something I haven't noticed in a Syrah before. This is somewhere in the middle of its drinking window with some years left, although it isn't likely to improve. It was an average to good value at about $45.
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4/8/2019 - skifree wrote: 92 Points
This has improved dramatically since my last bottle (or this was a better bottle). The fruit is more integrated with hard, herbal edges receding on the first night and gone on the second. There is a lot of spice and pepper to add interest at the finish.
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4/7/2019 - vinodolphin Likes this wine: 92 Points
I have drank a lot of Dead Arm but this was my only 2006. A real treat.
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4/5/2019 - Andrew67 wrote: 89 Points
I'm similarly disappointed with this bottle, though for different reasons. Overall I think the wine is a little out of balance. Not sure it is going to last - and I still have a few bottles to go.
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2/23/2019 - maxima wrote: 88 Points
Encore assez dense et extrait, confituré et presque syrupeux.
C'est simple et soyeux, facile et un brin sucré.
Long avec un peu de chauffe, un verre est presqu'un repas.
Je suis ailleurs!
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2/23/2019 - the shrub wrote: 90 Points
Tasty but felt nowhere near ready to me
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2/10/2019 - wineshaman wrote: 92 Points
This bottle (my only) has been in my personal cellar since 2010. Decanted with little to no sediment, took a bit in the glass/decanter to open up, not as big, sweet or alcoholic as most Aussie Shiraz, still there was plenty of dark fruit, though a bit simple, some spice, very nice smooth finish. Doubtful based on this bottle there will be any further development but certainly you can hold for several more years in the proper environment.
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2/9/2019 - Duncan H Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pure hedonism!
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2/1/2019 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Extracted, big juicy licorice-like fruit coats the mouth and gums with this massive fruit forward Shiraz. While not for everyone, this monster wine pairs great with steak, lamb chops and other red meats. Finish lingers with a mild spice that has now mellowed after 13 years in the bottle.
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1/19/2019 - Gemofwine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lovely aroma which is primarily mineral & cool forest pine, with earthy, meat, leather , spicy peppery notes.
The palate is tobacco, deep & oh so very bitter. Bold tannins, with acid backbones. A masculine Shiraz....very fierce Shiraz with the spiciness blooming as time progresses.
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1/16/2019 - BPidgeon Likes this wine: 92 Points
Super jammy and drinking at the tail end of the window.
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11/21/2018 - mlawren1 wrote: 94 Points
In perfect state. Little funk opens up into currants and plums. Finishes with a smooth earrthiness.
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11/18/2018 - OWC wrote: 90 Points
Drink now. Plenty of fruit. Ready or past peak.
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11/17/2018 - 39084 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Excellent
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9/30/2018 - kanowsky Does not like this wine: 83 Points
Past its prime.
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9/17/2018 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 89 Points
Good Shiraz drank with grilled pork chops. A bit on the rustic side with the tannin and acidity overshadowing the fruit. May improve with additional cellar time.
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9/12/2018 - TashNYC wrote: 90 Points
Drinking ok now but really not into its drinking window yet. We Coravined a bottle to check in on the wine. Notes of red and black fruit - blackberry and cherry - with some interesting flavors of herbs and meat as well. But quite subdued vs. other vintages of this we have had.
It was best with our Mamoun’s hummus with paprika, which led it to pick up some tar notes as well. And it was too savory for our rare, grilled buffalo steaks, which needed an American syrah. (Silly me, there are no buffalo in Australia!)
But this really needs 5+ years of cellar time, based upon our experience with the 2003 vintage in 375 ml bottles, which drank best 2007-2011. (And 2003 may be an earlier drinking vintage than 2006, too.)
Great qpr for $30 / 750 ml bottle back in 2013
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9/6/2018 - arthrovine wrote:
First bottle of a 6 purchased upon release. Beautiful. Fruit balanced with maturing notes. No heat, no macerated cooked fruit character. Everything on point. Last glass at 4 hours in the decanter was the best. Should last at least another 5 years. I plan on drinking them every other year.
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9/3/2018 - TannicBeast Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted, due to the presence of sediment. Medium (+) ruby, with a garnet edge and thick, stained tears. The nose is clean, with medium (+) intensity, developed, complex, and of fine quality, with aromas of black cherry, cinnamon, mocha, indian spices, dried herbs. The palate is clean, dry, with medium acidity and medium plus tannins. The alcohol is high, but nicely integrated. Overall, the wine is very smooth, balanced, full-bodied, with medium (+) intensity and length. Contrary to prior some prior reports, I don't think this is anywhere close to the end of its optimal drinking window. I think WS missed this one with their prediction of "drink by 2016." WS 91.
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8/19/2018 - ruth3 wrote:
drinking beautifully, rich, fine tannins. Can't see how it could improve.
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8/10/2018 - isjomia Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excellent wine. SO smooth. Still potent, lovely cedary element coming through. Surely can't get any better but far from over the hill. Have 5 more to drink so I will get onto them.
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8/10/2018 - kerv22 Likes this wine: 91 Points
I've had the Dead Arm many times and always enjoy it. This vintage was great a couple years ago, but I'm afraid it's getting over the hill. Don't get me wrong, it's still pleasant and very nice, but I think it's nearing the end of it's life. Time to drink up.
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7/8/2018 - BrunelloBob wrote:
Different, not sure I call it shiraz blind. Held too long?
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6/30/2018 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 93 Points
Magnum, fantastic Shiraz very old world, thought it was an old world Cabernet, best Aussie Shiraz I’ve had, very elegant, paired perfectly with cheese at the end of dinner, years left in this format
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6/17/2018 - prusakolep wrote: 89 Points
It’s over the hill - still ok, but would have been better a year or two earlier.
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5/18/2018 - ruth3 wrote:
double decanted- a fair bit of sediment. big smooth black and red fruits, slight sweet mintiness. great with beef carbonnade. drinking well but I'll hang onto my other 2 bottles and see what happens. while ready to drink its still a compact wine.
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5/9/2018 - dimdic wrote: 91 Points
Nose of black fruit, spices, little eucalyptus. Fruity blackcurrant, blackberry and cherry flavor. Quite smooth and drinkable. Very straight forward. Good quality Aussie Shiraz but not much distinct character. Drink now.
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4/29/2018 - psi wrote: 92 Points
Drinking great. Richer than Northern Rhône but everything is in balance and there is an earthy profile to this one as well.
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4/22/2018 - benny wrote: 95 Points
Classic Aussie. Lots of sediment. This wine to ready to enjoy.
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3/24/2018 - Sniffy-Sniff Likes this wine: 93 Points
Notes from day-2. Angular and tight at first, but it softened beautifully with a little air. Dark berry fruit framed by spice and just a hint of sweetness from the oak. Minerality was spot on and made for fantastic pairing with truffle ravioli stuffed with mushroom. Wish I had more...
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1/13/2018 - markcic Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened a 375 and poured through a soiree and served with an assortment of cheese. Dark fruit on the nose. The palate was dark berry, dark cherry, graphite and spice. A very nice finish.
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12/25/2017 - Tarpon222 wrote: 93 Points
Wonderful. Glad I finished off the 2006 now.Won't get any better than this
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11/25/2017 - darren81 Likes this wine:
8.5/10 - Drinking well now. A hit with the crowd. Big and juicy. Velvety tannins. Pinch of acidity to keep it fresh.
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11/21/2017 - sethboy23 wrote: 93 Points
Always a treat. Hard to understand how this will mature, other than it seems to have enough guts and Acidity to last much longer. Drinking great now with impressive complexity.
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10/22/2017 - fedro Likes this wine: 90 Points
A little jammy and not sure if this is due to sub-standard keeping before I bought it. The stuffing is all there and you can tell the quality, especially on the nose. On the palate it feels a little disjointed and hot. Very far experience from other bottle I tried in the past (01 and 04)
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9/25/2017 - Mossrose wrote: 96 Points
2006 is proving to be a strong candidate for the best Dead Arm Shiraz. Impressively concentrated, dark, and drinkable on release and every bit as tannic, fruity, complex, plush, and delicious now as it ever was, from an 11 year old half bottle. Heading strong and undiminished into its next decade.
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9/14/2017 - depdoc wrote: 95 Points
Massive dark fruit on nose and palate. Perfectly balanced with smooth tannins. The mouth feel was impressive, long after taste. Super!
