After all the recent reviews, I was expecting the worst. But this was very good. Didn’t hang around longer than 90 mins but very well balanced for a 20 y/o Aussie Shiraz. I wouldn’t wait but don’t dread opening it.
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Cork crumbled upon opening. Needed to be filtered to remove remnants. Heavy sediment in the bottle. Brick red color. Upon opening still good fruit characteristics. Dried fruits and dried herbs and some graphite on the nose. A definite raisin like character. Boisonberry, and prune flavors with some menthol early after opening. Tannins are soft but still present. Medium acidity. It's appeal deteriorated after an hour. The fruit flavors give way to more earthy notes with a some bitterness on the finish. Definitely past it's prime, but still a pleasant offering.
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From 75cl, fill into neck. Brittle, slimy cork, firmly adhering to the bottle neck, required intensive work to extract with ah-so, corkscrew and various excavating instruments before filtering off a carpet of cork detritus. Heavy deposit left in bottle. Served immediately, the wine deteriorated over subsequent hour. Still a very acceptable drink, but muffled after so long in contact with its faulty closure, and so unlike any other Dead Arm I can remember. At its best: Concentrated, luscious blackberry fruit, bright currant acidity, nicely furry tannins not yet fully resolved. 88P in this condition, but surely the wine in this bottle would have shown in a different league had it been bottled under screwcap. See also CT TN by tomandlu dated 11.07.2023, who seems to have encounted something similar.
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No detailed notes. Cork broke and crumbled but there was no sign of leakage. Nice deep color with a moderately complex nose and rather rugged palate impression. Perhaps this is now in decline.
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Opened this at my brother's new home over dinner with my family. We had food from Pu Tien and Colin's.
One of my favourites which has consistently delivered quality and value over the years. Dark brooding red with a tinge of inky purple.
On the nose, captivating bouquet of blackberries, plums, and dark cherries, intertwined with alluring notes of black pepper, eucalyptus, and a touch of mocha. The aromas are intriguing intense and complex.
On the palate the power and harmony co-existed perfectly. A symphony of ripe black fruits, including blackberry, plum, and cassis, complemented by hints of dark chocolate, licorice, and an intriguing earthiness danced effortlessly on the palate.
Structure still holding very well at 18 years of age, with velvety tannins that provide a luxurious mouthfeel and a sense of elegance. The balance between fruit, acidity, and oak is superb, and the wine exhibits a remarkable length that lingers on the palate, leaving a lasting impression.
Extraordinary, and highly recommended.
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Beautiful. Rich Aussie Shiraz. Not over blown, great concentration of fruit and still has decent elements of youth underscores cap. Could go another 10-15 years, but great drinking now
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Wine was terrific what a nice surprise, it has aged wonderfully. Deep dark purple with no signs of bricking. (Have to love a screw top!). Open nose with black currants dominating. As expected big body with dark berries and the expected pepper, great balance with a long finish. Fantastic wine with a porterhouse. Wish I had more!
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I last tried this wine 3 years ago and unfortunately this bottles was less impressive. Closed nose dominated mostly by chalky notes. Some dark berries were present ending on an acidic finish. An off bottle perhaps?
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Beautiful bouquet with dark berries and eucalyptus. On the palate juicy dark berries, herbs, beautifully fresh acidity and round tannin, some lovely sweetness. Very beautiful wine with a great length and still a future of several years.
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Dark berries, leather, licorice and luxurious oak in the bouquet. Same on the palate, beautiful dark berries, some mint, beautiful acidity and round tannin. In a beautiful drinking stage.
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Kleur: Diep donkerrood. Aroma / bouquet: Diep en donker bouquet , beperkte expressiviteit en complexiteit. Wel aangenaam. Een restant van gedroogd fruit, kruidnageltjes. Beetje gronderig. Smaak / Afdronk: Een krachtpatser in balans, van de eerder geconstateerde branderigheid is geen sprake meer. Mondvullend en dik-sappig, korrelige tannines, stoer en krachtig. Geen spoor van vermoeidheid (geschonken uit Magnum). Lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Geproefd naast 1999 Penfolds Grange. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Smaak / Afdronk: 17 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 91/100
Colour: Deep dark red. Aroma / bouquet: Deep and dark bouquet, limited expressiveness and complexity. Pleasant. A remnant of dried fruit, cloves. Bit earthy. Taste / Aftertaste: A powerhouse in balance, the previously noted burning is no longer the case. Mouth-filling and thick-juicy, grainy tannins, tough and powerful. No trace of fatigue (given from Magnum). Long finish. Overall / potential: Tasted next to 1999 Penfolds Grange. 50 + Colour: 5 + Aroma / Bouquet: 11 + Taste / Aftertaste: 17 + General / Potential: 8 = 91/100
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Wow, dark and rich and youthful out of the bottle - screwcap is really doing its work! Dark effusive florals, woodspice, fresh black berries. Violets and ylang, soft leather. Fresh shaved graphite. Lifted structure, fine tannins and tall acidity, layered with still-fresh plums and dark fruit. Sweet tea-leaf and tobacco, savoury and beautifully balanced, translucent layers, elegant with power. Effortless and nuanced! Drinking at a perfect time now... [epilogue: had a glass on the 3rd day, still ringing]
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Finally came around after 15 years. Picked up several bottles (15?) years ago on sale, but at 3, 5 and 10 years, I was underwhelmed. Now, I wish I had bought a few cases... Still a dark, inky color, with white pepper and clove interspersed with grape jam on the nose. Velvety dark fruits on the palate, with a long, slightly drying complex finish. Went great with a strip steak.
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Okay, with this bottle I finally get what the D'Arenberg Shiraz is all about. I was drinking them too young and they were okay but not great. This bottle was singing, not too over the top, plenty of nuances -- spice, earth, tobacco, black fruit, pepper, you name it. Very good. Even saved a glass for the next night and still delicious. Wish I had more.
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dark ruby. knockout nose! ...inky, dark berry fruit, pepper, tobacco, clove, smoke. palate is smooth and velvety but with some welcome lift. layers of sweet and savoury notes ripple across the tongue and hold on a wonderfully long finish. excellent and worth holding these through to maturity.
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In a very good spot. Inky red, almost purple, no bricking. Good fruit w some pepper and spice. Medium finish. Would have thought this wine was max 8-10 years old. Went great w dry-aged prime porterhouse at Keens in NYC.
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Almost opaque still, yet now ruby coloured. Pronounced nose with vanilla and coconut still, but also some tertiary tobacco development. Palate is hugely concentrated and youthful still, with a tannin bite I almost couldn't believe for a wine of this age. Nicely velvety and matched the ribeye perfectly, where the tannins melted away. Quite impressive showing
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Cellaraid Discovery Box; 5/19/2017-5/26/2021 (Delivered to Home): Deep ruby, very viscous, highly extracted. Strongly peppered, and green grassy aromas, with ripe blackberry, and cloves. Full bodied, highly tannic but softened from age, with rich blackberry flavours, dried grass, pepper and paprika. Long finish, of medium complexity
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A real surprise - having not been particularly taken with a previous bottle opened a year ago, this was excellent. Powerful, a treat to drink without being especially complex. I'd drink up and enjoy.
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Jammy wine with nice tannins - but that was about it. Nothing unique through vertical. Decanted for about an hour and wine didn’t change much over that time. Dark purple color - wine seems to have much more than three years left.
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W thanksgiving dinner. We had a 2016 Moulin A Vent as well. Very different but fun to try in small group (yes stupid governor we were below 10). This was a very good bottle and it fit well with dinner. Helen had done a fabulous job with various fruits and rice so this worked! Great fruit length and body. At its top so why risk waiting another 10 yrs. this is great
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Open up about an hour ahead then enjoy this aged shiraz. Plenty of fruit, earth and soft tannin plus a nice acid balance went well with pork roast. Drink or hold.
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Amazing wine - The color and body were in perfect shape. This is a very dry wine - strawberry and cranberry with a hint of bacon fat and smoke. The finish is nice and last a while. This is still complex at 15 years old. This was a very nice surprise
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Still very dark in colour - you'd never guess it was 15 years old! Deep, juicy blackberries on the nose and a full, rounded mouthcoating palate. None of the over-ripe, super-concentration that sometimes puts me off Dead Arm (but which Mrs H loves). Not the most complex of wines, but hedonistic to drink! I reckon this is in its sweet spot right now - it will definitely keep, but will it improve?
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This wine has aged beautifully. Silky smooth. Soft tannins. Plenty of pure black fruit. Well balanced. In no danger of drying out anytime soon, but surely near its peak.
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Still almost purple ruby, tobacco leaves, tar, dark berries, oak, vanilla, very full bodied and still tannic. Not yet ready to drink, needs a few more years. This will be a long laster, 10+ years for sure.
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Decanted for 90 minutes. A little hot upon opening and beautiful after decanting. Dark cherry, eucalyptus, and mushroom on the palate. Long finish. Drinking beautifully and still has years of life in it. Had with lamb and venison... perfect pairing.
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Monthly Tasting Group HWS #146; Australian Shiraz (By JZ): In the bouquet a lot of sweet dark berries, sweet spices, eucalyptus and impressions of metal. On the palate cherries, ripe blackberries, oak, chocolate, fresh acidity and soft, round tannin. Some pleasant bitterness in the finish. Good length and a beautiful wine. 92 – 93
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Very interesting Shiraz that needs at least an hour to decant to fully appreciate its fruit and complexity. What starts as a closed mid 80’s wine evolves into a gem with dark berry fruit, lavender and cassis. Hints of earth notes are in the palate but the wine becomes more expressive with each minute after an hour decant.
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A bit dissapointing. Good nose - a lot of black/ripe fruits, chocolate and spices, but with hints of oxidation - caramel notes. Medium to full bodied, the caramel notes more prominante in the palate
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This was a really strange bottle. It was like the acidity kept going back and forth between balanced and overbearing? I am hoping this was a result of bottle variation since my last bottle was good.
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PnP then slow ox over a few hours. Cork in great shape and wine looks fresh. Very long legs in the glass. Nose is dark fruit, pencil lead, spice, cocoa powder, vanilla, wet earth. Smells a bit like a Bordeaux with a little age. Big presence and mouth filling. A powerful wine. Palate is transitioning between it's fruit phase and the next phase, but still good black cherry and dark plum skin. Quite good and ready to rock right now. Gets nice and in the zone with the slow ox after a couple hours.
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I was worried when I finally cracked this bottle. It was old. I visited D’Arenberg last year and I’m pretty sure they don’t make it any more. But it was vital. A perfect Aussie balance between sweet fruit and solid, soft tannins. Meat and smoke. Perfect with pizza with anchovies.
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Tasted alongside the 2003 Dead Arm and it didn't show quite as well. Perhaps a bit monolithic and needs a smidgen more time (or more decanting beforehand).
Still very nice to drink tho'. I reckon this will last another five years and it's probably worth waiting.
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Lunch at Nicolas with Alex H (Nicolas Restaurant, Teck Lim Street, Singapore): I have had this numerous times over the past decade, and think it still needs time. It was pretty good, but still a little bit of a beast. The nose was a blast of glycerol at first, only opening up in time to show some sweet blueberries beyond all that alcohol. The palate was thankfully a lot better, with velvety tannins and soft acidity wrapped around a rather hedonistic mouthful of blueberries spice and eucalyptus unwinding into a long, full finish. Objectively a pretty good wine, but this felt just a tad awkward at the moment. Maybe its going through a phase - I am leaving my remaining couple of bottles aside for a few years at least.
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Celebrating Etti Edri-Maimoni new job within Carmel (at Haim Straze): clear, deep purple clean, profound dark fruits aromas with present spicy notes dry, high tannins, high acidity, full body, rich dark fruits spicy flavours, good balance, structured, complexed, long spicy finish
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I was quite surprised with this one. Having read the previous reviews I was skeptical whether a Barossa Shiraz lover would enjoy this but I thoroughly did and so did everyone at dinner.
It is a very idiosyncratic Shiraz. If I had blind tasted, I would have guessed a really nice Chianti or a modern Napa Cab. Like several other reviews said, yes it is jammy with loads of sweetness which wasnt particularly bad. Yes the fruit was probably over ripe. But nonetheless it made a fantastic wine. I would say it is at its peak now so drink up.
Not much complexity here, a medium-ish length.
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Very nice Shiraz drank with grilled pork loin chops. Plenty of fruit with resolved tannin. Was hoping for more depth and complexity. I would be drinking these.
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Opened two hours then enjoyed with lamb shanks in an herb-infused red wine braise—fabulous! I am wondering what’s up with some WS ratings. This is a fine wine—not the very best example of The Dead Arm but still very very good. Years left. It was complex and interesting, evolving through the evening.
UWS (@ JB): Beautiful bouquet with red and dark berries, mint and other sweet spices as well as autumn impressions. On the palate juicy dark and red berries, luxurious oak and vanilla, pleasant acidity and a touch of sweetness. The tannin is beautiful and still firm. Overall a beautiful wine and quite different to the previous bottle I tasted.
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Still going strong. Nice blueberries, great acid backbone. Some leather, vanilla. The wine lacks a little fruit at the end with the acidity to pronounced.
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I found this a bit over-wrought, a bit woody, the fruit a tad over-ripe for my taste - probably would have enjoyed this more closer to release for its primary fruit, age is not adding much but sediment, lots of it. Still, tasty and provided some pleasure.
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Nicely balanced and drinking very well now. Shows the value of holding on to a good shiraz for a few years. Blackberry, plum, cassis, chocolate, tobacco. Lots of complexity with smooth and integrated tannins. Still many years to go.
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The wine has low acidity. It smells like cool/menthol, mint, mineral and black currant (cassis). The body is full. The wine finishes short. It tastes like blackberry, black pepper and prune. The wine looks crimson colored. The legs are fast. There is no sediment in the bottle. The wine has smooth texture. Very concentrated with weak tannins. Delicious but lacks structure.