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8/16/2017 - amfreund Likes this wine: 96 Points
Beautiful. Great drinking now but feels like it has another 10 - 15 years left it in. Silky mouth feel, rich without being over the top. Cherry and red berries. Nicest Australian wine I've had in a long time.
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8/13/2017 - johnrm Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very nice. Lovely fruit with red berries predominant. Good acidity and balance. Probably still rather young.
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7/28/2017 - ataraxy wrote: 91 Points
Solid but not terribly interesting. I've now had three bottles of this, ranging from tasteless to very nice.
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7/27/2017 - markcic Likes this wine: 91 Points
From a 375, I really enjoyed this wine. Dark fruit on the nose, the palate was dark cherry and dark berry, a touch of graphite and spice on the nice finish.
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7/21/2017 - James Bornn wrote: 92 Points
The big aussies are fun to watch grow. There is a noticeable softening to the tannin in this wine, even though it is definitely pretty ripe. This is typical in my experience for Dead Arm - the funkiness of youth takes about 6-8 years to mellow, but if you're looking for development of flavours and colours you have to play the long game. This wine was still very primary, with deep black fruits and dark aromas.
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4/22/2017 - MAXIMUM SATISFACTION wrote: 93 Points
Fairly ready to drink straight from the bottle with the exception of some funk. Texture is syrupy but still more elegantly styled than expected. Raspberry syrup, tobacco, black tea, black pepper, and earth. Loads on minerals and tannins on the finish. Would have guessed hot climate Cabernet. Easily has 5 more years and could improve.
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3/28/2017 - cweiner Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely- at last.
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2/21/2017 - geppetto Likes this wine: 93 Points
I just killed a baby. It was really good, but still really young. A 2006 Shiraz with a decade on it, and it is still primal... Amazing.
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2/5/2017 - SCosgrove wrote: 88 Points
Wasn't sure what to think on this one, thought it was time to drink but tasted really tannin filled when opened. I'll see what happens tomorrow when I finish it, but I'm going to put this other bottle away for a few years and see if it can come out of this funk.
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1/9/2017 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Weekly tasting group RWP #242: A randomly chosen blind tasted set. (@ JdB): In the bouquet dark forest fruits like blackberries, vanilla, licorice, coffee and chocolate. On the palate the same ripe fruits, firm sweetness and vanilla and also beautifully fresh acidity and good tannin. The wine will improve with some more ageing. 92 - 93+
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12/25/2016 - Martysfo wrote: 93 Points
Absolutely delicious. Roasted meat and big jammy dark fruit. Long spicy finish.
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12/24/2016 - ljonas wrote: 96 Points
Nose is restrained but aroma of meat, bacon, game, truffless, blueberry, & balckberry. Firm, layered, & complex.
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11/10/2016 - AnonymousCoward Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very similar to previous tasting: the dark fruit, acid, grippy tannins are all there. The finish is of savoury spice, black pepper and dark cocoa. It just seems a little restrained. Will have to see how it develops
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10/16/2016 - scheune Does not like this wine: 90 Points
Entäuschend! 6 Jahre gelagert und dann das: die Nase sehr petrollastig.keine Frucht mehr wahrnehmbar. Obwohl 3 Stunden dekantiert und über 2Tage getrunken kein Wow erlebnis.Säure zu dominant . Einige dunkle Früchte , Johannisbeere ,Kirsche leichtes Leder am Gaumen.So gut wie keime Tannine . langer Abgang. Für den Preis aber Erwatung nicht erfüllt.
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9/23/2016 - ikkaariainen Likes this wine: 92 Points
A very good and now mature and ready to drink Aussie shiraz that at this point in maturation is in no way subtle but with age has softened, become much more cohesive and balanced and at this point is not overly fruity or jammy. A good QPR wine. Would recommend a longish decant - it was open and drinking well after about 3 hours in the decanter and after overnight refrigeration and re-warming was still drinking superbly the next evening. This has many years to go with proper cellaring. Very dark purple, big, full bodied, fruit forward as expected but also rather well balanced and definitely not a monolithic jammy fruit bomb at this stage of maturation. Nose slightly sweet, warm, dark and round with dark fruit, blackberry, allspice and a hint of eucalyptus with a flavor profile of as expected of intense but controlled / balanced dark stone fruit, coffee and plum up front with a more earthy and meaty finish. Definitely recommend this wine.
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8/25/2016 - wineordeath wrote: 91 Points
Slightly sweet, intriguing dried herb nose, faint hints of white pepper. Rich round palate, but good acidity that refreshes. New world but well done.
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8/18/2016 - pc2006mg wrote: 94 Points
Excellent!
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8/16/2016 - rloyot wrote:
Still has lots of structure tannins are not fully integrated fruit is excellent - didn't hold up very well on day two but wasn't stored overnight properly still overall an excellent big wine
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8/2/2016 - mlawren1 wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful plums and cherries. Finishes with a hint of mint.
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7/8/2016 - AnonymousCoward Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still quite tight/closed in my opinion. Acidity is there, black fruits are there, tannins drying but smooth. Spices (pepper) and chocolate on the after-taste, but really could do with more resting IMHO. Looking forward to the remaining bottles.
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6/17/2016 - rloyot wrote: 90 Points
Amazing but this is still tight and needs lots of air to be approachable - wondering where it goes from here. Don't even attempt it without food
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6/9/2016 - Mossrose wrote: 96 Points
Black to the edge. Concentrated aromas of smoked meat, plum, and blackberry. The mouth swish reveals a bright acidity, plush texture, concentrated and tasty black fruit, and juiciness, with an undertow of strong, drying, yet smooth tannin. The swallow carressingly glides down the throat and lasts for minutes. Overall, rich, delicious, well integrated, and complete, without any heaviness or sugar sweetness. Aging beautifully and fully enjoyable anytime in the next decade.
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6/3/2016 - mgstull Likes this wine: 88 Points
Maybe 20-30 minutes of slow ox. Compared to a previous bottle, this was more spare and less opulent, and seemingly not as ripe.
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6/3/2016 - PSUSteve wrote: 89 Points
30 minute slow ox. Not nearly as much fruit as typically found in a Dead Arm. Was rustic and rougher
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6/2/2016 - Andrew67 wrote: 89 Points
This wine did not have the life I was expecting from a Dead Arm, though it had improved a lot by the last sip. Perhaps it needs a lot more decanting that I gave it. Overall I thought the fruit was a little muted. There was good structure to the wine, with firm tannins, so that gives me hope the next bottle will be better. I'll remember to decant properly next time.
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5/14/2016 - Quarked wrote: 92 Points
Just a wonderful nose, but on first night this was still a little closed down. By night #2, this was multilayered and gorgeous.
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5/6/2016 - Bantram Likes this wine: 94 Points
Long finish, classic Mclaren vale Shiraz. Ready to drink now
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4/17/2016 - fingers Likes this wine: 91 Points
Completely mature and feeling like it can keep running for several more years. Cherry kirsch, persimmon, and licorice highlights over soft tannins and solid acidity. Generous bouquet that jumps out of the bowl.
Medium length finish. 5+12+16+8= 91
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4/3/2016 - drunken sommelier Likes this wine:
Tasted as part of a 10 year vertical - '99 - '09. This vintage is still pretty closed. Firm body, tight tannins. Mint and pepper aromas. Needs to age for another 5-10 years.
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2/16/2016 - helispud Likes this wine: 93 Points
2.5 years after the last bottle..Has aged well, the "cola burn" is gone but still has been replaced by mature cherry and currant notes. Just a bit of alcohol on the finish. Ready to drink, now. Didn't decant but will next bottle.
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1/31/2016 - cweiner Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 3 hours ahead, served with filets mignon. Still young but at least now holding together. Will not open another to 2018.
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12/25/2015 - Teebs Likes this wine: 94 Points
Big, bold and juicy.
A classic.
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11/7/2015 - darren81 Likes this wine:
8/10 - No formal tasting note. Big juicy and yummy as always.
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10/24/2015 - cliffkol wrote: 93 Points
At Lee and Alison's. Continued improvement with time. Tannins fully resolved, dark, deep layers of dark berries, earth, slight oak. Big and bold, but not jammy. Chewy, elegant.
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10/10/2015 - CAQC wrote: 93 Points
Tasted young. Waiting, but should be sensational. Worth it. Will update note in a few years!
I've rated the 2004 here which was outstanding and me first encounter with the magnificent The Dead Arm.
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10/10/2015 - TBean wrote: 90 Points
A very primary Australian shiraz. Pop the cork for an hour and decant later for 20 mins and drank over the course of 2 hours. My palate tend to favour the subtle side but I wasn't disappoint by this style big and forward wine. I only wish it had more dimension. Compare to the 1998 Wynn Michael shiraz (magnum as well), the dead arm seem a bit brute. Perhaps it need another year in the cellar or few more hours in the decanter?
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9/21/2015 - galewskj wrote: 92 Points
Aussie Shiraz; 9/20/2015-10/3/2015 (Edina Country Club): Supposedly slow o'd for 8 hours. This wine was chewy, tannic, and a great wine to end an Aussie tasting. Quite bold.
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9/20/2015 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 92 Points
Young with promise. Berries, spices, pepper and earth. Medium plus finish. Cellar a few years.
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9/20/2015 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
High Scoring Aussies (Edina Country Club, Edina, MN): Very dark purple color. Slow-O for 8 hours; drank 1 glass over 30 minutes. This wa pretty intense, black fruits, heat on the nose. The palate has depth, intense, tannins, heat, dark fruit, grainy, full bodied, medium finish. Needs time or air. 90-91pts.
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9/20/2015 - mzimberg wrote: 92 Points
Aussie's at Edina Country Club (Edina): Pitch black. Dark as night. Very smooth, round and balanced. Very long but hot on the end. Totally unevolved. Like a block.
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8/16/2015 - JChan wrote: 87 Points
My second time to drink this, still thinking is it too early to open? not quite balance
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7/20/2015 - Sniffy-Sniff Likes this wine: 91 Points
Started to shine after 2 hours in decanter then faded after hour 4. Good, but was not blown away.
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7/15/2015 - depdoc Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted. Great nose. Lots of dark fruit and minimal tannin. Ready.
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7/7/2015 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 92 Points
We have lift-off! Soaring into Shiraz Stratosphere. Bevies of berries, mulled spices and silken tannins, all with a brash Aussie swagger.
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6/18/2015 - vfsi wrote: 93 Points
deep brick red color, nose of big vanilla and red fruit, red fruit followed through to the taste with good spice very nice with the Korean food far from over aged
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6/7/2015 - Thirsty1 wrote:
This, again, wasn't my style. I didn't get the meaty, gamey notes I thought the wine would have. It was dark, dark purple with muted blackberry and earth. Pnp. Massive mid pallet with gripping tannin and noticeable tannin. I had to get some cheese and meat to have with the wine to calm the wine down. To me, I thought this wine was like a rope that had a frayed ending. Not sure if it will come all back together since it was a bit unbalanced.
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5/3/2015 - mgstull Likes this wine: 93 Points
1 hour decant. roasted meat, blackberry, blueberry, and white pepper. Smooth with smooth mouthfeel. . Finish goes on and on.
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4/19/2015 - JChan wrote: 88 Points
Good nose. Sweet dark fruits dominates. Full bodied but short in finish. Dead arm 2002 is more superior than this 2006..
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4/1/2015 - goodvitis.com Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not a lot of notes. Needed two hour decant to begin opening up, but then sang. Deep, dark Shiraz with red and black fruits along with chocolate and espresso on the nose and palate. Palate adds licorice, pencil lead smoke and tar. Big structure, firm tannins with well-matched acidity. Medium extraction, there is some decent finesse in this lush, even creamy, wine. The finish lasts for a long time. Just starting to hit a nice drinking window that will extend for a good 5+ years. All-around good wine but nothing in the way of uniqueness.
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3/28/2015 - Collector1855 wrote: 92 Points
During a tasting event. Medium purple with ruby rim. Typical Barossa nose of torrefaction, cassis, wood, licorice. Full bodied with soft tannins and appropriate acidity, medium length. This is a well-made wine for sure but not at the level of the best Aussie Shiraz.
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3/21/2015 - Martysfo Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great bottle. As it opened up, there were jammy notes of bacon and roasted meat, plum and cassis. The wine was rich on the palate with distinct acidity and a long finish. Wine was entering it peak drinking window. Great stuff and I have one more bottle.
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3/1/2015 - globi Likes this wine: 93 Points
Suprise! I didn't expect that level of quality ! Top fruit quality and precision ! 15% alcohol, i couldn't tell at all. Drink over the next 10 years !
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2/23/2015 - cliffkol wrote:
see 11/5/2014 notes. Same. 92
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1/23/2015 - Cycle Man Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not my wife favorite but I enjoyed it. Big wine! Needs some food to compliment and enjoy to its fullest.
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1/16/2015 - stayhappy21 wrote: 91 Points
Tasted this at the 2006 Australian Shiraz Barossa Valley vs McLaren Vale tasting at Extra Space Boon Keng last night. This wine was pitted against the 2006 Torbreck Shiraz The Struie.
Big, juicy, with meaty notes. Rounded with some rough edges. The heat was evident in this wine. The fresh acidity makes the consumer salivating for more.
As compared to The Struie, this wine was more powerful and contains riper fruits.
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1/11/2015 - benny wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for one hour. Drinking well now but will still aging. Aromas of floral blueberry. Intense and bold on the palate. Strong fruit on the finish. Blackberry,chokecherry and a touch of spicy cranberry. I enjoyed this wine.
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11/5/2014 - cliffkol wrote: 92 Points
Blackberries, dark woods, earth, spicy, leather. Deep, layered flavors. Forward fruit but not jammy. Dark purple color. A,delight to drink. (doris- too tannic. Possibly spicy)
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10/16/2014 - peterk Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep, dark, rich, powerful - better on day 3 than on day 1, so may be best to wait; however, I'll decant another bottle soon.
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10/11/2014 - CarpeVinum Likes this wine: 89 Points
Tasted with Coravin and was ready to drink. Was very good over the first two hours and then lost its fruit and became flat. Not sure what happened
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9/25/2014 - Harley1199 wrote:
Picking some Australian Shiraz (plus a private dinner) (Vila Viniteca - Madrid): Really closed up. Aromas of asphalt, black olives too.
I can't find that laughing magpie's creaminess anywhere.
I think it needs time plus taking some air in order to show how it really is.
Same story on the palate, astringent and drier.
When finishing disgusting plastic smells...
Cerrado. Aromas a asfalto, a olivas negras. No encuentro la cremosidad de aquellas laughing magpie.
Creo que necesita mucho tiempo aireándose para mostrarse, también en boca: astringente y secante.
Al final desagradables olores a plástico.
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9/1/2014 - fredman wrote: 91 Points
1 1/2 hr decant, using a screen to filter out most of the sediment. Fruit forward with good balance and a medium-long finish. Certainly still a big boy but not as over the top as some Dead Arm's I've had in the past. Probably has more than a few years of life left but nothing wrong with drinking now.
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8/16/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Wine with Grilled Meat (Chez Whitehead - Northbrook IL): Lots of ripe fruit everywhere with plenty of liqueur. Certainly well made, but the intense ripeness is not exactly my preferred style.
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6/29/2014 - Kerino wrote: 89 Points
A little tar, plenty of sweet and a burst of tannin to open up with. Not sure about this baby. Still early but the bones are lacking IMHO. Won't be rushing for my other ones. Not atypical Aussie fruit bomb but not that close to the Rhone motherland.
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6/6/2014 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine: 94 Points
Here we go again, this time celebrating Sweden Day with a sprinkle of Australian flair.
It's striking how the palate is dominated by Sicilian blood oranges... Rich, intense, elegant, fruit driven, young, promising... And Dill...
Digging under the hood we drag out fine anise seeds, some small rubber, M++ acids, M+ tannin and a mineral character best described as very dry, crumbling, clay soil. Small bitter tinge crown the long finish.
Aaah! What a wine to write home about, but also a wine that will favor the keepers. Even if I can't say whether I'd go for a pure Oz wine or mistake it for a neo-Rioja. The dill really is a game changer here, meaning Oz is growing in its strength as a producer of extreme quality wines. Me like!