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Opened by Mark. Purple red color. This wine was not as big as many of the younger dead arms I have had were. Woody notes with smoke and currant 92 points.
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Bottle with a cork (not screw cap version), drank over 5 hours. Dark color, with soft mature blueberry fruit, earth & mint - but not old. Still has time to enjoy.
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Dense, luscious, hints of black cherry and ripe blueberry. Lovely intense old vine Shiraz. Drinking nicely but will continue to evolve for many years to come.
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The 3rd bottle I tasted. Good nose of chocolate, violet and red cherry with some hint of spices. The palate was not so solid, somehow disappointing in terms of a flagship wine of a winery. Simple layer. Hopefully it had lovely good fruity blackcurrant and cherry flavor. Easy drinking one. Quite consistent with last bottle.
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Dark crimson w/some edge bricking, cork finished bottle. Lite nose of black pepper w/subtle fruit & vegetal notes. Medium bodied midpalate of fading red/black fruits, noticeable acid and a medium finish. Not a fruit bomb at all. The acid may keep it for a while but I doubt this is going to improve w/age. The screw-capped versions may be faring better.
This was re-tasted two weeks later from a 375ml pour-off against an '05 Noon Eclipse, both at around 60degrees this time. Initially still dryer than the Noon but with some air it put on considerable weight with more fruitiness to boot. Would now merit 90pts.
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Pop and pour. Good nose of spices and blackcurrant. It's not so fruity, rich and powerful than I drank a few years ago. Balanced blackcurrant fruitiness with good amount of acidity. The body is so mild and smooth but somehow a bit diluted and simple in terms of flagship shiraz. Overall keeps good quality and great balance. Drink now.
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Geek night with Alex and Tim et al. (The Presidio, SF): From magnum (blind) A bit dull, deep ruby-purple in the glass. On the nose, ripe purple fruit, dark anise, sweet vanilla oak. In the mouth, dry (though ripe) with around 14.5% alcohol (correct) and screaming high acid and high tannins (melted with age but still present)/ This is a big, beautiful wine, with savory development and well-integrated oak. There’s both rich blackcurrant and pomegranate (in hindsight, this might be a hint of millerandage).
Priorat? - no, wouldn’t be as tannic. Sagrantino? - would not have new oak, and would have darker fruit and more earth. I’m confused. Final call - something from a warm climate, around 2010.
Actually: 2005 Dead Arm Shiraz! 22 months in mixed old and new French and American oak. This is superb!
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Tasted as part of a 10 year vertical, '99 - '09. This was the second vintage which used a screwcap and it was a fruit bomb. Lively fresh fruit. Full bodied and big. Can sit for years more.
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Nose : Medium intensity of ripe dark fruits , red plums, olives, licorice
Palate : Nice acidity, silky and sweet tannins, full body, medium (+) intensity of ripe plums , dark cherries, olives, black pepper, licorice and game, medium (+) length with hint of american oak finish.
Everyhting is well balanced, fruit dominated but definitely not a friuit bomb. Drink well now but have no problem for further ageing. Will open another bottle 2 years later.
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An Aussie icon, and a regal 96/100 (4.4/5.0) from me. I snagged one of 40 limited edition 10 Year Reflection - Best of 2005 Classified Mixed Variety packs from Langtons. And this was in it.
It has an austere, aged premium nose: it's sweet, bright, meaty and slightly leathery. The palate is just right, balancing powerful plum and red berry fruit flavours with some well defined secondary meaty, lavender, leather and peppery ageing characteristics.
At 10 yrs, it still packs a power punch, but with such finesse. Perfect right now.
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Drank this at home with some friends whom I used to act together with.
Lush, pompous and grand, this wine is singing at the top of its voice. A key difference between the Barossa and Mclaren Vale red wines is that Barossa style is more bold and direct, while Mclaren Vale tends to be more subtle and complexed.
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Lovely wine which proves Aussie wines can age just fine. 10 years on this one and lively acid is still present with lush an lingering red and purple fruits. Wish I had more of this wine. It's drinking vet, very nicely now.
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8/10 - Powerful and packed with blackberries and dark cherries with just some subtle hints of oak. A dash of acid keeps it fresh. The tannins, while still quite present, are sweet and smooth. Alcohol is just a wee bit intrusive.
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Has improved greatly over the past year. Dark and herbal notes. Quintessential Dead Arm. Opens up with a bit of air. Slowly showing maturity but no rush at all.
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I was surprised at how balanced this wine was. Tannins were smooth with moderate acidity. It improved over the 2 hours it was enjoyed. Not an over extracted Aussie fruit bomb at all.
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Drank this bottle today at New Ubin Seafood with a close colleague.
Paired this with foie gras with soft boiled eggs, ribeye steak, potato wedges and fried rice.
Easy to drink with elegance and finesse. Structure holding up very well with a long finish. Spice is evident on the palate with lots of plums, dark cherries, oak and liquorice.
Drinking very well now with very little breathing needed.
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Ripe raspberry, blackberry, plum. Molasses and iron filings. Vanilla. Pepper. Structure and finish both spot on. Yum. Thankfully has restored my faith in The Dead Arm. Had a bottle of this a couple of years ago which was nowhere near as good, both screwcap.
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This is an awesome wine! Still youthful and rich. Displaying some American Oak vanilla/coconut still. The fruit is of very high quality though, and easily absorbs the oak treatment.
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Opened this wine at home tonight and drank this with my father and brothers.
Bottle breathed for 8 hours before serving. Wine was showing nicely. Rich, ripe raspberries, cassis and oak on the nose. The body has a good balance between power and elegance. Strong notes of black pepper and rip to give it a long lasting and impressionable finish.
A silky and smooth wine with great character and aging potential.
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Haven't had an Aussie shiraz for a long time and this is restoring my faith in them. Chocolate, spice and blueberry. Has the complexity to go the long haul.
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Popped/poured from cold wine fridge. "Dead" at first, not revealing much. As it warmed up, still tight. Last glass after 1.5 hours showed some fruit & finish, but still disappointing. Needs decanting or time, or started too cold? I think all an issue. Will wait on next bottle.
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A nice floral nose with blackberry, blueberry, cherry, licorice and vanilla which leads to much of the same on the sweet palate with a silky lingering tobacco chocolate finish.
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Brought this to my brother-in-law's sister's wedding lunch at Paradise Pavillion.
Decanted for half and hour before consumption. Notes of blackberries and oak and cassis. Good balance and acidity at 9 years of age. Not much fault to find with this wine. Not very exciting either.
As compared to the previous bottles I've had, this bottle did not perform up to expectations. Could be due to bottle variation, or the food didn't do a good job complementing the wine.
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With crewcap and thats makes a difference......Fresh and not a bit like a 9 years old Shiraz. Had all the Shiraz things , and will easily hold for many years.
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Yet another superb wine by Chester Osborn, the 2005 Dead Arm has all the classic power, richness and unctuosity any lover of this great d'Arenberg flagship Shiraz would have come to expect by now. Displaying a deep, inky purple core, this lovely elixir is packed with intoxicating aromatics of raspberries, plum and vanillin. The wine carries on full-throttle in the palate with a generously soft texture, lush tannins and layer upon layer of creme de cassis, wild berries, indian spice and tobacco leaf - and an equally impressive long, silky finish. This beauty is at her peak now and should remain there for the next decade.
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Hitting on all cylinders now. Luxurious mouthfeel with loads of glycerin. Copious black fruits with blackberry and bluseberry, backstopped by vanilla oak.
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Dead Arm Vertical dinner (Ola Cocina Del Mar, Marina Bay Financial Centre): Drank from a magnum. Dark red with bright crimson red rims, good nose from mix of black fruits, coffee, smoky and oak. Medium+ bodied, good acidity lead to black ripe fruits and toasted oak. Soft tannins and lingering finish. Already drinking well now.
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Cassis and wild berries, on the nose,a little tight but opened up over 4 hours, delicious. Perhaps a few more years til it peaks. The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry and black currant (cassis). It tastes like mushroom, sandalwood, black pepper and cinnamon. The body is full. The wine has leathery texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has high acidity.
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Screwcap, decanted for a couple of hours. Wound very tight & not giving much away. Nice complex wine underneath. Decant for much longer next time or leave for a few years
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My friend opened the bottle 3-4 hours before our dinner. Quite approachable and smooth. Nice aroma of oak, vanilla, mocha, chocolate. Milky texture. Full of powerful blackberry, blackcurrant in the month. Great depth. Not much alcohol feeling. All in perfect harmony. Can either aging for a few years or drink now.
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Brown Bag February: Wines that Made You go "Boom" ... (Boomerang, Boat Quay): Tasted blind, flight 4, last of 4 wines. Finally come to the last wine of the tasting and it took advantage of having more time to breath. Showing very well this time. Nose of blackberries and oak, still fruity and elegant. Smooth and silky palate, good acidity and concentration. Finishes long. Better than my last tasting with some good substance. Second time I had a head to head same vintage of Command vs. Dead Arm and clearly Command has the upper hand again this round.
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Opened up with flavours of cassis and elderflowers. On the palate it has ripe red berries and a light touch of oak.
While this wine does not posses the power and energy of the Elderton Command 2005 or the fruit and aromatics of the Two Hands Shiraz Bella's Garden 2005, this wine stands out with its exceptional balance and elegance.
A step up from the last time I tasted this wine last year. Am looking forward to the improvements in this wine the next time I open another bottle.
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2nd red of OTBN - first time I've drank a screw cap of this wine: - tasted a lot younger than the previous cork closure bottles I've had. Alot of bright fruits but missing the earth and tobacco...
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Full body, deep ruby red color, aromatic, wild berries and spices aroma, black currant, blueberry, pepper, minerals and spices with some chocolate notes on the palate, black currant on finish, plummy and peppery on super long finish, bold, powerful, juicy, saturated, balanced, complex, nice acidity, completely integrated moderate tannins, food friendly. Well associated with meat and rice. Serve 18º - 22º. Drink – at peak now and will in same drinking conditions at least four/six years perhaps longer.
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Drank this at a dinner at home with sushi and sashimi. We later added french fries, fried sotong balls, taiwan sausages and chips to the table.
Opened with with the usual red fruity nose of an Australian Shiraz.
On the palate it resembles a Merlot more than a Shiraz. Vibrant red fruits dominated the body and the wine still feels tight in the mouth. The absence of a long spicy finish also helps to hide the fact that this is a Shiraz.
This is a very fruity expression of the Mclaren Vale terroir.
Will revisit this wine at a later stage to explore how it evolves.
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Still pretty tight and woody on pop and pour. After decanted half an hour it slowly open up to show blackberry, dark cherry, spice and toasted oak on the nose. Rich and medium+ bodied, although not as thick as the Branson Coach House Shiraz Rare Single Vineyard tasted the night before, but show lively acidity to lift the weight. Strong finish with soft grip.
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Ondoorschijnend donkerpaars. Dikke geur van gestoofd zwart fruit, hout, eucalyptus, zwavel. Zeer geconcentreerde smaak met zwart fruit en chocolade. Stevige, plakkende tannines, lang aanhoudend, alcohol is wat aanwezig. 92+
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Much better then last bottle. Probably not bad last bottle (as both purchased and cellared together) but further aging. Vegetal notes gone. Mid-palate much improved. Not too big for an Aussie. Not much taste left by second day.
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Ripe plum flavor with just a touch of raisin on the finish. A nice smokey, savory secondary note has developed making this quite good. Big, but not overpowering- aging gracefully and actually improving.
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Berry compote with intensity dialed up to 11, touch of leather, and ever so slightly vegetal. Fine peppery tannins on a good length finish. Drank over two nights, barely changed. Not quite what I hoped it'd be. Drank most of the bottle without food, but one big glass was so much better alongside roast beef.
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Massively concentrated, perhaps overly so. Some slight vegetal notes, though they may give the wine more character. Not as spicy as some Shiraz I've had (which I find a welcome change).This could do with a few more years, but is already showing quite nicely. Decanting recommended.
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Dark red almost black; nose of dark berries, sweet and dense; dense fruity mouth, lots of cherries and aftertaste, nice, approachable and enjoyable; good value
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Still big & bombastic, and is drinking well but has lost the interesting fruit that was there upon release. This isn't going to fall apart any time soon, but this isn't getting any more interesting at this point.
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Distinctly Australian, this off-vintage bottling performed quite well. It still has the vanilla hint complemented by balanced and tame (by new world standards) rich australian fruit that seems almost green but isn't quite green. I've found aussie shiraz to collapse after the vanilla structural element gives way, and this one probably has 2-4 years of good drinking left in it.
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My first taste of the 05 Dead Arm. This is a big, unctuous Aussie Shiraz, with bold flavors of cassis, leather, pipe tobacco and an interesting green stemminess. The tannins are firm and the finish is long and satisfying. This was drinking well after about a 1/2 hour of decanting but was really at it's best after about 2 hours. Not a Shiraz for the faint of heart.
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This bottle did not have the intensity and deep core of dark fruit like the first one I drank in 2011. Not aging well, starting to taste like most McLaren Vale Shiraz at this price.
Drank with Terry Klim on the Anaheim Hockey Trip. Wine was in good form - Color, body and clarity were perfect. The wine was dry with suttle fruit - Berry and a touch of Oak. It will last a few more years but not going to get better.
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Not like previous bottle, this one just did not have the density and concentration of the first bottle. Cork was soft and red almost to the top. Lots of sediment. Ordered online, will open my last one soon.
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Score reflects second day as it was tight and awkward on first night. Came together as typical higher end shiraz - fruity but not gritty with tar, earth tones. Fragrant nose. Decent balance for this style.
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No detailed notes. The most elegant, surprisingly, of a large group of new world syrahs. Cedar, spice, and red fruit on the nose. Lovely palate of balanced fruit, light tannins, and good acidity.
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The initial nose is black olive, black cherry liqueur, a slight meatiness and a pleasant metallic/mineral edge. With air, aromas of bay leaf, floral and spice emerge and the nose really develops additional complexity. The first couple sips were more accessible than I expected from this wine at 7 years of age, with tasty black fruits, a nice balance of juiciness and earthiness, and a smooth finish of olive and mineral. With air, the palate definitely puts on weight and the finish firms up (both good signs for longer ageing) but it's not a huge monster wine on the palate (which is nice to see). The tannins and acidity are nicely integrated, and there's enough fruit to balance it out, so I think this wine has legs and will run a long distance in the cellar. It's accessible now if you want to drink it - give it plenty of air and some food (herb-rubbed, roasted rack of lamb would be spot on) but I think I'll try to wait another 3-5 years minimum on my last 2 bottles.
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Still has masses of structure and bulk that could do with a few more years to moderate. It's a mouth coating beast of as Shiraz but has enough class to imply a more refined future. Leave alone!
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This had just a tiny bit of mold on top of the cork. Popped and this was all vinegar in the first five minutes. About to pour down the drain, but waited just in case it came around. It did improve and was drinkable with some of the same notes of vanilla, oak, and raspberry apparent, albeit more muted than previous bottles. Definitely a flawed wine, but not so badly corked that it was undrinkable.
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I'd been wanting to try the Dead Arm for a long time, knowing that everything from d'Arenberg that I've had before is top notch juice. I got the chance at a local fine dining restaurant on 1/2 price bottle night. I was NOT disappointed. This is one serious Shiraz. The nose alone is enough to satisfy. It comes across a bit hot and spicy on opening, but after a while in the glass it settles down and smooths out. I paired it with beef tenderloin tips in a peppercorn sauce. As Charlie Sheen would say - "WINNER!" I drank half over the evening and vacuum sealed it for two days. On the second day it was still as good, if not more mellow. It coats the tongue with smoothness. You want to just hold it in and not have to swallow. It has, for me, the perfect level of tannins on the finish. According to the label, this wine is overseen by the master at d'Arenberg, Chester Osborn. I believe it. Well done!
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Stamford Book Club (Davenport Farm): Popped and poured. COLOR: Deep, dark purple. NOSE: Leathe, chocolate, spice, blackberry. TASTE: Excellent. Chocolate, dark plums, licorice, and a hint of vanilla. Very nice, smooth, medium finish. OVERALL: Great wine. (4+13+18+9)
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This wine is like a party in your mouth. Very fruit forward, opens in no time at all. Loads of jammy black fruit, vanilla and oak, A hedonistic wine that lets everything hang out, much like a Martinelli zin. It's drinking beautifully now, I hope I can hang onto a bottle for a 10 year check!
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Sampled 4/13/12. It seemed to open almost immediately in the glass, but I have it an hour. This is one wild ride in a glass of wine. Imagine taking overripe blueberries, blackberries, green peppers, spice, hard leather, sage, Oak and throwing them into an active washing machine and then drinking from a spigot attached to the active device. There was no subtle layering of flavors. This was a turbulent mouthful where flavors would wash up to the surface, be drowned out by others than slosh around again in a circular fashion from the start through the finish cycle. A smooth wine with still firm but pliable tannins. Although I prefer beautifully deliniated and layered flavor profiles, I must admit I found this wine both fun and very interesting. The wine, however, gets thinner after mid palate and that was my single biggest complaint.
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Drank with dinner at Little Bird in Portland. Still young. Nose with slight menthol/yew, oak. Mouthfeel still with extra alcohol. Slight strawberry, heavy oak, tannins linger and high alcohol. I hope this develops with a few more years.
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05 dead arm Pop and pour Super inky Nose: oak spice, dried herbs, muted Palate: slight sweet, dense, full bodied, oaky end with subtle sweetness, fine but powerful tannin, medium length. Surprisingly drinkable now but not very enjoyable.
After 4 days in fridge, the nose is only a little more open, showing mint, blueberry, dark fruits & some sweetness. This is a monstrous wine will take many years to integrate. It's quite oaky too.
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After the last two bottles of this wine, I was disappointed with this one. It had a bit of boiled egg funk in the nose when we popped it but that disappeared. The nose was slow to come around, but finally displayed some smoky bacon and dark fruit. The body and finish were lacking, leading me to think this one had overstayed it's welcome by about a year.
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Screw top, decanted one hour prior to consuming. Nose of nail polish remover (volatile acidity), oak, vanilla, and black currants. Palate is dark fruits and more heavy oak, with some heat on the finish. Not particularly well integrated at the moment, nor will it ever be. A little higher acidity and a touch less ripeness than I would predict from a fairly simplistic Aussie, which made this tolerable to enjoy with dinner. A touch of tannin still lingers on the finish. Certainly not worth the $50 price tag. Buy yourself a Cote Rotie, or two Crozes Hermitage. If you insist on an Aussie, go for a Yalumba Signature. A beautifully made wine that comes close in quality to the price tag.
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Dark fruits, vanilla & tobacco. really nicely balanced acidity and smooth tannins mask the huge alcohol content. A great food wine, well just a great wine...
Just wish I had more and that 3 didn't get smashed in transit...
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This is drinking really well right now. Loads of vanilla, oak, spices, and sweet blackberry with really nice balance and a nice, silky texture. Finish is long with some tannin apparent. Even better integration on the second day. Drink or hold.
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Well, this is the best dead arm I have had. Complex and controlled power. Minty, spicy peppercorn, anise, black fruit with toasty oak. Ripe and juicy acidity with still some drying tannin to resolve. Outstanding.
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Dark as night with a tight core of dark berry fruit. Tannins are ripe and well integrated, alcohol well hidden. This was a pleasure to drink with food.
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I think this is real nice, without the fake Aussie taste, but comparing this to my Favorite Amon Ra, this is not up to them. This still has a drying finish and I think has a few more years to still work itself out. I'll hold off on my others for a few more years. Enjoy
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Needs lot of time in the decanter, full body, cherry and hits of chocalate, long finish and i am still waiting now for it to get to its prime, probably another hour or so
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An Aussie Rhone, done in the Northern Rhone style but with Aussie concentrated fruit. Excellent structure, earth tones and really concentrated fruit but not jammy at all as it's more old world in style.
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Hard to rate this wine, since it's not my cup off tea. Dense black fruit, but you can hardly tell it's a syrah. No lack of concentration here, but you have to like what is concentrated. I don't. Nice note of spearmint thou.
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Decanted 2 hours. Opaque blood-red color. Complex, almost searing nose of eucalyptus, cherries, mint, tar, and iron. Very fresh on the palate with teeth-lashing tannin, bright fruit and surprisingly light mouthfeel. Long, tannic finish. Great wine and very syrah, but not so much Australian shiraz. The balance is impeccable. Served with grilled lamb chops and swiss chard gratin.
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This isn't good wine, this is great wine! Amazing nose, almost the Aussie equivalent of the classic cherry-oak nose of a Napa cab, but in a darker more purple, spicey Shiraz style. I've had a lot of Australian Shiraz in my time, and this was one of the most balanced to date. Much more refined than many of the fruit bombs from down there, with none of that over-sweetness that taints so many in my opinion. Great stuff, and well worth the entry fee!
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my last dead arm, maybe ever, may be a little off, got a tart finish like no previous dead arms, probably stored wrong. too bad, at one time was one of my favorites, sad its going out with a thud.
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Synygy Wine Tasting Club - Shiraz/Syrah (Turbine Hall, Chester PA): better than the last bottle of this i tried, still not worth the price tag. much more restrained than the mollydooker, but still primary in it's fruit. shows some spice that is pleasant on the midpalate.
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Very oaky with a sour finish. This is a mere shadow of our last bottle. I know one of our bottles has not been stored in consistently ideal conditions. This has to be it and our disappointment a result of my own carelessness. We have had too many good experiences with this wine to believe otherwise.
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Tasted immediately after opening. Garnet color. Aroma of oak, dark fruit and spice. Flavors of blackberry, blueberry, licorice and a touch of pepper on the finish. Plenty of stuffing but definitely not over the top. There is enough backbone here to give many more years of pleasurable drinking but it is very good now. The rich fruit is nicely balanced against the tannins. This is a very good wine that reminds my wife and me that we haven't been drinking Syrah often enough lately.
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Great big nose. Wonderful. Mid palate overshadowed by an acetic acid (vinegar) tone. Not smooth and a bit vegetal on the tongue. Maybe a bad bottle or needs more time. Drank over 3 hour period with another and did not change much. Other taster had same thoughts.
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Popped and poured. Dark purple in color, almost opaque. Concentrated nose of red and dark fruits along with a bit of cola and an interesting Indian spice twist. Full body wine with gripping tannins. Requires a bit more time to integrate and for the secondary characteristics to develop.
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Upon opening, a big aussie shiraz nose of blueberry and spice, but made the mistake of decanting more than 3 hours until after TG dinner was finished and it calmed down to be almost non-descript. You could tell there was underlying structure and potential, but no nose and a very neutral palate and finish. I covered the decanter and moved on to other wine. Day 2 revisited and it was still similar, but added a little food to the equation and it lit back up again in a sophisticated fashion. Lessons learned: 1. Shorter decant without food, longer decant with food.
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Huge Syrah almost soupy texture though, big oak yet big fruit and decent acid. Not sure what sets it apart from other Shiraz at lower price points but still a major league wine.
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Monthly Tasting Group HWS #051; TOP Australia. (by EvA): Chocolate, black fruits and pleasant oak in the bouquet. Chocolate on the palate as well, together with a lot of black berry fruits and plums. Soft but still youthful tannin. At this moment I score it one point less than the 2003, but give it 3 - 4 more years and it will probably gain a point or two.
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We drank the Caymus 1991, The Dead Arm 2005 and Beringer Napa 2004 on the annual golf trip. No surprises on the tastings - The Caymus has held up well, the color was slightly brown on the edge but in real good shape, the body was medium, the fruit and oak was light and enjoyable. We had this one first as if it were a Pinot to start the evening. The Dead Arm was the third wine the first evening and it was awsome! I love Oak and it had plenty, the fruit was also well pronounced, the wine was very dry but balanced and the body and color was perfect. The Beringer Napa Cab we drank on the second night as the third wine. It definately had a nice oak flavor, Very enjoyable! Ii is less balanced then the Dead Arm. Of the last two the Dead Arm seemed to have plenty of life left and the Beringer was drinking at it's peak.
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Show me a better Shiraz and it will have a price tag 3 times the cost of this. I love The Dead Arm, it is not for everyone but it is full of flavour, the nose is enticing and it is worth at least twice the price. Better than the 2006.
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This is fantastic. Beautiful fruit and well balanced. Tannins beginning to mellow, but structure well intact for many more years of cellaring. This is third bottle I have had over last 2 years and each one has gotten better. At current published prices, this is tremendous value. What was WS thinking?
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Crimson-black; intense blackberries, smoked meat, tar, earth; ripe berry, smokey, full body, good balance, good acidity, chewy tannins, long finish. Decanted 1 hr. Ripe berry and smokey flavours with class and depth from old vines. Tremendous finish. Good vintage, plenty of years left. A top Aussie shiraz for an affordable price.
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After a three hour decant this was a smooth drinking wine with some dark berry flavors rolling accross the palate, but no sign of tannins. Not overly impressive but this has never been on of my favorites from AU.
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Tief tintenschwarzer Wein mit mittlerer Nase nach Rauch, Speck und Leder, schwarzer Johannisbeere, Blaubeere; Holunder; Kräuteraromen; am Gaumen fleischig-voll, sehr extraktreich, kräftige Säure, feine Tannine, sehr langer Abgang; trinkig
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No formal notes - deep ripe red and dark fruits without being jammy but not quite verging on delicious then followed by a surprising acidic bite on the end. Overall I was slightly disappointed. I imagine this also could use plenty m,ore time in bottle to integrate. Hold.
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I held off until 2010 as per orders. It is a lot of fun right now. Full figured, inky, developing nose. I expect higher scores with time. Can I wait until 2011?
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2005 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm (Australië, South Australië, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale) Kleur: Diep donkerrood Aroma / bouquet: Zwoel, zondoorstoofd, boordevol donker fruit, gebrand (koffieboontjes), potloodslijpsel en grafiet, kruidige houttoets, cederhout, beetje inkt-achtig. Smaak / Afdronk: Enorm geconcentreerd en krachtig, klein zoetje, matige zuren, krachtige maar boterzachte tannines. Heerlijk krachtig glas met een ietsje branderige afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Karafferen helpt de wijn om iets van zijn toch wel wat alcoholische toets kwijt te raken. Supervol en superzwoel, vraag me af of deze wijn - zoals Parker voorspelt - de 2035 gaat halen. Daarvoor is het allemaal wel erg aan de rijpe kant. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Smaak / Afdronk: 17 + Algemeen / potentieel: 7 = 91/100
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drinking this would make a shiraz lover out of many who pass on the typical Aussie with big in your face fruit. This wine so reminds me of the 98 Grange, anyway, dark in color, smells like Napa cab, taste is soft smooth all the way, flavors are many, but very soft, you can use this to wash down the dinner or turn the lights down and enjoy a summer night in McLaren Vale
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Did not have a chance to decant but was pleasantly surprised that it was so smooth and mellow to drink. But still a bit on the closed side, so I look forward to giving more time in the bottle, or at least having a chance to give it a proper decanting next time.
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Cabin Trip this week. Drank three wines, Hanna Bismark Ranch was excellent, good color, body complex fruit and oak flavors. D'Arenberg Dead Arm - Great wine, good color and body, has many years left in it. Extremely dry, good fruit and oak, this is a big wine! Bongiovanni - Borolo - Past its prime, slightly brown in bolor and light in body. Flavor was still good. Recommend as a early light warm up wine or something to finish with.