On second thought: this is a Shiraz that embodies everything that modern Tempranillio wants to become (at at least twice the price).
Three more, looking forward to the next one in ~2017, when we expect to experience early maturity. IF you care what others write, just forget about this wine until after 2020.
(Greatly preferred over today's 2000 Sandrone Le Vigne.)
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5/26/2014 - D.Callahan Likes this wine: 92 Points
The nose is somewhat reticent but opens up to tarry, meaty notes with just a hint remaining of blackberry and blueberry fruit. The palate hits with a bang of acid and alcohol initially before the fruit, meat and graphite kick in. In spite of the upfront bang the overall palate is very enjoyable with deep fruit and savory flavors melding into complex whole. The finish is medium length and ends on a very nice slightly mineral note. After the first few sips the upfront bang becomes less noticeable and the overall experience ascends to new heights.
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5/16/2014 - hoservin wrote: 91 Points
Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for 1.5 hours. Aromas of blackberry, black plum, mocha and spice. Blackberry, plum, red licorice, chocolate and spice combine with soft tannins. Rich, dense texture that leads to a long finish. Paired with macaroni and cheese.
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4/27/2014 - stevenjstein Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big, dark, spicy fruit. Maybe just a touch hot, but overall drinking very well right now.
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4/25/2014 - andrewdl wrote: 91 Points
Fantastic but up against Armagh.
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3/28/2014 - eluebchow Likes this wine: 92 Points
A dark and brooding wine, with intense flavors of blackberries, chocolate and plums, with enough acidity and freshness to keep everything in balance
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2/2/2014 - Bowmanifesto wrote: 91 Points
Dead Arm has been sleeping in my cellar for four years. Today, for SuperBowl, I opened the first bottle. Boom. This is ready to begin. Deep garnet with light ruby at the edge, with powerful legs. Dark berries and fall brambles on the nose. Blueberries, blackberries, cassis, and cinnamon on the palate, backed by distinctive tannins (which are well integrated, but showing a strength that promises at least another decade of maturity). The finish lasts on and on, with cracked pepper on the finale).
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1/26/2014 - slippytoad wrote: 91 Points
Probably at its peak, last bottle. Definitely the best of the bunch.
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1/22/2014 - firstgrowth wrote: 93 Points
Awesome smooth Shiraz- silky smoky excellence.
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1/22/2014 - sethboy23 wrote: 94 Points
Solid
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12/24/2013 - Woodway Mike wrote:
Drank our first bottle on 1/22/13 paired with a pumpkin and black bean soup. It was a nice pairing. It seemed drinkable, but I will look forward to another year or two before I try it again..
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12/8/2013 - Tarrant wrote: 94 Points
An excellent Shiraz, 'one of the best I've had in a long time' quoted by my wife, it was huge, but enough freshness and acidity that it is definitely one for the long haul, simply delicious - Black, full bodied with a nose plum, blueberry, mocha, pepper and vanilla, excellent structure and balance, fruit forward yet complex, sweet, velvety smooth on the palate with terrific length (94 Points).
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12/7/2013 - maxima wrote: 89 Points
Moins bien que les précédentes.
Nez sur les bleuets et la vanille.
En bouche c'est satiné et assez fruité, long sur des relents sucrés.
Bien dans le style!
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11/22/2013 - hoservin wrote: 91 Points
Aerated with a Vinturi and decanted for one hour. Aromas of blackberry, plum, pepper, mocha, vanilla and baking spice. Dark berry, plum, cocoa and spice on the palate integrated with firm tannins. Leads to a long, smooth finish. Full bodied and well balanced. Paired with macaroni, brocolli and cheese.
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11/9/2013 - rrNYC Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for a few hours and that really took the sharp edges off quite nicely. As is typically the case with this wine, it is a full, hearty, chewy Syrah. Fairly fruit-forward at this point with good but mellowed tannins. Seems to be ready to drink now, but the decanting definitely helps.
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11/2/2013 - oldwines Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very much the Aussie Shiraz you would expect. Dark red with a nose of oak mint, licorice and black fruits. Developed nicely in the glass. After several hours breathing it calmed down and was quite pleasant to drink. To my surprise it went great with a spicy cilantro, lime marinated turkey breast.
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10/29/2013 - clarktoews wrote: 88 Points
nice colour but lacked depth and had slight herbal taste on the finish. i much prefer the Command Shiraz or the Amon-Ra
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10/28/2013 - dtirsell Likes this wine: 92 Points
Thick, rich syrupy syrah. Pepper nose/finish emerged in 2/3 glasses. Blueberry notes, loved this even more the second day.
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10/23/2013 - azzah wrote: 92 Points
Purple/red colour. This opened up really meaty and rubbery. Too meaty...like a meat pie! This blew off a bit after an hour in the decanter but it will still too stinky. On went the lid and into the fridge it went until the next day.
Much better. Still beefy and smoky but with plums, blackberry, chocolate and spice too. Maybe a hint of licorice. It was quite complex but I'm not sure I enjoyed the flavours that much still. Silky tannins, with really good length. Undecided on this.
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9/4/2013 - levinml wrote: 91 Points
Good solid Shiraz, but didn't stand out vs. other high-quality aussies. Probably a bit overpriced for what it is.
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8/30/2013 - wpd Likes this wine: 89 Points
Deep purple color, nice nose with berries, opening taste was fruity, but a sour aftertaste that disappeared after decanting. Nice wine
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8/18/2013 - psi wrote: 92 Points
Very nice. Classic Syrah profile. Balanced, almost elegant with smooth tannins.
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8/12/2013 - madflyfisher wrote:
Had this with marinated, BBQ'ed steaks. Very intense wine. Some fruity sweetness and fortunately not any sign of alcohol. Not complex at all, just deep, dark fruit flavors. Although not my typical kind of wine, this actually did the job very well with marinated BBQ-steaks.
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7/7/2013 - helispud Likes this wine: 93 Points
A cola burn followed by nice sweet cherry flavors. Great with marinated, barbecued brisket. My first of 4 bottles, after drinking this bottle 'll be looking for more.
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6/26/2013 - darren81 Likes this wine:
8/10 - Refer to prior notes
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6/14/2013 - Davyd Chong wrote: 91 Points
Intense, complex, lots of blackberries and sweet cherries, some vanilla and oak, yet not overpowering. Quite elegant. Yhere was no tannins at all in this wine. Very smooth, could be mistaken for a Cabernet Sauvignon, though this is a Shiraz. Not as robust/powerful as the Elderton Command Shiraz (probably because this is not from Barossa). Overall, an enjoyable wine.
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6/6/2013 - Porchino wrote: 91 Points
Needed to open best with oinons and cheddar
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6/3/2013 - graemeg wrote: flawed
NobleRottersSydney - Random night (Verde, East Sydney): [screwcap, 14.5%] {DavidC} There’s something wrong with this; it’s fungal and bretty. There are inky earthy spiced flavours underneath, but the palate is overlaid with a distinctly bacterial character, giving a harsh finish. There’s charcoal oak, sure, but there’s little presence on the mid-palate (in a McLaren Vale chiraz, of all things!) and the finish is very short. I can’t believe this bottle is characteristic. Weird.
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6/2/2013 - JS199 wrote: 92 Points
Very refined and not nearly as tight as the previous bottle. Lots of wood on the palette with fine tannins. It will be even better in a year or two.
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5/28/2013 - dtirsell Likes this wine: 92 Points
opened and let breath for 60 minutes, aerated into glass. This, syrupy, inky Shiraz. Still bright and tangy. Heat gone, long finish. Even better next day, thicker and chewier.
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5/16/2013 - noraisins wrote: 90 Points
Very good, but think it would be great in a year or two
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4/21/2013 - JS199 wrote: 91 Points
Day 1, tight and dry. Really not giving up much. Austere. Had this two years ago and didn't open up at all, very young. Day 2, starting to mellow out, still bone dry. Powerful and plenty of fruit. This appears to have a long life ahead of it.
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3/28/2013 - Thirsty1 Likes this wine:
Well, it's been 2 years since the last bottle and this wine is coming into it's own. Decanted for an hour. Dark purple and fruit is maturing well. Dried blackberry and casis. tannins are rustic and dry and very harmonious. Finish is full and lush. From beginning to end it didn't disappoint. Not sure how this will take the long haul. Enjoyed at Deer Valley after a day of spring skiing.