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Popped and poured. Intense, murky garnet-red color. Opaque even at 2 cm depth. With 30 minutes of air aromas of tar, smoke, bacon, dried cherries, Provencal herbs and damp earth emerged - all beautifully balanced. The palate impression echoed the fragrance and the whole was wrapped with nice acidity and ripe tannins. The wine also had a resinous character that I always associate with old vines. The finish was long and fresh. This was a very pleasant surprise as it bore none of the over-ripe, over-oaked character I associate with so many Australian shiraz. This was indeed a world-class wine and it possesses significant up-side potential.
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Extremely aromatic and fruity both on the nose and in the mouth, but develops not very much in the glass. tannic finish. Not sure that there is big potential
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A real quality wine from one of the finest Mclaren Vales. This would have lasted for years more but I couldnt leave it! Strong blackberry and cinnamon nose with a finish that is full of minerals and herbs but also a sweetness.
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Tasted Blind. Inky black purple core to a thin, red ruby rim. Wine appears youthful though has thrown some sediment and rim variation indicates development and oak aging. Healthy on the nose with moderate + intensity, moderate- development with notes of spice and pepper, dark currant syrup, eucalyptus notes and a final sensation of dust. On the palate, the wine is dry, moderate - acids, moderate + tannins, intensity and development. Follows nose with pepper, spice, dried herbal notes, ripe black fruit and menthol. Wine is heavily concentrated, deeply focused with a moderate to long finish and high alcohol that is balanced and welcome. Drink or Hold. Highly recommended.
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Decanted for 12 hours, and still had a pleasant grip to it. Many years to go, but an incredibly massive mouthfeel and depth of character for a wine this youthful.
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8/09 Blackberry nose - acidic fruit attack with a balanced tannic finish - spice and pepper - not as much punch and concentrationas expected - surprisingly ready now. 91 pts.
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Dark and full bodied red. Round tannins, and good aging potencial. Lots of currant and gooseberry on the nose with hints eucalyptus and leather. Very sweet on the mouth, red fruit jelly with a very long finish.
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Wine Education Service - Masters of Australian Shiraz (LSE): Very dark and dense, showing a bit of age. Waxy first aromas, understated, delicate fruit, mint, tobacco. Sweet attack, quite jammy, soft tannins, smooth mid-palate, long sweet finish.
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2005 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm (Australië, McLaren Vale) Kleur: Diep donkerrood met een nog steeds wat paarse rand. Aroma / bouquet: Expressief en zwoel, zondoorstoofd bijna jammig donker fruit als bramen en cassis, gebrand en getoast, kruidig, eucalyptus, cederhout / potloodslijpsel / grafiet. Ook wat mokka en bittere chocola. Smaak / Afdronk: Klamboemwijn. Klein zoetje in de aanzet, vol en krachtig, krachtige zuren, royale hoeveelheid prachtig rijpe tannines, veel materie en concentratie. Behoorlijk alcoholisch. Lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Vol, zwoel en krachtig. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Smaak / Afdronk: 18 + Algemeen / potentieel: 7 = 92/100
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Still very closed. Decanted and let sit for an hour...and finally started to show. Side by side with the 2000 (rated 92) and not in the same league. We'll see in a few more years.
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Drank this to celebrate our engagement. Decabted for 8 hours, and it really allowed to open fully. Full ripe fruit with balanced spice. Will be young for years to come yet, but very enjoyable for a wine this youthful.
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Menthol, with notes of chocolate, a bit gutsier and showing more tannin than the Barossas that I have been drinking as of today. Also a touch of heat to the back end. A nice grace to it. More complex than The Bishop in my opinion.
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NobleRottersSydney - South Aust Shiraz 2005 (blind) (Alio's, Surry Hills): [screwcap, 14.5%, A$70 but $40 at auction!] Dark chocolate and coffee aromas. The palate offers plenty of chalky tannins, ripe spicy shiraz fruits; blueberries and black fruit characters. The finish is full-bodied and warm, but not hot. Strong coverage along the palate, and an intensity of flavour that speaks of tight structure. A very good wine which ought to age respectably, given the balance between fruit, acid and tannins.
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Quite a powerful concentrated nose - very little complexity at this stage. Muscular palate - Chocolate and smoky herbaceous dark fruits. Needs plenty of time.
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Nose of smoke, mint and black fruit. Pepper, oak and cherry on the palate with a taste something like grass... Dark dark purple and relatively full bodied. Everyone enjoyed this immensely and I would say it's very solid value for the money. Marked it down a point or two as it seemed to fall apart a little about 4 hours after the decant - taste became much more metallic. That said, I think this may have simply been a function of its interplay with the food consumed, so I would not want to judge it based on that factor alone. All in all, a very good Auzzie Shiraz.
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Dark ruby colour. Pronounced flavours of black cherries and plums surrounded with a frame of graphite and cedar. Elegant structure and nice acidity to supplement the black fruit and oak on the silky palate.
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VCTE III tasting. No decant. Super dark violet, almost black color. Some fruit on the nose but mostly a white pepper element with a touch of blackberry. Full bodied with dark fruit and plum flavors. Finishes with dusty, fine grained tannins. Decent but not as good as I was expecting for nearly $50.
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OC Poker for Wine/CT Virtual Tasting III (Wine Cellar Club, Irvine, CA): Black, purple, and opaque in color. Nose shows BIG chocloate, blackberry, black pepper and some green pepper. Insanely aromatic wine. Tastes of lush black and red berry fruits with underlying vanilla spice and pepper flavors and very chewy tannins. Well balanced as it never went insanely over the top with the oak and the jammy fruits as the Aussies are known to do, but I still felt that this wine was lacking in any elegance or direction. A bit all over the place with so much going on. I rather enjoyed it at this juncture, but I could see being turned off to this if I wasn't in the mood for it.
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VCTE III & OC Poker (Wine Cellar Club): Dense nose showing oak an brown sugar over strong boysenberry. Ripe and tart with more boysenberry on the palate this seems to fall off towards the finish. Not a lot concentration though not too much fruit or overly sweet. A crowd pleaser.
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NOSE: strong spearmint note; hint of cherry as well as an odd vegetal aspect; oak; black licorice scent emerges with time in the glass
BODY: garnet color of great depth; medium bodied
TASTE: tannic; oaky; sweet leather and bramble along with some blackberries. This wine basically cemented in my mind my growing ambivalence towards Aussie Shiraz. Tasted this against an '06 Dead Arm ... I slightly preferred the '05 over the '06.
B: 50, 5, 11, 16, 7 = 89
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Virtual Community Tasting Event (VCTE) III (Virtual): Decanted for 4 hours. Very dark, almost black in colour with a violet tinge to it. Nose is initially very expressive, lots of cassis coming through with clear notes of oak in the background. This time the oak seems to fit in nicely with the fruity smells, let’s see what happens with more airtime. After 4 hours of airtime, there are distinct notes of licorice and the oakey smells turn into vanilla-like aromas. Quite delicious! On the palate this is not the fruit bomb I was expecting, although lots of cassis (distinctly cassis) coming through and oak also, but it’s not bothering me as it usually does. Maybe it is more integrated here than in the wines where it has bothered me? Tannins are quite strong. This is a big fruity wine, quite nice, but still not quite my style of wine. I like this, but at €40 per bottle I won’t be getting more. 50+4+12+15+7=88
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Single Blind Syrah Showdown (Chateau Taylor): Lots of alcohol, lots of mint (at first), lots of tannin. Medicinal in a semi-unpleasant way. It wasn't awful, but certainly a big disappointment after my anticipation to try the much-vaunted Dead Arm. This was a huge shock to me when unveiled. The Penfolds Bin series ran circles around this tonight. Pass. 14.5% alcohol.
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Virtual Community Tasting Event (VCTE) III; 12/30/2008-2/20/2009: Popped and poured, then imbibed galss by glass - slowly - over two days. COLOR: Deep purple or violet, but with very good clarity. NOSE: Leather opening up to chocolate and some blackberry as it warmed up. TASTE: Excellent. I was surprised by the acidity and how well it was integrated with the tannins. Very complex and hard for me to pull out individual flavors, but I think there was some chocolate, dark plums, licorice, and a hint of vanilla. Very nice, smooth, medium finish. OVERALL: I really enjoyed this wine. I am very happy that I bought a second bottle. (4+13+18+9)
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Opened fairly quickly. A bit tannic, but drinkable now. Lush fruit on the nose; black cherry and plum. Obvious peppery shiraz aroma. A bit more austere on the palate, likely a product of youth. More spice on the palate than on the nose. Nice balance, and likely will improve in this regard over time. Medium to long finish.
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This wine, like all Dead Arm's, is a superior tipple that does best with 4-6 years of bottle age. Almost French in its required maturation. Drank it therefore too soon but could taste the fine tannins, beautiful balance and promise of things to come after a 3 hour decant. Own and save. will be perfect around 2015
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Drank alongside a katnook Prodigy and Amon Ra - needs a little more bottle age to harmonise. Slight alcoholic burn compared to other two. Classic Dead Arm though.
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2005 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm (Australië, South Australië, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale) Kleur: Intens diep paarsrood. Aroma / bouquet: Intens en overweldigend aroma, enorme complexiteit, overrijp, zwart fruit als bramen en zwarte bessen, hout / vanille, getoaste aroma's als sigarenkistjes, potloodslijpsel en grafiet, rokerig, teer en leer, kruidnagelen, koffie. Smaak / Afdronk: Vol en krachtig, dik en geconcentreerd, behoorlijke zuren, krachtige tannines in combinatie met een behoorlijke lel alcohol, hierdoor een klein zoetje en een peu'tje branderig, zelfs een beetje port-achtig in de afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Super-krachtige en super-geconcentreerde Shiraz, nu al een perfecte maaltijdbegeleider maar met body en reserves voor de komende 15 jaar. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 13 + Smaak / Afdronk: 18 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 94/100
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nice - very nice --but when you figure out the QPR this is not a good value - will return the remaining to LCBO ( one advantage of Ont wine monopoly -a great exchange program )
Don;t think the WS rating of 79 is deserved - but not the way high # I expect for a $55 bottle. For $55 I would stay French - - like this ...http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=176388
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When I took a sit at hour 2 I almost gagged at the amount of petroleum syrup there was in this wine, I wasn't ready for it. But when i re-bottled it and brought it to Steve's it changed into a whole different beast. A nice nose of small dark berries with some spice box waffling at the top. I was surprised by great amount of acidity on the palate with clean concentrated fruit of (limited) strawberries and blueberries with fresh cracked pepper sprinkled on top. Elegantly made with no overwhelming alcoholic presence and a long 30+ second finish of light tickling fruit and fine tannins.
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Drank at Lionel's place. This had been opened for about 24 hours. Complex nose with clean primary blueberry and plums along with a little touch of earth, some bramble and later, touch of anise, pepper and licorice as the wine warmed up. There was some glyrcerin as well. The palate was really clean and bright, with a really high amount of acid. At times, it seemed almost a little sour. Not a bad thing though, because there was a lot of material that needed to be supported by the acid. I got flavours of prunes and berries along with some dried wood and fresh pepper. While not as thick and super-rich as some of the other vintages, this was still well concentrated and showed some amount of residual sugar. Rather superb finish which flourished freshly with a touch more pepper and an oaky, mocha linger and fine-grained tannins. What was a bit strange was that it seemed to ebb and flow between being nicely integrated and falling apart slightly at the edges, with some heat showing up around the edges. Lots going on, already good, but not altogether super-pleasing at the moment. This really needs more time in the cellar.
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Tasted blind. Aromatic nose of blackberry, raspberry and anise. Big flavor yet balanced with subltle oak, plenty of fruit and smooth feel. Took some time to unwind and would benefit from laying down a while.
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Dark purple-red colour. Fantastic nose showing smoky dark fruits, lots of spices, graphite and some hints of eucalyptus with floral notes emerging with time. Full bodied and concentrated on the palate with intense flavours of blueberries, plums, smoke, chocolate and roasted meats. Soft and plush in texture with smooth tannins, low acidity and a long finish showing a little alcoholic warmth.
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Black fruit nose. Raspberries, earth, flowers and blackcurrant. Good structure and depth. Full bodied. Excellent balance. Nice elegance and complexity on the finish.
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100% shiraz. i don't condone it, but i understand it. easily the most complete wine tasted tonight. at least it has some balance/structure/fruit that can be recommended. however, apparently, i have lost (for the most part) that loving feeling for the australian ethos.
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Good fruit, perfect sweetness and abundant complexity masked by huge tannins that will take a while to subdue. Day 2 after vacuum decant - Lost complexity and fruit while retaining the tannins. Tasted a little flat. Overall a pleasant wine but not good for the price.
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Deep purple/black color with amazing aroma of crushed blueberry, raspberry and strawberry, leather, chocolate. Amazing acidity makes me think this will last at least 2 decades. Silky tannins and only slight heat make this a winner. Still a little jammy but not over the top.
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The Sampler (Angel, London): Rich purple in colour, this wine is aged in French and American oak for 22 months before bottling. The nose shows smoke, spice, liquorice and a little alcohol. The palate is full bodied and very concentrated. Opulent black fruits, vanilla and tobacco characters. Good, but lacking the elegance of the 2004.
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Young brooding pure complex fruit nose of plums, coffee, cassis and walnut with hints of vanilla. The palate is quite acidic with blackberry fruit framed around well-integrated tannins that are a little dusty on the long finish. Not my cup of tea that much these days but outstanding nonetheless. 92+ for now. Decant 3-4 hours.
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Great deep red/black color, medium to full bodied - aromas of sweet blackberry, tobacco and licorice; concentrated and somewhat complex in palate; respectable finish; will benefit from more time/ needs to further evolve.
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Dark purple, very solid color. Smell vanilla with oak, meaty flavor,also smell dust.Later on, also sense a hint of chinese medicine and leather. Taste of dark berries, quite acidic.
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Decanted for four hours. Deep dark purple with a dark fruit core on the nose along with a hint of vanilla, licorice, and black pepper. In the mouth, tannins are still very gripping and is generally void of much fruits. The presence of alcohol along with notes of tar, coffee, black pepper, and wood are detectable. A slight disappointment. Day 2 notes: After 31 hours in the decanter, the nose is much more complex with candy, chocolate, tea leaves, meat juice, black pepper and licorice. A thick, viscous full body wine with sour black cherries, cola and an array of spices in the mouth still with firm tannins. A very structured wine with a long finish on minty notes. Score 90+. This wine will take years to come around and is perhaps currently in an awkward phase. As it sits, it is a very subdued on the fruit end and predominantly spice dominated.
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Dead Arm is fantastic piece of work. It is so complex I don't even know where to start. It has nearly every scent, every aroma there is in the vocabulary of a wine lover: deep, thick, creamy, black fruit, dry fruit, smoke, spice, lead, fresh asphalt, oak, leather, coffee, chocolate... it is pointless to keep on reciting. If Armageddon is ever going to come, this wine could be a good choice for that day - a farewell with humanity through one of the most enjoyable products humans ever made. And of course, it has the coolest brand name in the wine business.
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Opaque purple core with a purple rim. Very appetizing, savoury nose which surprised me. Smoke, spice box, roasted earth, pencil lead, BBQ black fruits and tar - lots of complexity. Intense, super full-bodied palate with immense tannins (but fine and non-oak driven). Pure raspberry, fresh blackcurrant and blueberry fruits with fig and bitter chocolate on the finish. Balanced acidity and alcohol (15%). Obviously very young right now. This needs 10 years at least. One of the most impressive 'Dead Arms', this seems a lot more savoury with better oak use than in some past vintages. Kudos to Chester.
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What can be said about this icon that has not already been said? It's intensity, yet finesse is probably what started the Shiraz 'rage' around the world - It was almost black, very concentrated with notes of black fruit, spice, pepper, casis and oak on the nose, very intense, yet not 'flabby' as the balancing acidity comes through, the finish was amazingly long (93 Points).
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Thought this was good, but not on par with the Carnival of Love or the Two Hands Bella's. Lots of integrated ripe fruit on the nose and palate, with complex oak, toast, and hints of dustyness. Finish was moderate. Really a nice wine.
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Shoshana's Birthday Wines!: 21 quid from oddbins. Screwtop. 2 hours decant. Riedel syrah. Deep purple inky colour. Heaps of black fruit, spice and liquorish. Slightly hot on the palate. Great fruit and I am sure this will settle down to become an excellent dead arm.
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had after the ridiculously sexy Saxum Heartstone so this was hard to rate. I still believe that the dead arm and grange are the greatest aussie wines mostly because they do not taste like aussie wines. this bottle has many many years of life ahead and I would love to taste again in 10 years or so.
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Blind tasting with 2004. Both young. 2005 cork, 2004 screw top. 2005 was more in balance and nearly ready. Should mature into an outstanding wine. Will put away 2 cases for 2012+. Big fruit, long finish, a bit tanic at present.
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Drank with guys form the firm at SCY's farewell. My donation. This seemed better than the last bottle of '05 I had. Maybe because of the slightly shorter decanting - over decanted the last one and it seemed to shut down. Beautiful structure and balance, still a little tightly wound up and will need time. Again, plums, cassis, dark fruits beginning to nicely integrate with the vanilla / oak nuances. Wonderfully made wine. Not as richly fruited and super ripe as the '04, but I prefer this. Nicer structure, more elegant, more focused.
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Drank at home over two nights, decanted the first half for 4 hours on day 1, tasted every hour. Decanted the other half 1/2 hour on night two, it was a little oxidised by then unfortunately, still good, but a little sour. The vacuvin didn't do its work(?) Dark red, not as inky black as the '04 though. A lot more restrained on the nose as well. Plums, cassis, spice on the nose, opening up over time. The dark fruits were there again on the palate, but all tightly wound up in the firm tannins. Lots of potential here, with peeks of real depth and elegance coming through. The long, wonderfully lingering finish with the spicy flourish is still there. After 4 hours, the nose completely shut down, and the tannins stood out more than the fruit - overdid the decanting bit I think. Day 2, more fruit, but had gone a bit flabby. This one certainly needs time. I'm glad I've got 2 more!
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3/25/2024 - BRSAustinTex Likes this wine: 92 Points
After all the recent reviews, I was expecting the worst. But this was very good. Didn’t hang around longer than 90 mins but very well balanced for a 20 y/o Aussie Shiraz. I wouldn’t wait but don’t dread opening it.
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1/12/2024 - jroszkowski wrote: 88 Points
Cork crumbled upon opening. Needed to be filtered to remove remnants. Heavy sediment in the bottle. Brick red color. Upon opening still good fruit characteristics. Dried fruits and dried herbs and some graphite on the nose. A definite raisin like character. Boisonberry, and prune flavors with some menthol early after opening. Tannins are soft but still present. Medium acidity. It's appeal deteriorated after an hour. The fruit flavors give way to more earthy notes with a some bitterness on the finish. Definitely past it's prime, but still a pleasant offering.
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12/25/2023 - honest bob wrote: flawed
From 75cl, fill into neck. Brittle, slimy cork, firmly adhering to the bottle neck, required intensive work to extract with ah-so, corkscrew and various excavating instruments before filtering off a carpet of cork detritus. Heavy deposit left in bottle. Served immediately, the wine deteriorated over subsequent hour. Still a very acceptable drink, but muffled after so long in contact with its faulty closure, and so unlike any other Dead Arm I can remember. At its best: Concentrated, luscious blackberry fruit, bright currant acidity, nicely furry tannins not yet fully resolved. 88P in this condition, but surely the wine in this bottle would have shown in a different league had it been bottled under screwcap. See also CT TN by tomandlu dated 11.07.2023, who seems to have encounted something similar.
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7/11/2023 - tomandlu wrote: 87 Points
No detailed notes. Cork broke and crumbled but there was no sign of leakage. Nice deep color with a moderately complex nose and rather rugged palate impression. Perhaps this is now in decline.
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7/8/2023 - stayhappy21 wrote: 91 Points
Opened this at my brother's new home over dinner with my family. We had food from Pu Tien and Colin's.
One of my favourites which has consistently delivered quality and value over the years. Dark brooding red with a tinge of inky purple.
On the nose, captivating bouquet of blackberries, plums, and dark cherries, intertwined with alluring notes of black pepper, eucalyptus, and a touch of mocha. The aromas are intriguing intense and complex.
On the palate the power and harmony co-existed perfectly. A symphony of ripe black fruits, including blackberry, plum, and cassis, complemented by hints of dark chocolate, licorice, and an intriguing earthiness danced effortlessly on the palate.
Structure still holding very well at 18 years of age, with velvety tannins that provide a luxurious mouthfeel and a sense of elegance. The balance between fruit, acidity, and oak is superb, and the wine exhibits a remarkable length that lingers on the palate, leaving a lasting impression.
Extraordinary, and highly recommended.
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6/12/2023 - Alan Partridge wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful. Rich Aussie Shiraz. Not over blown, great concentration of fruit and still has decent elements of youth underscores cap. Could go another 10-15 years, but great drinking now
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6/10/2023 - hargy Likes this wine: 90 Points
drunk alongside the 1998 and pales in comparison but should improve with a few more years in the bottle
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5/11/2023 - Duncan H Likes this wine:
Drank with Robert and Angel alongside Keermont Shiraz 2016 - didn't show as well as expected by comparison with the Keermont. Not as interesting.
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5/9/2023 - Angle Gold Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wine was in a beautiful place. fully integrated and balanced.
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4/30/2023 - Wine4Life Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wine was terrific what a nice surprise, it has aged wonderfully. Deep dark purple with no signs of bricking. (Have to love a screw top!). Open nose with black currants dominating. As expected big body with dark berries and the expected pepper, great balance with a long finish. Fantastic wine with a porterhouse. Wish I had more!
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4/23/2023 - Ara Kafafian wrote: 88 Points
I last tried this wine 3 years ago and unfortunately this bottles was less impressive. Closed nose dominated mostly by chalky notes. Some dark berries were present ending on an acidic finish. An off bottle perhaps?
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2/16/2023 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful bouquet with dark berries and eucalyptus. On the palate juicy dark berries, herbs, beautifully fresh acidity and round tannin, some lovely sweetness. Very beautiful wine with a great length and still a future of several years.
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12/28/2022 - RodaParis Likes this wine: 93 Points
Much better after a almost 2 decades. I'm shocked at how well it aged. Highly recommend, if you can get your hands on anymore
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11/18/2022 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Dark berries, leather, licorice and luxurious oak in the bouquet. Same on the palate, beautiful dark berries, some mint, beautiful acidity and round tannin. In a beautiful drinking stage.
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9/16/2022 - WildeMeeuw Likes this wine: 91 Points
Kleur: Diep donkerrood. Aroma / bouquet: Diep en donker bouquet , beperkte expressiviteit en complexiteit. Wel aangenaam. Een restant van gedroogd fruit, kruidnageltjes. Beetje gronderig. Smaak / Afdronk: Een krachtpatser in balans, van de eerder geconstateerde branderigheid is geen sprake meer. Mondvullend en dik-sappig, korrelige tannines, stoer en krachtig. Geen spoor van vermoeidheid (geschonken uit Magnum). Lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Geproefd naast 1999 Penfolds Grange. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Smaak / Afdronk: 17 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 91/100
Colour: Deep dark red. Aroma / bouquet: Deep and dark bouquet, limited expressiveness and complexity. Pleasant. A remnant of dried fruit, cloves. Bit earthy. Taste / Aftertaste: A powerhouse in balance, the previously noted burning is no longer the case. Mouth-filling and thick-juicy, grainy tannins, tough and powerful. No trace of fatigue (given from Magnum). Long finish. Overall / potential: Tasted next to 1999 Penfolds Grange. 50 + Colour: 5 + Aroma / Bouquet: 11 + Taste / Aftertaste: 17 + General / Potential: 8 = 91/100
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8/24/2022 - JerM wrote: 94 Points
Wow, dark and rich and youthful out of the bottle - screwcap is really doing its work!
Dark effusive florals, woodspice, fresh black berries. Violets and ylang, soft leather. Fresh shaved graphite. Lifted structure, fine tannins and tall acidity, layered with still-fresh plums and dark fruit. Sweet tea-leaf and tobacco, savoury and beautifully balanced, translucent layers, elegant with power. Effortless and nuanced! Drinking at a perfect time now...
[epilogue: had a glass on the 3rd day, still ringing]
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8/14/2022 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 94 Points
In my way of thinking this is one of Australia's finest Shiraz, and 05 was a good vintage
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5/21/2022 - SadEdjo Likes this wine: 91 Points
dark colour; dusty milk chocolate & spicy plum; plush textures and well resolved tannins
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5/6/2022 - kimcot Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bright ruby red and lots of fruit flavours.
Opened up after an hour in the decanter.
Still many years of life left.
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3/12/2022 - Delund Likes this wine: 92 Points
Finally came around after 15 years. Picked up several bottles (15?) years ago on sale, but at 3, 5 and 10 years, I was underwhelmed. Now, I wish I had bought a few cases... Still a dark, inky color, with white pepper and clove interspersed with grape jam on the nose. Velvety dark fruits on the palate, with a long, slightly drying complex finish. Went great with a strip steak.
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1/15/2022 - no leashes wrote: 92 Points
Okay, with this bottle I finally get what the D'Arenberg Shiraz is all about. I was drinking them too young and they were okay but not great. This bottle was singing, not too over the top, plenty of nuances -- spice, earth, tobacco, black fruit, pepper, you name it. Very good. Even saved a glass for the next night and still delicious. Wish I had more.
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1/11/2022 - Tefal Likes this wine: 92 Points
if you like big new world wines, then you'll love this. I do and I did. A typical Dead Arm, they always age well and are worth the wait, Drink now.
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12/24/2021 - #1 or #2? Likes this wine: 93 Points
dark ruby. knockout nose! ...inky, dark berry fruit, pepper, tobacco, clove, smoke. palate is smooth and velvety but with some welcome lift. layers of sweet and savoury notes ripple across the tongue and hold on a wonderfully long finish. excellent and worth holding these through to maturity.
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11/23/2021 - Sperls wrote: 93 Points
In a very good spot. Inky red, almost purple, no bricking. Good fruit w some pepper and spice. Medium finish. Would have thought this wine was max 8-10 years old. Went great w dry-aged prime porterhouse at Keens in NYC.
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11/12/2021 - SineQuaNon Likes this wine: 92 Points
Almost opaque still, yet now ruby coloured. Pronounced nose with vanilla and coconut still, but also some tertiary tobacco development. Palate is hugely concentrated and youthful still, with a tannin bite I almost couldn't believe for a wine of this age. Nicely velvety and matched the ribeye perfectly, where the tannins melted away. Quite impressive showing
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4/22/2021 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cellaraid Discovery Box; 5/19/2017-5/26/2021 (Delivered to Home): Deep ruby, very viscous, highly extracted. Strongly peppered, and green grassy aromas, with ripe blackberry, and cloves. Full bodied, highly tannic but softened from age, with rich blackberry flavours, dried grass, pepper and paprika. Long finish, of medium complexity
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2/7/2021 - bprosenberg wrote: 91 Points
Really rich, as if more than a decade in the bottle had no effect.
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1/5/2021 - Duncan H Likes this wine: 92 Points
A real surprise - having not been particularly taken with a previous bottle opened a year ago, this was excellent. Powerful, a treat to drink without being especially complex. I'd drink up and enjoy.