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3/9/2013 - hoservin wrote: 91 Points
Aerated with Vinturi and decanted for 1.5 hours. Fruity nose with blackberry, plum, cherry, spice and pepper. Dark berries, plum, and fine tannins lead a long finish. Full bodied. A fruit forward Aussie Shiraz that paired well with filet mignon and a port wine and cherry sauce.
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3/3/2013 - cweiner Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Disappointed but likely several years too early. Poorly integrated even with decanting and several hours before drinking.
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2/3/2013 - leonardo_de_araujo wrote: 90 Points
Great nose. Deep plums and caramel.
No residual sugar with a finish that lingers on blackberries...
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1/5/2013 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened this at a party, probably a little young and certainly not the best place to allow for breathing. Still, there was grilled meat and tar on the nose, with a complete pivot into crushed blackberry, cherry and sweet spices when tasted...I think a few more years would bring out the secondary flavors and take this wine up a notch or 2.
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12/25/2012 - BartsBIN wrote: 90 Points
- Full body. Linear texture with a medium finish.
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12/13/2012 - gmbdds wrote: 90 Points
From a 375. Opened up nicely after about half an hour. Dark fruits like I previously remembered but not as overtly fruit-driven. There's nice acidity here and a smoothed out mouthfeel. This shows some of the non-fruit character of syrah.
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12/11/2012 - eyesnwine wrote: 92 Points
Needs air then opens nicely but not on par with the 2001
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10/18/2012 - BinVA wrote: 90 Points
at 6:30 it was at 87 points, by 9:30 it head reached 90 with a nice combination of fruit, slight tannin and a little oak. Not as peppery as some others.
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9/28/2012 - jmcmchi wrote: 91 Points
Lighter than anticipated, not so much in-your-face fruit bomb as earlier vintages. Smoke and eucalyptus on nose. Taut, racy underpinnings of nicely integrated tannins with layers of black fruit mocca and mint. Long finish. maybe a 92
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9/7/2012 - johnthomason wrote: 99 Points
Just about the finest bottle I've ever had.
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8/30/2012 - twinmaple wrote: 91 Points
Luscious, with a delightful finish.
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8/18/2012 - cigar52 wrote: 89 Points
8 hours decanting and still too tight to make an honest estimate.
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8/8/2012 - skifree wrote: 87 Points
Tasted a bit green and astringent, never really opened up despite decanting and a long conversation.
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7/27/2012 - rrNYC wrote: 94 Points
Consensus favorite of the night. Big and powerful as expected but also much more approachable than expected, particularly because it was just popped and poured. Delicious.
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7/17/2012 - davidrh1 wrote: 92 Points
Big, lush cherry and currant with some tobacco undercurrent. Huge mouth feel, great finish. Needs and hour or more in the decanter to really show its stuff.
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7/8/2012 - Mfeigin wrote: 97 Points
Fantastic. Really opened up. Give it time.
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6/30/2012 - Benjamin Wegman Likes this wine: 88 Points
Very nice glass. Very dark intense wine. Al lot of fruit (blueberries, blackberries). Maybe to young to drink now, needs more aging. Did not lived up fully to its expectations, but pleasant wine. Paired with home made steak-tartare, pommes frites with mayonaise of truffle and Caesar salad.
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6/21/2012 - patric.broman@yahoo.com Likes this wine:
I had this wine when it came public, 2009 and then it was fantastic. Now it had time to mature some and get more collected in its form. I must say its still a fantastic wine, well balanced and on the border of elegance.. Good fruit and black berries, balanced acidity and oak.. well structured wine and nice 6 year old color.
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6/11/2012 - swapdoc wrote:
A very enjoyable wine. An exquisite balance of sweet extracted fruit, and mineral, plumy backbone, with a bit of mint and eucalyptus in the mid palate. Long finish. Drinks well now, will undoubtedly improve in complexity.
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6/4/2012 - 9 and 3/4 wrote: 95 Points
Love the Dead Arm!!!! Pulled the cork and poured. Great color, fresh nose, fruit, and dark earth on the palate, vibrant and sweet!
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5/7/2012 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Eighty Bucks Plus (Alio's, Surry Hills): [14.5%, screwcap] {Geoffrey) Six years old and tastes like a barrel sample. Huge and youthful nose of chocolate, liquorice, vanilla bean/oak, and a fumey warmth too. The palate is as big and ripe as you expect, but is much softer in texture than you’d expect; the hugely ripe fruit dominates everything, including medium dusty tannins and rather low acid, rendering the structure dangerously fragile. But there’s no doubting the full-body, and terrific presence on the mid-palate of the saturated blackberry fruit and chocolate flavours, which eventually resolve into a jkind of jam compote. Oak itself isn’t so noticeable; it’s really just a big fruitbomb. Not too sweet, just rich. Almost certainly best before its tenth anniversary, I’d say.
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5/1/2012 - StefanAkiko wrote: 96 Points
Non-blind. Small glass at tasting. Decanted for 5 hrs.
Almost black wine.
Rich, concentrated nose that blew me away. Anise seed, licorice, mint and leather with clarity and strength.
On the palate it is full bodied. A superbly balanced wine with everything in place. Attack is with mouth watering acids, mid palate picks up steam as the myriad tastes are released. Sucking in air is like a stroll in a beautiful park. The end palate explodes with everything from the nose intertwined with timid gushes of medium fine tannins and red berries galore. Ahh! The racing acids! Aah! The length! Aah! The complexity! Ahh! The personality!
* Boy do I feel lucky to re-have this wonderful juice so near in time from last btl :-)
A truly unique wine that I will look forward to forevermore. Gives me goose bumps just thinking of this one in 5 years' time...
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4/15/2012 - StefanAkiko wrote: 94 Points
Non-blind. 3hrs dbl decant.
Not a flamboyant Australian, no jam, no spice-store. This is a "berried" wine where the oak-treatment is now almost fully integrated. Cassis notes, deep red fruits, pure, clean grapey aromas (still) and tart-red-fruit. High concentration, wonderfully grippy tannins of the [M] coarse type. The perfect [M+] acids and tremendous [XL] pure fruit work together in making this a tremendous wine. Still young - according to my taste it needs at least 3 more years.
Wife 90p. Gave away 2 btls to great friends, still 4 to enjoy. Next one in ~3 yrs time. An honor, a privilege and a pleasure... Exceptional QPR.
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3/22/2012 - namja307 wrote: 95 Points
Cherry, spice, smooth chocolate flavors dominated this wine. It was the hit of the night although the salesman told me to wait another few years. I still have another bottle and I will be waiting eagerly. Not spicy or peppery at all like a typical shiraz.
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3/16/2012 - ssock wrote: 89 Points
This is a firm wine. 1 bottle left. Try in 5 years.
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3/6/2012 - madia wrote: 93 Points
Shiraz and Syrah from all over the world (Wine Route Savion): Tasted blind. Opaque purple black color. Superb nose, very expressive, ripe fruits, chocolate. Full bodied, almost chewy. Toady but also complex (69$)
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2/20/2012 - Porchino wrote: 91 Points
Parker says 95 not that good but very good fruit docent need hours to decant like salesman suggested
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1/3/2012 - Alekos wrote: 90 Points
Lovely, sipped it slowly over a 3-day period. My very last bottle.
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12/25/2011 - Martin Redmond Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opaque carmine with hint of purple color with funk, dark fruit spice aromas. On the palate medium-full bodied, and well integrated with cherry, cassis, spice and a bit of bittersweet chocolate flavors. Long finish.
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12/23/2011 - darren81 wrote:
8.5/10 - No formal tasting note but this was yet again a hit. First note that came to me was smooth milk chocolate. A hit with the guests
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12/17/2011 - darren81 wrote:
8/10 - Alcohol was still just a tad bit obvious in this bottle. Looks like not all the bottles have matured and smoothened out at the same rate as the previous one. Still a good wine but not as integrated as it could have been
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12/10/2011 - darren81 wrote:
8.5/10 - What a complete turnaround from my last tasting of this wine, very surprised at the difference a year (and a few months) make. Gone is the overly tannic and alcoholic wine, which has matured into a beautifully crafted wine. Still powerful and packed with blackberries and dark cherries with just some subtle hints of oak, spices and white pepper. The tannins, while still relatively heavy, are now sweet and smooth and no longer grainy, and the alcohol was not obtrusive at all. A big hit with the crowd, much to my surprise. Very pleased with how this turned out. Will keep the rest of my bottles still for a while more but am now confident that this is already a good drinker which will further improve with time.
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11/7/2011 - Krautrocker wrote: 94 Points
Purple blackberry spice. Full and round. Loads of aggressive character in the mouth. A great Syrah.
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11/1/2011 - Locki Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Thank goodness I found it for 45 bucks! Fascinating history and vinification methods but the end product does not live up to the hype. I suspect its been created specifically for the export market (read USA) with the emphasis on hand harvesting, foot pressing and quaint cork closure. Bouquet of spice and chocolate but the taste is dominated by the astringent tannins with flavours of chocolate and spice struggling to break through. Medium length finish gives a hint of plum at the end. I suspect cellaring will help the balance. But I won't be buying anymore bottles till after I try the second bottle in 10 years time or so! Stay tuned. Much better value available in Australia in this price range.
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9/27/2011 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Almost black with a purple rim. Very expressive and special bouquet with loads of black fruits and also some spicy biscuit scents. Really complex and beautiful. On the palate loads of ripe black forest fruits and a lot of good acidity which gives it elegance. A beautiful, complex , concentrated and exiting wine.
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9/26/2011 - Jack O'Brien wrote: 92 Points
Consistently one of the best Syrah wines you can buy. This is definitely young and tight, but I thought it was delicious. Great black berry fruits, clove and a touch of peppercorn - definitely a French style and less Aussie. Great finish, high acid and some grit with the tannins. This will hold well for a while.
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9/25/2011 - baseballvino wrote: 90 Points
Wine still too young. Tannic and a touch out of balance but all the stuffing is there. Northern rhone attriibutes and the pepper nd spicy notes last nd last. Touch of tar and leather. This will improve but needs at least 2 more years.
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9/24/2011 - Cheetah Likes this wine: 88 Points
Needs to be opened for a while to get the Right body / flavor coming through. Drank better with each glass
The wine looks Purple colored.
The legs are Slow.
It smells like and Toast.
It tastes like Forest floor, and Toast.
The body is Medium.
The wine is textured Leathery.
The wine finishes Medium.
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9/14/2011 - kellersc wrote: 89 Points
Deep purple color, fruity aroma and taste, nicely balanced, long finish with some oak. Great value for money.
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9/13/2011 - CarpeVinoDiem wrote: 91 Points
No notes taken.
Decanted 60 mins.
Pristine cork, no sediment.
Deep purple color.
Great sweet nose of blueberry and cherry.
Amazing taste of blueberry pie! I expected more big peppery aussie Shiraz monster,
but she drank more like a very boisterous Pinot Noir and blue and red fruits.
Very refreshing.
91 pts.
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8/25/2011 - eudora wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for two hours. It made a huge difference in taming this big boy.
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8/24/2011 - Yagil wrote: 89 Points
"Revolutons Meet" - 2011 (Wine Road Tel-Aviv): dark red-black color
strong dark-fruits & spicy typical-Shiraz aroma
full body, intense, dominants fruits flavors, with hints of spices. A classical Dead Arm.
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8/23/2011 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dry, strong in flavour, acidic, but good depth! Great wine to enjoy! Bit pricey thou..
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8/22/2011 - eudora wrote: 93 Points
Too big to drink, so we recorked the bottle and visited it two nights later, after it sat on the kitchen counter. Marvelous wine on the third night.
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8/9/2011 - nzinkgraf wrote:
25% new oak. rich depth of fruit texture. screwcap and cork out there. got it all. texture, mouthfeel, acid, tobacco!!
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6/30/2011 - wfdeacon wrote: 91 Points
I would give it a 93-94 just for the nose. Lots going on there, more than I can pick out. I get the bell pepper, maybe a green one. And, the licorice, cassis, some black fruit. But... there's the oak, and some heat midway and the finish stops short. I think this just needs time. From a 375 .
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5/27/2011 - Gizmo2011 wrote: 91 Points
cinnamom, orange pell, black pepper , blood, bit oxidized, aldeaidic.
drink now-2 yrs
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5/23/2011 - MicklethePickle wrote:
Very dark ruby, but not a glass-stainer. Leathery fruit in the nose. Rustic. In the mouth, very chewy, briary, and a little savage, but in a good way. Clearly a wine with potential not meant for drinking this young. Still, with discounting to $43, I could afford to try it and see whether I want to buy more. Will hold overnight for a final verdict. Right now, in the upper 80s.
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5/23/2011 - mike410 wrote: 90 Points
Tasted at the WS Grand Tour in Boston. A touch unbalanced and spicy. Smooth yet has a hint of acidity.
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5/20/2011 - pilot360 wrote:
Decanted for a few hours, the fruit was there, lots of blackberry and licorice, eucalyptus and pepper. The tannins were very prominent and need time to integrate just a bit. Medium finish. I won't be opening another bottle for at least 4 years.
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5/19/2011 - socidelvino wrote: 88 Points
Wine Spectator Grand Tour Boston 2011
Eye: dark ruby. Nose: leather, cherry, vanilla. Palate: loads of fruit, tannic, full body, long finish.
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4/28/2011 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Big Aussie fruit with some balance. Just opened. I wonder where it will go? We shall see.
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4/24/2011 - VegasWine wrote: 94 Points
After a solid decanting, really took shape. Spicy but smooth.
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4/17/2011 - slippytoad wrote: 87 Points
Fruit bomb, flabby. Powerful.
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4/9/2011 - graemeg wrote:
2011 Sydney International Wine Show - Top 100 tasting (Menzies Hotel, Sydney): {screwcap, 14.5%} A bit reticent on the nose. Plums, coal, violet aromas; these also appear on the palate along with some quality vanilla oak. The palate is pretty closed too; there’s some presence on the front palate, but it otherwise doesn’t make a huge impression on the tongue (although there’s some palate fatigue in here now). Overall pretty big and ripe, not over-the-top – a lot of Oz wineries who don’t owe their entire existance to Robert Parker seem to be moving back towards more traditional styles of red wine. This has a medium-length finish, and should be a better drink in another 5 years.
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4/9/2011 - Scharin Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep red, almost black, color. Nose of red fruit, licorice, and a bit of brown sugar. Very Cab-like taste, with strong oily (petroleum) notes over a plum & cherry background. Mild tannins & acidity on the finish. Decanted for quite some time & was still hot, which took away from the overall experience.
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4/6/2011 - BOB P Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Very little fruit showing ,a tad bitter.
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3/27/2011 - ed-d wrote: 89 Points
Black color. Concentrated nose of black plum skin, blackberry, black licorice & some brown spice. Not overly intense, but nice. Full entry of dusty black plum & blackberry fruit that runs quickly into an alcoholic finish. Not over done, but the alcohol is a problem.
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3/24/2011 - SAvino Likes this wine: 88 Points
Drank along side a 2005 Pintia (Toro) with a prime porterhouse. I paid about 30% lees for the Pintia and enjoyed it twice as much. Too bad. The Dead Arm had decent fruit and medium finish. However, it lacked in tannic backbone compared to the Pintia.
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3/21/2011 - Muchacho wrote: 91 Points
A little hot right out of the bottle. Mellowed out nicely after 2h decant and was well balanced and not overly jammy. We liked it
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3/16/2011 - rrschrumjr wrote: 88 Points
Dark, not-yet-ripe fruits on the nose. A quality palate, but not terribly remarkable. The nose shut down for me late, and the wine was a little under-ripe on the finish.
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3/16/2011 - gblacave Likes this wine: 90 Points
Aussie Gems (Smith & Wollensky - Washington, DC): Cork was popped on this four hours prior to it being served, but no decant. This was a promising sign of things to come from this wine and a reminder of what I like about d'Arenberg reds - some restraint! On the nose this shows blueberry, black raspberry, with a bramble and earth note pairing nicely to a meatier and rich note. Some eucalyptus and oak spice as well. On the palate, this is well-balanced with a less forward fruit profile than the other big aussies. Rich and elegant mouthfeel with a nice amount of acid and tannin structure. This has great length on the finish and has the potential to grow a few points with age.