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12/11/2020 - Brolawa wrote: 88 Points
Jammy wine with nice tannins - but that was about it. Nothing unique through vertical. Decanted for about an hour and wine didn’t change much over that time. Dark purple color - wine seems to have much more than three years left.
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11/28/2020 - MichielV wrote: 92 Points
W thanksgiving dinner. We had a 2016 Moulin A Vent as well. Very different but fun to try in small group (yes stupid governor we were below 10). This was a very good bottle and it fit well with dinner. Helen had done a fabulous job with various fruits and rice so this worked! Great fruit length and body. At its top so why risk waiting another 10 yrs. this is great
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11/24/2020 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 92 Points
Open up about an hour ahead then enjoy this aged shiraz. Plenty of fruit, earth and soft tannin plus a nice acid balance went well with pork roast. Drink or hold.
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10/9/2020 - no leashes wrote: 91 Points
Still drinking very well.
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7/10/2020 - Coollawyer wrote: 91 Points
Dark ruby colour. Leather notes with earth
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6/7/2020 - Duncan H Likes this wine: 92 Points
Amazing once again - for me, this is at its peak! It will no doubt last for ages and evolve, but will it improve?
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5/30/2020 - bryon m wrote: 93 Points
Amazing wine - The color and body were in perfect shape. This is a very dry wine - strawberry and cranberry with a hint of bacon fat and smoke. The finish is nice and last a while. This is still complex at 15 years old. This was a very nice surprise
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5/15/2020 - jnotaro82 wrote:
Average
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5/7/2020 - Duncan H Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow - Mrs H and I absolutely loved this!
Still very dark in colour - you'd never guess it was 15 years old! Deep, juicy blackberries on the nose and a full, rounded mouthcoating palate. None of the over-ripe, super-concentration that sometimes puts me off Dead Arm (but which Mrs H loves). Not the most complex of wines, but hedonistic to drink! I reckon this is in its sweet spot right now - it will definitely keep, but will it improve?
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4/21/2020 - jdbooth Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine has aged beautifully. Silky smooth. Soft tannins. Plenty of pure black fruit. Well balanced. In no danger of drying out anytime soon, but surely near its peak.
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4/10/2020 - Ara Kafafian Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still almost purple ruby, tobacco leaves, tar, dark berries, oak, vanilla, very full bodied and still tannic. Not yet ready to drink, needs a few more years. This will be a long laster, 10+ years for sure.
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3/15/2020 - IanAltman Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted for 90 minutes. A little hot upon opening and beautiful after decanting. Dark cherry, eucalyptus, and mushroom on the palate. Long finish. Drinking beautifully and still has years of life in it. Had with lamb and venison... perfect pairing.
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2/15/2020 - Amavino Likes this wine: 96 Points
Aged incredibly well. Wonderful body. Many years left
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2/12/2020 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #146; Australian Shiraz (By JZ): In the bouquet a lot of sweet dark berries, sweet spices, eucalyptus and impressions of metal. On the palate cherries, ripe blackberries, oak, chocolate, fresh acidity and soft, round tannin. Some pleasant bitterness in the finish. Good length and a beautiful wine. 92 – 93
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9/28/2019 - ChateauGerald wrote:
Extremely smooth. Drank with striploin and loved it. Big and long finish. Didn’t over analyze just loved it.
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7/29/2019 - Ricky99 Likes this wine: 90 Points
jammy as hell.... paled a bit vs two hands and run rig
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7/26/2019 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was a good bottle but came short of expectations. Acidity and tannin a bit distracting.
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5/24/2019 - wynnewood500 wrote:
Dark, opaque wine. Nice but fading since last year. Flavors and nose are reticent. Too much alcohol for me. Bottle says 14.9% but could be more.
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4/13/2019 - D_rod wrote: 88 Points
Ok but not as good as I was expecting, nice (expected) fruit first up but then somewhat confusing.
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3/30/2019 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very interesting Shiraz that needs at least an hour to decant to fully appreciate its fruit and complexity. What starts as a closed mid 80’s wine evolves into a gem with dark berry fruit, lavender and cassis. Hints of earth notes are in the palate but the wine becomes more expressive with each minute after an hour decant.
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1/11/2019 - madia wrote: 89 Points
A bit dissapointing. Good nose - a lot of black/ripe fruits, chocolate and spices, but with hints of oxidation - caramel notes. Medium to full bodied, the caramel notes more prominante in the palate
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1/3/2019 - dsimmons wrote:
This was a really strange bottle. It was like the acidity kept going back and forth between balanced and overbearing? I am hoping this was a result of bottle variation since my last bottle was good.
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12/30/2018 - oropeza wrote:
Black fruit with a complex earth & wood-driven middle. Somehow both intense and subtle... really, really fun.
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12/8/2018 - guy12 wrote: 85 Points
Lots of everything, too much for me
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11/10/2018 - 87tellub Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP then slow ox over a few hours. Cork in great shape and wine looks fresh. Very long legs in the glass. Nose is dark fruit, pencil lead, spice, cocoa powder, vanilla, wet earth. Smells a bit like a Bordeaux with a little age. Big presence and mouth filling. A powerful wine. Palate is transitioning between it's fruit phase and the next phase, but still good black cherry and dark plum skin. Quite good and ready to rock right now. Gets nice and in the zone with the slow ox after a couple hours.
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11/1/2018 - hfindlay Likes this wine:
I was worried when I finally cracked this bottle. It was old. I visited D’Arenberg last year and I’m pretty sure they don’t make it any more. But it was vital. A perfect Aussie balance between sweet fruit and solid, soft tannins. Meat and smoke. Perfect with pizza with anchovies.
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10/27/2018 - Duncan H Likes this wine: 89 Points
Tasted alongside the 2003 Dead Arm and it didn't show quite as well. Perhaps a bit monolithic and needs a smidgen more time (or more decanting beforehand).
Still very nice to drink tho'. I reckon this will last another five years and it's probably worth waiting.
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9/28/2018 - WilD wrote: 93 Points
P@P, wonderfull nose, nice acidity, leather notes, blueberries. Cherries. Very complex and mature wine. Great.
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9/19/2018 - Paul S wrote: 91 Points
Lunch at Nicolas with Alex H (Nicolas Restaurant, Teck Lim Street, Singapore): I have had this numerous times over the past decade, and think it still needs time. It was pretty good, but still a little bit of a beast. The nose was a blast of glycerol at first, only opening up in time to show some sweet blueberries beyond all that alcohol. The palate was thankfully a lot better, with velvety tannins and soft acidity wrapped around a rather hedonistic mouthful of blueberries spice and eucalyptus unwinding into a long, full finish. Objectively a pretty good wine, but this felt just a tad awkward at the moment. Maybe its going through a phase - I am leaving my remaining couple of bottles aside for a few years at least.
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8/26/2018 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 96 Points
Cellaraid Discovery Box; 5/19/2017-5/26/2021 (Delivered to Home): high on all counts, very intense, burnish and full bodied, with cherry, raspberry, blackberry, some caramelised apples, tea, peppery, grassy, earthy, meaty; excellent wine!
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7/7/2018 - BRSAustinTex Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking very well now. Light cherry, earth but a fresh does of acid on mid palate and a long, balanced finish. Don’t let get too warm.
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6/11/2018 - vino_Kaz Likes this wine: 95 Points
Stupendous wine drinking very well now. Notes of mocha, blackberry and vanilla. Lovely.
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6/4/2018 - Yagil wrote: 91 Points
Celebrating Etti Edri-Maimoni new job within Carmel (at Haim Straze): clear, deep purple
clean, profound dark fruits aromas with present spicy notes
dry, high tannins, high acidity, full body, rich dark fruits spicy flavours, good balance, structured, complexed, long spicy finish
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5/13/2018 - wynnewood500 Likes this wine:
Dense dark color and body. Tastes of dark cherries. Evolved tannins. Big nose of old fruit. Excellent!
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5/7/2018 - bugles Likes this wine: 92 Points
I was quite surprised with this one. Having read the previous reviews I was skeptical whether a Barossa Shiraz lover would enjoy this but I thoroughly did and so did everyone at dinner.
It is a very idiosyncratic Shiraz. If I had blind tasted, I would have guessed a really nice Chianti or a modern Napa Cab. Like several other reviews said, yes it is jammy with loads of sweetness which wasnt particularly bad. Yes the fruit was probably over ripe. But nonetheless it made a fantastic wine. I would say it is at its peak now so drink up.
Not much complexity here, a medium-ish length.
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4/28/2018 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice Shiraz drank with grilled pork loin chops. Plenty of fruit with resolved tannin. Was hoping for more depth and complexity. I would be drinking these.
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2/16/2018 - Love Good Wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened two hours then enjoyed with lamb shanks in an herb-infused red wine braise—fabulous!
I am wondering what’s up with some WS ratings. This is a fine wine—not the very best example of The Dead Arm but still very very good. Years left. It was complex and interesting, evolving through the evening.
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2/15/2018 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
UWS (@ JB): Beautiful bouquet with red and dark berries, mint and other sweet spices as well as autumn impressions. On the palate juicy dark and red berries, luxurious oak and vanilla, pleasant acidity and a touch of sweetness. The tannin is beautiful and still firm. Overall a beautiful wine and quite different to the previous bottle I tasted.
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1/17/2018 - sfbikeguy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted over 2 hours. Excellent. Table favorite. Lots of solid fruit. Only bottle. :(
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1/5/2018 - WilD wrote: 91 Points
Still going strong. Nice blueberries, great acid backbone. Some leather, vanilla. The wine lacks a little fruit at the end with the acidity to pronounced.
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1/4/2018 - WildeMeeuw wrote: flawed
Three bottles opened, two bottles clearly corked, one bottle without noticable cork-aroma but with little aroma left...
Three bottles in a row....
;-(
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12/17/2017 - winot Likes this wine: 90 Points
I found this a bit over-wrought, a bit woody, the fruit a tad over-ripe for my taste - probably would have enjoyed this more closer to release for its primary fruit, age is not adding much but sediment, lots of it. Still, tasty and provided some pleasure.
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11/25/2017 - Andrew67 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nicely balanced and drinking very well now. Shows the value of holding on to a good shiraz for a few years. Blackberry, plum, cassis, chocolate, tobacco. Lots of complexity with smooth and integrated tannins. Still many years to go.
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9/30/2017 - patwjr wrote: 91 Points
Pnp, drank over 5 hours. Nice aged fruit, smooth. Drink now.
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7/30/2017 - martcouz wrote: 92 Points
A très bien évolué. Une main de fer dans un gant de velour.
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6/7/2017 - fuber00 wrote:
The wine has low acidity. It smells like cool/menthol, mint, mineral and black currant (cassis). The body is full. The wine finishes short. It tastes like blackberry, black pepper and prune. The wine looks crimson colored. The legs are fast. There is no sediment in the bottle. The wine has smooth texture. Very concentrated with weak tannins. Delicious but lacks structure.
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5/13/2017 - SadEdjo wrote: 91 Points
Dark brooding plum and cedar spice. Dark purple colour.
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5/2/2017 - Glauberlp Likes this wine: 94 Points
For power lovers. Not exactaly my cup of tea, but a very good wine in his style. Bravo
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4/14/2017 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 98 Points
Cellaraid Pop-up @ Artbox Singapore; 4/14/2017-4/23/2017 (Bayfront Event Space, Marina Bay Sands): clear, deep ruby; clean, pronounced nose of blackcurrant, mint, toffee, coffee, chocolate; dry, medium acid, tannic, full body, blackcurrant, plum, stewed fruits, pepper, cloves, coffee, chocolate;great, powerful wine!
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3/21/2017 - Zweder wrote:
Monthly Tuesday group "The Dead Sparrow" #017: Syrah/Shiraz, France, Australia and South Africa. (By AG): Beautiful and deep bouquet with dark forest fruits, leather and some glue…? On the palate a very concentrated with dark berries, leather, licorice, firm acidity and tannin, chocolate and oak. Overall this is a good wine, possibly even superb, but the glue in the bouquet worries me a bit. No score.
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2/10/2017 - Vino Me wrote: 92 Points
Opened by Mark. Purple red color. This wine was not as big as many of the younger dead arms I have had were. Woody notes with smoke and currant 92 points.
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2/3/2017 - JNK Pereira Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wow; this is really drinking well now. Big & Smooth.
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1/25/2017 - patwjr wrote: 92 Points
Bottle with a cork (not screw cap version), drank over 5 hours. Dark color, with soft mature blueberry fruit, earth & mint - but not old. Still has time to enjoy.
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1/1/2017 - vino_Kaz Likes this wine: 94 Points
Stellar concentrated yet very refined Aussie Shiraz. Drinking very nicely now.
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10/7/2016 - vino_Kaz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dense, luscious, hints of black cherry and ripe blueberry. Lovely intense old vine Shiraz. Drinking nicely but will continue to evolve for many years to come.
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8/25/2016 - wineordeath Likes this wine: 91 Points
iron and pencil. Slightly sweet entry with pretty good balance and build across the palate. Round, soft, and slightly fat, but savoury. Good
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8/6/2016 - bryon m wrote: 93 Points
very dry and very nice!
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7/29/2016 - dimdic wrote: 88 Points
The 3rd bottle I tasted. Good nose of chocolate, violet and red cherry with some hint of spices. The palate was not so solid, somehow disappointing in terms of a flagship wine of a winery. Simple layer. Hopefully it had lovely good fruity blackcurrant and cherry flavor. Easy drinking one. Quite consistent with last bottle.
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7/23/2016 - MoreWinePlease wrote: 87 Points
Dark crimson w/some edge bricking, cork finished bottle. Lite nose of black pepper w/subtle fruit & vegetal notes. Medium bodied midpalate of fading red/black fruits, noticeable acid and a medium finish. Not a fruit bomb at all. The acid may keep it for a while but I doubt this is going to improve w/age. The screw-capped versions may be faring better.