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3/16/2011 - tooch wrote: 89 Points
Australian Gem Tasting (Smith & Wollensky - Washington, DC): I thought this showed better than the first bottle I tried over a year ago. The nose was very meaty and rich...almost like a winter stew; spicy, meaty and rich. Palate had a nice silkiness to it, with deep black fruit, some sour cherries, and beef jerky. The warm spices were well integrated...nice balance for the most part. I think some mentioned that the heat spiked a bit on the end - I didn't get this too much, but it was a bit warm.
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3/10/2011 - B Dub wrote: 91 Points
Dense, purple hue in color. Minimal sediment in the bottle. Smells of ripe dark fruit (dark cherries / black berries), light oak, and a hint of incense. The midpalate and finish are mundane. The finish is lightly astringent with time. Definately a ripe and fruity Shiraz that is smooth and easy to drink. Not one of the power-house Aussie Shiraz, but still enjoyable.
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3/10/2011 - MarkL wrote: 91 Points
This is good stuff.
Clear dark ruby.
Rich nose. Mature fruits. Tobacco. Some spice.
Dry. High acid. High tannin. Fully boxy. Long finish.
AgIn. This is good stuff.
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2/27/2011 - Thirsty1 wrote: 89 Points
I was let down by this wine, I had higher expectations. I must admit, I drank 1 bottle the day after it was shipped to me and I drank it over the course of 2 days. Muted nose, restrained boysenberry and blackberry. Midpallet was flat and flabby and a little hot, a bit disjointed. Finish was short and unremarkable. The wine carried considerable weight and focus as highlights. I look forward to seeing what this wine does in another couple of years.
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2/25/2011 - EmilyE wrote: 90 Points
Nice dark rich color. Smoke on the nose. Medium body, nice finish. Rich dark fruit on palate with peppery finish.
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2/13/2011 - snaff wrote: 87 Points
Very dark. Purple, almost black. Nose of herbs and spice, and hints of camphor and earth. Smooth full bodied mouthfeel. Rich herbs, raspberry and dark cherry. This is a big, dense wine, heavy on herb and spice, with a dense fruit core. It promises a lot, but it's just not connecting with me ... seems too herbal, especially in this price range.
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2/5/2011 - ghoztly Likes this wine: 92 Points
A fruit-forward (but not over the top) very well balanced Aussie Shiraz. Nice acidity, long finish, outstanding wine. It lived up to the hype, and represents a benchmark Shiraz for me.
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2/1/2011 - wineotim wrote: 92 Points
Very tight and closed at the open, after just 30 minutes the wine opens up and reveals a nose of berry and bacon. Bright, juicy acidity and flavors of bramble fruit, with good weight and length. This wine will age for a long time.
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1/15/2011 - czar33 wrote: 90 Points
Excellent. Velouté, soyeux, goûteux. Va certainement évoluer en cave. Ressemble à un toscan!
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12/24/2010 - Toddrskelton@gmail.com wrote: 94 Points
Gave 4 hours of air before tasting. Inky Purple, beautiful, and remarkably smooth. One of the best Shiraz I've taseted.
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12/24/2010 - rrNYC wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 3 hours before drinking. Paired with some food that had some decent zest to it, but the wine was surprisingly smooth. Had a bottle a few months ago and it was pretty harsh at the time. While still closed off a bit, the tannins were pleasantly soft this time around. Really enjoyed it overall and definitely expect it to continue to get better with time.
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12/19/2010 - Porchino wrote: 90 Points
Layored bacon tastes
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12/4/2010 - patric.broman@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank this to the Russian-marinated moose steak with potato cake, red wine sauce, cranberry jelly and Brussels sprouts-
Fine sharpness and crisp tannins, crisp fruit, barrels of character, hints of blackberries and raspberries. Good balance but hardly nuanced, a typical wine as a teenager who needs to mature a few years to reach their full potential.
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11/23/2010 - madia wrote: 94 Points
Great Syrahs and Shirazes (Wine Route Tel Aviv): Inky black and opaque color. Complex and expressive in the nose – red and black fruits, moss, earth. Mouthfilling in the palate, soft tannins and excellent acidity. Superb (72$)
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11/13/2010 - christophee Likes this wine: 88 Points
Dark purple with medium viscosity in the glass. Big dark berries, bramble and coffee on the nose. Nicely layered dark fruit, herbs and cocoa on the palette. Medium finish. Solid, but predictable and boring to me.
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10/31/2010 - ogres3 wrote:
Full bodied aussie shiraz with blackberry and currant. Drinking well now with an hour decant. Seems to be better integrated than the 02.
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10/27/2010 - The Garbageman wrote: 93 Points
This is the first time I've ever had a dead arm. I was pretty impressed by this. Still a baby, it took hours and hours to really open up. My girlfriend and I thought it was pretty cool that she could smell the fruit from the glass from about 5 ft. away from where I was sitting. Very dark and almost black in color. There were lots of blackberries, blueberry pie filling at the core to this wine with meaty and gamy undertones. I'm not so sure if this was the best shiraz I've ever had, but it was certainly one of the better. Excellent quality to this wine, and you will certainly get your money's worth if you pick one up. You could keep it in the cellar for a decade, I'm sure. I can't wait til I open another in a few years from now. 4 stars out of 5.
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10/14/2010 - aagrawal wrote:
Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting- Brief Notes (San Francisco Design Center): Bit lighter than the 2007, bit less funk, but very similar in style.
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10/8/2010 - christhewino Likes this wine: 90 Points
One more point than 6 months ago. Lovely full nose of pepper, blackberry, chocolate & ink but now the palate is fuller, rounder and much more subtle. Flavours of cherry & chocolate dominate but there is that lovely finish of apple skin and blackcurrant.
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9/22/2010 - MarkL wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured
Clear dark ruby. Touch of age atthe rim.
Clean nose Dark red fruit. Some spice.
Dry. High acidity. Med tannin. Full body. Long finish. Primary fruit. Wood. Leather. Touch of tar
Good quality. Best with food.
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9/6/2010 - vumansky wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for about an hour... needs another 3 hours in a decanter at this stage though. Deep dark opaque purple. On the nose - grilled meat/bacon, blackberry, cassis. Good acid and strong tannins. Definitely needs another 5+ years in the cellar to begin to show properly.
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8/27/2010 - skifree wrote: 89 Points
I too was a bit disappointed by this - very dark color, black fruit, spice, long finish but all a bit muddled. Hopefully this sorts itself out in the future.
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8/8/2010 - darren81 wrote:
6.5/10 - Beautiful bouquet of blackberries, dark cherries and cassis with a nice hint of oak. Palate, however, did not match up. Tannins were heavy, astringent and grainy. A bit too much heat as well. Underneath the tannins were some nice elegant fruit without the bomb. Think it's too early to write this wine off but don't think I'll be opening up the rest for a few years to come.
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7/18/2010 - Wamrod Does not like this wine: 83 Points
Made these notes after tasting last night and this morning. Overall I thought it was great on the nose, but nowhere NEAR matching the nose on the palate, not up to my expectations at all for such a highly touted wine.
In the glass, dark inky garnet/purple, but red on the edges. It left big glass staining legs on swirling.
Nose: Fruity; blackcurrant, cherry, banana, prunes, coffee and charred wood.
Taste: Tarry oak and charred earth dominated the mouth, as well as sour citrusy tannins (which softened somewhat overnight in the bottle). The fruity aromas I picked up with the initial nose seemed sour and spoiled on the tongue. The tannins seemed harsh, even as they softened. This was my problem with the wine - the nose promised so much, and the body of the wine solid, but perhaps too much seeds and stems spoiled the overall flavour? Or maybe just too much charred oak? I'm thinking BOTH...
I have one left in the cellar, which I will leave for a few more years, in case some here are correct, but based on the color already starting to change, and the taste, I'm not sure if that is the key, but I'll give it a try since I do have another.
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7/10/2010 - mreinitz wrote: 87 Points
I thought this was a huge disappointment. Not much on the nose. Blackberry, oak, a touch of bluebery, and some white pepper on the palate. It all seemed kind of muddled and dead without the vibrancy I expect from a high-end shiraz.
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5/30/2010 - Nanda wrote: 90 Points
Memorial Weekend BBQ at the Shaffer's (The Shaffer's - Highland Park, IL): Palate has medium body with toasty blue and black fruit. Very dry on the palate and lacking rich fruit to balance the tannins. Needs time.
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5/22/2010 - Stephan O wrote: 94 Points
Why don't I buy more of this stuff? It's bold without kicking you in the teeth. Has a gorgeous nose of sandalwood, triple berry pie, and a fragrant floral note, backed by a supersleek palate of blackberry and a long, inky finish. I don't find the tannins that some others have mentioned. It seems to me more like a cool-weather California Syrah or a Cote-Rotie than a bombastic Aussie Shiraz, but apparently I'm one of the few who think so. Either way, the style suits me; I don't remember the last time I had an Aussie wine this good at this price point.
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5/12/2010 - Agucab wrote: 90 Points
Great color, tobacco and chocolate on nose, this wine is excellent.
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5/11/2010 - vespasian wrote:
Magnificent floral nose, very expressive and complex; hugely concentrated palate, so young but should be excellent.
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5/10/2010 - Biggsy wrote: 90 Points
Dark blood red colour. Simple but dense nose with blackcurrant and new oak. Massive and flavoursome with dry grippy tannins. The palate shows sweet blackcurrant fruit and spicy oak, balanced by the bright acidity. Too young to judge fairly.
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5/3/2010 - cliffkol wrote: 92 Points
Australia Trip: Tasted at the winery. Big nose of fruit and earth. This is a big, mouth filling wine. Very tannic and needs a few more years in the bottle. Big bold fresh fruit flavors with spices, forest floor and mushrooms underneath. A very nice wine, especially in a few years. (Doris 92)
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4/23/2010 - robertek wrote: 93 Points
Great wine packed with fruit but with structure to make it long lived. Nicely oaked but I think with a little bit more time the secondary aromas will make this wine even better. It is exceptional value for money and I believe this will be a monumental wine in 10 years from now.
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4/18/2010 - pc1981 wrote:
A really nice shiraz. The wine is dark violet yet exhibits a clarity I rarely notice with Shiraz. The nose consists of aromas of cherry, blueberry, spice and just the right amount of oak. The texture exhibits great balance of tannins, acid, and good, clean fruit. There is a hint of earthy grit that really helps bring it all together and adds an old world twist to the wine. I don't think this wine is one to age for the long haul, but it certainly has the balance to mature nicely over the next few years.
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4/15/2010 - tplskylrk wrote: 92 Points
On the menu in Hu', downtown Saigon, for a steal at usd100 w Jack.
Dark as you would expect, but not extracted. Very beautiful accessible wine, well crafted, seamless. Surprisingly ready and open, acid & tannins not there, but not flabby, just a huge yummy factor. Loads of sweet fruit, asian spice, pepper, licorice. Loved it.
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3/30/2010 - gmbdds wrote: 91 Points
From a 375. Expressive nose. Blackberry is the obvious scent and flavor with more complexity showing up with air time inculding licorice, coffee and spice. Good acidity, texture and finish.
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3/18/2010 - rexmerlot wrote: 90 Points
Dark ruby in colour. Spice and dark fruits on nose. Black fruit, spice, and vanilla on plate, w hints of game. Paired well with a BBQ chicken.
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3/15/2010 - christhewino Likes this wine: 89 Points
This was not as good as I expected having had a several 05's and a couple of the previous vintages. I'm going to be generous and put this down to the fact that it is still very young.
Decanted for about 2 hours, nice full nose of blackberry, blueberry, ink and chocolate. The palate is also full with flavours of black pepper, chocolate, herbs and minerals. Good but will definitely get better.
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2/17/2010 - patrickt wrote: 90 Points
dark red, dark fruit, with oak/vanilla, mild spice, floral aroma and maybe chocolate. Initial aroma was astringent, but opened up after one hour. Don't believe the hype on aging this one. The tannin level is not that high. Short finish. I would drink now +2 years. Decant it.
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2/8/2010 - mjg300 wrote: 91 Points
too early...ready in 5 more years
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1/17/2010 - tooch wrote: 88 Points
Nice nose of caramel, pumpkin spice, and black pepper. There was some essence of the rhone, but this had undeniable new world notes. Very big, very ripe, but very young. Looking forward to trying more of this in 5+ years.
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1/14/2010 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Monthly Tasting Group LTB 2010-01; Australia; d'Arenberg (By HV): Very dark purple. Blackberry and cassis juice. Ink. A mouth full of wine. Full bodied but not plumb. Same ripe fruits in the taste. Some chocolate. Elegant and well balanced. Will probably improve over the next three years and last many more 91+
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12/2/2009 - OneLastSyrah wrote: 86 Points
14.5% ABV. The nose on this Shiraz showed a chemical note. My wife suggested it smelled like "blue markers", for me it came across as more of a pickle/vinegar note. Some cedar, vanilla, and dark fruit compote notes also. Medium full bodied tangy and a bit oaky with more of the pickle suggestion. Not horrible, but not great either. Flawed bottle?
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11/24/2009 - MarkL wrote: 89 Points
Good but too young to really get the most out of it.
A big wine with lots of flavour and body.
Clear. Very dark. Ruby.
Dry. High tannin. High acidity. Full body. Notes of tar and leather.
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11/8/2009 - kburie wrote:
Bought 2-1 for now, one to hold. Young, earthy, bold, astringent. Can we put the cork back in & wait?
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10/16/2009 - rbazinet wrote: 90 Points
This is a very large wine with pepper and oak on the nose. Nice mouth feel and then bam! Vanilla, fruit, oak and pepper round out nicely with a pile of tannins. This wine is big, but not an over the top fruit bomb. This wine will last a while.
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10/13/2009 - admid wrote: 81 Points
Blind taste
Oakish aroma with notes burned caramel and burned rubber, and a dash of mild vanilla sugar
Powerful with decent structure and high extraction. A little harsh on the mid-palate, which overpowers other potential flavors.
Decent length
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7/3/2009 - sfqwino wrote: 89 Points
Pretty closed at first, though the huge structure was evident. With time and vigorous swirling, black fruits, oak and floral notes emerged, but the finish was short. Would most likely improve with time but rather disappointing right now, especially given the reputation of the wine.
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2/21/2009 - jhannah27 wrote: 90 Points
OC Poker for Wine/CT Virtual Tasting III (Wine Cellar Club, Irvine, CA): Tasted next to the 05 vintage and this wine jumped out at me as being an improvement right off the bat. Similar characteristics in the nose and on the palate to the 05, but all of it seemed more subtle and restrained, which was my main complaint with the 05. Soft floral nose with vanilla, chocolate, some white pepper, and black fruits. On the tongue, the 05 seemed to just go all over the place, but this seemed to come in with more structure to it. The flavors, while still big and rich as expected, seemed deliberate and focused in comparison. I am really glad we had this next to the 05 because I think a lot of those nuances would have been lost if I tasted this on its own. Still a bit much (both stylistically and price point) for me to really get excited about. But a very enjoyable wine none-the-less.
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2/21/2009 - WetRock wrote:
VCTE III & OC Poker (Wine Cellar Club): A step up from the 2005 for me. Floral nose over candied berries. Tight focused blackberry palate with plenty of tannins and good balance. This needs a couple of years to unwind but a a nice wine is in here.
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2/21/2009 - grafstrb wrote: 88 Points
VCTE III & OCP4W I; 2/21/2009-2/22/2009: -- decanted over night before tasting --
-- tasted non-blind --
NOSE: banana bread/overripe bananas; oak; vegetal note; non-descript dark fruits
BODY: garnet color of great depth; medium bodied.
TASTE: dark fruits -- especially blackberries; oak; spice; a bit hot; medium length finish; Hold for now.
B: 50, 5, 11, 15, 7 = 88
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12/24/2008 - lumpyelbow wrote: 88 Points
Very atypical Shiraz. Way too young, but will develop into a great Aussie wine. Currently muted and lacking complexity and confidence. Will be a 92+ wine in a couple of years
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11/25/2008 - Double-A wrote: 88 Points
Inky colour with a concentrated blueberry, blackberry and floral nose. Dense, firm and fresh palate with a long, concentrated finish. needs 3+ years.
3.5/5
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