This was re-tasted two weeks later from a 375ml pour-off against an '05 Noon Eclipse, both at around 60degrees this time. Initially still dryer than the Noon but with some air it put on considerable weight with more fruitiness to boot. Would now merit 90pts.
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7/9/2016 - dimdic wrote: 89 Points
Pop and pour. Good nose of spices and blackcurrant. It's not so fruity, rich and powerful than I drank a few years ago. Balanced blackcurrant fruitiness with good amount of acidity. The body is so mild and smooth but somehow a bit diluted and simple in terms of flagship shiraz. Overall keeps good quality and great balance. Drink now.
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5/20/2016 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 92 Points
Geek night with Alex and Tim et al. (The Presidio, SF): From magnum
(blind)
A bit dull, deep ruby-purple in the glass.
On the nose, ripe purple fruit, dark anise, sweet vanilla oak.
In the mouth, dry (though ripe) with around 14.5% alcohol (correct) and screaming high acid and high tannins (melted with age but still present)/
This is a big, beautiful wine, with savory development and well-integrated oak. There’s both rich blackcurrant and pomegranate (in hindsight, this might be a hint of millerandage).
Priorat? - no, wouldn’t be as tannic.
Sagrantino? - would not have new oak, and would have darker fruit and more earth.
I’m confused.
Final call - something from a warm climate, around 2010.
Actually: 2005 Dead Arm Shiraz!
22 months in mixed old and new French and American oak.
This is superb!
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4/21/2016 - ataraxy wrote: 88 Points
Pleasant fruity flavor, but utterly simple. Tannins are fully resolved. No nose and no finish whatsoever.
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4/3/2016 - drunken sommelier Likes this wine:
Tasted as part of a 10 year vertical, '99 - '09. This was the second vintage which used a screwcap and it was a fruit bomb. Lively fresh fruit. Full bodied and big. Can sit for years more.
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3/31/2016 - Shoebox Likes this wine: 93 Points
serious smoky nose; deep purple colour. Intense blackcurrants, vanilla; very good complexity and length.
Good for another 10 years
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3/12/2016 - FCHOW113 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Appearance : Deep ruby, hint of purple hue, legs
Nose : Medium intensity of ripe dark fruits , red plums, olives, licorice
Palate : Nice acidity, silky and sweet tannins, full body, medium (+) intensity of ripe plums , dark cherries, olives, black pepper, licorice and game, medium (+) length with hint of american oak finish.
Everyhting is well balanced, fruit dominated but definitely not a friuit bomb. Drink well now but have no problem for further ageing. Will open another bottle 2 years later.
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3/6/2016 - mmcdds Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking well and everything you'd expect from a big Aussie Shiraz.
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1/16/2016 - neil wrote: flawed
corked
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1/9/2016 - Andrew67 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich and flavour full shiraz. Classic Dead Arm. And lovely for it.
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12/14/2015 - Wozza Likes this wine: 96 Points
An Aussie icon, and a regal 96/100 (4.4/5.0) from me. I snagged one of 40 limited edition 10 Year Reflection - Best of 2005 Classified Mixed Variety packs from Langtons. And this was in it.
It has an austere, aged premium nose: it's sweet, bright, meaty and slightly leathery. The palate is just right, balancing powerful plum and red berry fruit flavours with some well defined secondary meaty, lavender, leather and peppery ageing characteristics.
At 10 yrs, it still packs a power punch, but with such finesse. Perfect right now.
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10/23/2015 - WilD wrote: 92 Points
P&P, deep dark fruit, nice acidity. Peppery taste. Great performance. Will last for at least 5 more years.
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10/10/2015 - stayhappy21 wrote: 91 Points
Drank this at home with some friends whom I used to act together with.
Lush, pompous and grand, this wine is singing at the top of its voice. A key difference between the Barossa and Mclaren Vale red wines is that Barossa style is more bold and direct, while Mclaren Vale tends to be more subtle and complexed.
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9/30/2015 - TK Mastres wrote: 92 Points
Lovely wine which proves Aussie wines can age just fine. 10 years on this one and lively acid is still present with lush an lingering red and purple fruits. Wish I had more of this wine. It's drinking vet, very nicely now.
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9/24/2015 - darren81 Likes this wine:
8/10 - Powerful and packed with blackberries and dark cherries with just some subtle hints of oak. A dash of acid keeps it fresh. The tannins, while still quite present, are sweet and smooth. Alcohol is just a wee bit intrusive.
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9/20/2015 - acheng wrote: 91 Points
Hoisan, espresso and blueberry. Resolved tannin. Should hold quite well for awhile but delicious as is.
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8/23/2015 - gesusser wrote: 92 Points
delicious last bottle after 2 hour decant
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7/22/2015 - KristianT Likes this wine: 92 Points
Has improved greatly over the past year. Dark and herbal notes. Quintessential Dead Arm. Opens up with a bit of air. Slowly showing maturity but no rush at all.
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7/4/2015 - gesusser wrote: 92 Points
Two hour decant revealed a smooth Dark red not overly fruity Shiraz...excellent with grilled lamb chops
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6/24/2015 - Lousyfreak wrote: 93 Points
Just love how complex it was and the changes it was making in the glasses. Coupled with blue cheese it made my night
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6/21/2015 - Uncle John wrote: 92 Points
I was surprised at how balanced this wine was. Tannins were smooth with moderate acidity. It improved over the 2 hours it was enjoyed. Not an over extracted Aussie fruit bomb at all.
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6/13/2015 - jskuek Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nose: creamy vanilla. Full bodied, spices, herbs, long finishing.
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6/12/2015 - stayhappy21 wrote: 91 Points
Drank this bottle today at New Ubin Seafood with a close colleague.
Paired this with foie gras with soft boiled eggs, ribeye steak, potato wedges and fried rice.
Easy to drink with elegance and finesse. Structure holding up very well with a long finish. Spice is evident on the palate with lots of plums, dark cherries, oak and liquorice.
Drinking very well now with very little breathing needed.
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5/31/2015 - Avid Wino wrote: 94 Points
Ripe raspberry, blackberry, plum. Molasses and iron filings. Vanilla. Pepper. Structure and finish both spot on. Yum. Thankfully has restored my faith in The Dead Arm. Had a bottle of this a couple of years ago which was nowhere near as good, both screwcap.
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5/9/2015 - Miceri Likes this wine: 96 Points
Dark purple red; black pepper; smooth attack, lots of licorice, some pepper, dense, powerful, intense, lots of taste, long aftertaste; very lovely
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5/4/2015 - k-dubious Likes this wine: 92 Points
Inky, med body. Red fruits, slightly tart; integrated tannins. Better the second day. Seems at the beginning of the drinking window.
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3/15/2015 - mmcdds Likes this wine: 91 Points
Brief note. Big, bold, forward Aussie Shiraz with good depth and complexity.
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3/5/2015 - SineQuaNon Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is an awesome wine! Still youthful and rich. Displaying some American Oak vanilla/coconut still. The fruit is of very high quality though, and easily absorbs the oak treatment.
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2/14/2015 - jskuek Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still very young, need 2 hours decant at least. Nice nose, med+ body with very long finish.
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1/25/2015 - sethboy23 wrote: 92 Points
solid. expect more fruit expression for aussie shiraz. good back bone. solid food wine
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1/4/2015 - stayhappy21 wrote: 92 Points
Opened this wine at home tonight and drank this with my father and brothers.
Bottle breathed for 8 hours before serving. Wine was showing nicely. Rich, ripe raspberries, cassis and oak on the nose. The body has a good balance between power and elegance. Strong notes of black pepper and rip to give it a long lasting and impressionable finish.
A silky and smooth wine with great character and aging potential.
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1/3/2015 - mkubow wrote:
Past it's time. Oh well.
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12/31/2014 - vino_Kaz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely nose and complex full bodied moth feel. A "chewy" old vine Aussie shiraz for sure. Excellent now yet still evolving...
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12/6/2014 - acheng wrote: 91 Points
Haven't had an Aussie shiraz for a long time and this is restoring my faith in them. Chocolate, spice and blueberry. Has the complexity to go the long haul.
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11/21/2014 - patwjr wrote: 90 Points
Popped/poured from cold wine fridge. "Dead" at first, not revealing much. As it warmed up, still tight. Last glass after 1.5 hours showed some fruit & finish, but still disappointing. Needs decanting or time, or started too cold? I think all an issue. Will wait on next bottle.
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11/11/2014 - themki wrote: 93 Points
Creme de cassis and tobacco leaf complement the raspberry aromatics. Strong but smooth acid and tannins - no rush
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11/6/2014 - Donjcorleone wrote: 92 Points
A nice floral nose with blackberry, blueberry, cherry, licorice and vanilla which leads to much of the same on the sweet palate with a silky lingering tobacco chocolate finish.
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11/2/2014 - stayhappy21 wrote: 90 Points
Brought this to my brother-in-law's sister's wedding lunch at Paradise Pavillion.
Decanted for half and hour before consumption. Notes of blackberries and oak and cassis. Good balance and acidity at 9 years of age. Not much fault to find with this wine. Not very exciting either.
As compared to the previous bottles I've had, this bottle did not perform up to expectations. Could be due to bottle variation, or the food didn't do a good job complementing the wine.
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10/6/2014 - carstenf wrote: 90 Points
With crewcap and thats makes a difference......Fresh and not a bit like a 9 years old Shiraz. Had all the Shiraz things ,
and will easily hold for many years.
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9/15/2014 - Wineguy76 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Yet another superb wine by Chester Osborn, the 2005 Dead Arm has all the classic power, richness and unctuosity any lover of this great d'Arenberg flagship Shiraz would have come to expect by now. Displaying a deep, inky purple core, this lovely elixir is packed with intoxicating aromatics of raspberries, plum and vanillin. The wine carries on full-throttle in the palate with a generously soft texture, lush tannins and layer upon layer of creme de cassis, wild berries, indian spice and tobacco leaf - and an equally impressive long, silky finish. This beauty is at her peak now and should remain there for the next decade.
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8/30/2014 - empire80 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very concentrated, blueberries, blackberries, black cherries, spicy oak. Long finish. Classy stuff.
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8/24/2014 - christhewino Likes this wine: 92 Points
decanted for a couple of hours in order to lose the alcoholic edge. Absolutely lovely, as always, but definitely better for a good breath beforehand.
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6/9/2014 - Miceri Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark red; pleasant fruit; lots of black pepper, tannins, lean and deep; nice and likable
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5/7/2014 - mgstull Likes this wine: 93 Points
Hitting on all cylinders now. Luxurious mouthfeel with loads of glycerin. Copious black fruits with blackberry and bluseberry, backstopped by vanilla oak.
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5/5/2014 - the shrub wrote: 89 Points
As previous note- highly drinkable, but not as memorable a hoped
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4/13/2014 - Coollawyer wrote: 90 Points
Cherries, oak, cassis, strong acidity
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4/11/2014 - hkm520240 wrote: 91 Points
Dead Arm Vertical dinner (Ola Cocina Del Mar, Marina Bay Financial Centre): Drank from a magnum. Dark red with bright crimson red rims, good nose from mix of black fruits, coffee, smoky and oak. Medium+ bodied, good acidity lead to black ripe fruits and toasted oak. Soft tannins and lingering finish. Already drinking well now.
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4/2/2014 - Goddot Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cassis and wild berries, on the nose,a little tight but opened up over 4 hours, delicious. Perhaps a few more years til it peaks.
The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry and black currant (cassis). It tastes like mushroom, sandalwood, black pepper and cinnamon. The body is full. The wine has leathery texture. The wine finishes medium. The wine has high acidity.
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3/28/2014 - guy12 wrote: 88 Points
Screwcap, decanted for a couple of hours. Wound very tight & not giving much away. Nice complex wine underneath. Decant for much longer next time or leave for a few years
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3/20/2014 - Colia wrote: 87 Points
Fading.
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3/12/2014 - dimdic wrote: 95 Points
My friend opened the bottle 3-4 hours before our dinner. Quite approachable and smooth. Nice aroma of oak, vanilla, mocha, chocolate. Milky texture. Full of powerful blackberry, blackcurrant in the month. Great depth. Not much alcohol feeling. All in perfect harmony. Can either aging for a few years or drink now.
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3/9/2014 - the shrub wrote: 91 Points
Not hugely complex but strong flavours, good finish and very smooth
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2/26/2014 - hkm520240 wrote: 92 Points
Brown Bag February: Wines that Made You go "Boom" ... (Boomerang, Boat Quay): Tasted blind, flight 4, last of 4 wines.
Finally come to the last wine of the tasting and it took advantage of having more time to breath. Showing very well this time. Nose of blackberries and oak, still fruity and elegant. Smooth and silky palate, good acidity and concentration. Finishes long. Better than my last tasting with some good substance. Second time I had a head to head same vintage of Command vs. Dead Arm and clearly Command has the upper hand again this round.
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2/26/2014 - stayhappy21 wrote: 92 Points
Brought this bottle to a Brown Bag wine night.
Wine was tasted blind.
Opened up with flavours of cassis and elderflowers. On the palate it has ripe red berries and a light touch of oak.
While this wine does not posses the power and energy of the Elderton Command 2005 or the fruit and aromatics of the Two Hands Shiraz Bella's Garden 2005, this wine stands out with its exceptional balance and elegance.
A step up from the last time I tasted this wine last year. Am looking forward to the improvements in this wine the next time I open another bottle.
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2/21/2014 - meurig Likes this wine: 90 Points
2nd red of OTBN - first time I've drank a screw cap of this wine:
- tasted a lot younger than the previous cork closure bottles I've had. Alot of bright fruits but missing the earth and tobacco...
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1/18/2014 - vlzat wrote: 90 Points
Full body, deep ruby red color, aromatic, wild berries and spices aroma, black currant, blueberry, pepper, minerals and spices with some chocolate notes on the palate, black currant on finish, plummy and peppery on super long finish, bold, powerful, juicy, saturated, balanced, complex, nice acidity, completely integrated moderate tannins, food friendly. Well associated with meat and rice. Serve 18º - 22º. Drink – at peak now and will in same drinking conditions at least four/six years perhaps longer.
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1/14/2014 - maxima wrote: 89 Points
Vin tout en souplesse et fort gouteux
Fruits noirs et épices au nez et en bouche...simple mais bien fait et long en bouche.
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1/11/2014 - KristianT wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple. Black cherry, currant and pepper. Very intense and spicy. Typical Dead Arm - doesn't show any sign of age.
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1/2/2014 - Yagil wrote: 91 Points
2nd Spaniards meeting, 9&half weeks after returning from Spain (at Ety & Hanan Shahaf, Lehavim): colour: Deep, dark purple.
nose: intense dark fruits aroma with subtle chocolate & spice notes
palate: full bodied, ripe plums, firm tannins, good acidity level, nice harmony, chocolate, licorice, and a hint of vanilla-oak. medium finish.
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12/27/2013 - stayhappy21 wrote: 91 Points
Drank this at a dinner at home with sushi and sashimi. We later added french fries, fried sotong balls, taiwan sausages and chips to the table.
Opened with with the usual red fruity nose of an Australian Shiraz.
On the palate it resembles a Merlot more than a Shiraz. Vibrant red fruits dominated the body and the wine still feels tight in the mouth. The absence of a long spicy finish also helps to hide the fact that this is a Shiraz.
This is a very fruity expression of the Mclaren Vale terroir.
Will revisit this wine at a later stage to explore how it evolves.
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12/14/2013 - vino_Kaz Likes this wine: 90 Points
Will benefit from additional cellar aging
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12/7/2013 - hkm520240 wrote: 91 Points
Still pretty tight and woody on pop and pour. After decanted half an hour it slowly open up to show blackberry, dark cherry, spice and toasted oak on the nose.
Rich and medium+ bodied, although not as thick as the Branson Coach House Shiraz Rare Single Vineyard tasted the night before, but show lively acidity to lift the weight.
Strong finish with soft grip.
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11/29/2013 - Strikermax wrote: 92 Points
Ondoorschijnend donkerpaars. Dikke geur van gestoofd zwart fruit, hout, eucalyptus, zwavel. Zeer geconcentreerde smaak met zwart fruit en chocolade. Stevige, plakkende tannines, lang aanhoudend, alcohol is wat aanwezig. 92+
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11/10/2013 - spineguy wrote: 90 Points
Much better then last bottle. Probably not bad last bottle (as both purchased and cellared together) but further aging. Vegetal notes gone. Mid-palate much improved. Not too big for an Aussie. Not much taste left by second day.
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11/4/2013 - mjf@ulkner wrote: 91 Points
Ripe plum flavor with just a touch of raisin on the finish. A nice smokey, savory secondary note has developed making this quite good. Big, but not overpowering- aging gracefully and actually improving.
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10/26/2013 - mgstull Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still massive but not completely over the top. Black fruit, tobacco notes with smooth tannins. Not a lot of complexity but long finish.
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9/30/2013 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Solid bottle. Took an hour or two of decanting to open up. Will clearly hold up for years to come. Enjoyable now.
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9/15/2013 - tonsta wrote: 93 Points
Nice wine. Only complaint is that acid pokes out a bit. Not as good as 04 or 01.
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9/14/2013 - knothoef wrote: 88 Points
cassis
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9/1/2013 - Avid Wino wrote: 90 Points
Berry compote with intensity dialed up to 11, touch of leather, and ever so slightly vegetal. Fine peppery tannins on a good length finish. Drank over two nights, barely changed. Not quite what I hoped it'd be. Drank most of the bottle without food, but one big glass was so much better alongside roast beef.
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8/25/2013 - AlphaMikeFoxtrot wrote: 93 Points
Red and dark fruits...almost a little spicy? Some olives. Intense flavors and aromas. Extremely long finish.
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8/10/2013 - sethboy23 wrote: 93 Points
Always a solid go to wine. Still holding a ton of structure. At least has another 5-10 yrs of yumminess
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7/5/2013 - Cobbster Does not like this wine:
I bought 3 of these back in 2007, but this is my first tasting. Bottle 1 was a flavorless disappointment.
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6/11/2013 - John McCabe wrote: 93 Points
Massively concentrated, perhaps overly so. Some slight vegetal notes, though they may give the wine more character. Not as spicy as some Shiraz I've had (which I find a welcome change).This could do with a few more years, but is already showing quite nicely. Decanting recommended.
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6/3/2013 - Miceri Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark red almost black; nose of dark berries, sweet and dense; dense fruity mouth, lots of cherries and aftertaste, nice, approachable and enjoyable; good value
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5/5/2013 - khmark7 wrote: 88 Points
Still big & bombastic, and is drinking well but has lost the interesting fruit that was there upon release. This isn't going to fall apart any time soon, but this isn't getting any more interesting at this point.
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3/31/2013 - jrkennedy37 wrote: 92 Points
Distinctly Australian, this off-vintage bottling performed quite well. It still has the vanilla hint complemented by balanced and tame (by new world standards) rich australian fruit that seems almost green but isn't quite green. I've found aussie shiraz to collapse after the vanilla structural element gives way, and this one probably has 2-4 years of good drinking left in it.
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3/30/2013 - bryon m wrote: 91 Points
Classic Dead Arm - Dry, good oak, dried fruit. Nie upfront with a short but good finish. Color and body were perfect. Could last another 2 to 3 years.
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2/10/2013 - mmcdds Likes this wine: 91 Points
My first taste of the 05 Dead Arm. This is a big, unctuous Aussie Shiraz, with bold flavors of cassis, leather, pipe tobacco and an interesting green stemminess. The tannins are firm and the finish is long and satisfying. This was drinking well after about a 1/2 hour of decanting but was really at it's best after about 2 hours. Not a Shiraz for the faint of heart.
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1/9/2013 - wineotim Likes this wine: 91 Points
This bottle did not have the intensity and deep core of dark fruit like the first one I drank in 2011. Not aging well, starting to taste like most McLaren Vale Shiraz at this price.
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1/1/2013 - bryon m wrote: 91 Points
Drank with Terry Klim on the Anaheim Hockey Trip. Wine was in good form - Color, body and clarity were perfect. The wine was dry with suttle fruit - Berry and a touch of Oak. It will last a few more years but not going to get better.
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12/23/2012 - JSOL wrote: 93 Points
Very dense and opulent wine. Complex nose of tobacco, tar and red fruit. Very sweet with fine and firm tannins. Good length.
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12/9/2012 - wineotim wrote: 90 Points
Not like previous bottle, this one just did not have the density and concentration of the first bottle. Cork was soft and red almost to the top. Lots of sediment. Ordered online, will open my last one soon.
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12/7/2012 - iamandyc wrote: 90 Points
Score reflects second day as it was tight and awkward on first night. Came together as typical higher end shiraz - fruity but not gritty with tar, earth tones. Fragrant nose. Decent balance for this style.
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11/28/2012 - Antoniacantwell wrote: 80 Points
Tar and bitumen, dried fruit, petrol
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11/12/2012 - tomandlu wrote: 91 Points
No detailed notes. The most elegant, surprisingly, of a large group of new world syrahs. Cedar, spice, and red fruit on the nose. Lovely palate of balanced fruit, light tannins, and good acidity.
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11/2/2012 - davidga75 wrote:
The initial nose is black olive, black cherry liqueur, a slight meatiness and a pleasant metallic/mineral edge. With air, aromas of bay leaf, floral and spice emerge and the nose really develops additional complexity. The first couple sips were more accessible than I expected from this wine at 7 years of age, with tasty black fruits, a nice balance of juiciness and earthiness, and a smooth finish of olive and mineral. With air, the palate definitely puts on weight and the finish firms up (both good signs for longer ageing) but it's not a huge monster wine on the palate (which is nice to see). The tannins and acidity are nicely integrated, and there's enough fruit to balance it out, so I think this wine has legs and will run a long distance in the cellar. It's accessible now if you want to drink it - give it plenty of air and some food (herb-rubbed, roasted rack of lamb would be spot on) but I think I'll try to wait another 3-5 years minimum on my last 2 bottles.
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10/28/2012 - drunkstar wrote: 90 Points
Still has masses of structure and bulk that could do with a few more years to moderate. It's a mouth coating beast of as Shiraz but has enough class to imply a more refined future. Leave alone!
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10/22/2012 - tantotinto wrote: 90 Points
Excellent and our last bottle.
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10/5/2012 - meurig Likes this wine: 92 Points
drank with Dan with a slap up BBQ
too late after the event for real note .
Terrifically enjoyable
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10/5/2012 - Matt T wrote: flawed
This had just a tiny bit of mold on top of the cork. Popped and this was all vinegar in the first five minutes. About to pour down the drain, but waited just in case it came around. It did improve and was drinkable with some of the same notes of vanilla, oak, and raspberry apparent, albeit more muted than previous bottles. Definitely a flawed wine, but not so badly corked that it was undrinkable.
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9/30/2012 - BigGer wrote: 92 Points
Juicy, rich syrah that mated well with steak and mushrooms.
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7/1/2012 - noshooz wrote: 94 Points
I'd been wanting to try the Dead Arm for a long time, knowing that everything from d'Arenberg that I've had before is top notch juice. I got the chance at a local fine dining restaurant on 1/2 price bottle night. I was NOT disappointed. This is one serious Shiraz. The nose alone is enough to satisfy. It comes across a bit hot and spicy on opening, but after a while in the glass it settles down and smooths out. I paired it with beef tenderloin tips in a peppercorn sauce. As Charlie Sheen would say - "WINNER!" I drank half over the evening and vacuum sealed it for two days. On the second day it was still as good, if not more mellow. It coats the tongue with smoothness. You want to just hold it in and not have to swallow. It has, for me, the perfect level of tannins on the finish. According to the label, this wine is overseen by the master at d'Arenberg, Chester Osborn. I believe it. Well done!
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6/29/2012 - Pavan wrote: 93 Points
Clealrly better than one year ago. Rich, dense and full with sufficient acidity
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5/26/2012 - jetfan wrote: 92 Points
great depth of flavor. drinking well but better in a few years
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5/12/2012 - mh1969 wrote:
Deliciious
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5/8/2012 - gbm wrote: 94 Points
Stamford Book Club (Davenport Farm): Popped and poured.
COLOR: Deep, dark purple.
NOSE: Leathe, chocolate, spice, blackberry.
TASTE: Excellent. Chocolate, dark plums, licorice, and a hint of vanilla. Very nice, smooth, medium finish.
OVERALL: Great wine.
(4+13+18+9)
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5/6/2012 - bmark wrote: 94 Points
This wine is like a party in your mouth. Very fruit forward, opens in no time at all. Loads of jammy black fruit, vanilla and oak, A hedonistic wine that lets everything hang out, much like a Martinelli zin. It's drinking beautifully now, I hope I can hang onto a bottle for a 10 year check!
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5/5/2012 - Lobonick wrote: 90 Points
Fantastic and creamy with lots of fruit and baking spice.
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4/14/2012 - mxpbuy wrote: 92 Points
Sampled 4/13/12. It seemed to open almost immediately in the glass, but I have it an hour. This is one wild ride in a glass of wine. Imagine taking overripe blueberries, blackberries, green peppers, spice, hard leather, sage, Oak and throwing them into an active washing machine and then drinking from a spigot attached to the active device. There was no subtle layering of flavors. This was a turbulent mouthful where flavors would wash up to the surface, be drowned out by others than slosh around again in a circular fashion from the start through the finish cycle. A smooth wine with still firm but pliable tannins. Although I prefer beautifully deliniated and layered flavor profiles, I must admit I found this wine both fun and very interesting. The wine, however, gets thinner after mid palate and that was my single biggest complaint.
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1/14/2012 - Dhotchki wrote: 93 Points
Drank with dinner at Little Bird in Portland. Still young. Nose with slight menthol/yew, oak. Mouthfeel still with extra alcohol. Slight strawberry, heavy oak, tannins linger and high alcohol. I hope this develops with a few more years.
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12/1/2011 - kmklee wrote: 89 Points
05 dead arm
Pop and pour
Super inky
Nose: oak spice, dried herbs, muted
Palate: slight sweet, dense, full bodied, oaky end with subtle sweetness, fine but powerful tannin, medium length. Surprisingly drinkable now but not very enjoyable.
After 4 days in fridge, the nose is only a little more open, showing mint, blueberry, dark fruits & some sweetness. This is a monstrous wine will take many years to integrate. It's quite oaky too.
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11/23/2011 - Graddini wrote: 85 Points
After the last two bottles of this wine, I was disappointed with this one. It had a bit of boiled egg funk in the nose when we popped it but that disappeared. The nose was slow to come around, but finally displayed some smoky bacon and dark fruit. The body and finish were lacking, leading me to think this one had overstayed it's welcome by about a year.
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11/19/2011 - alittle wrote: 87 Points
Screw top, decanted one hour prior to consuming. Nose of nail polish remover (volatile acidity), oak, vanilla, and black currants. Palate is dark fruits and more heavy oak, with some heat on the finish. Not particularly well integrated at the moment, nor will it ever be. A little higher acidity and a touch less ripeness than I would predict from a fairly simplistic Aussie, which made this tolerable to enjoy with dinner. A touch of tannin still lingers on the finish. Certainly not worth the $50 price tag. Buy yourself a Cote Rotie, or two Crozes Hermitage. If you insist on an Aussie, go for a Yalumba Signature. A beautifully made wine that comes close in quality to the price tag.
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11/11/2011 - meurig Likes this wine: 94 Points
WOTN - love this wine
Dark fruits, vanilla & tobacco. really nicely balanced acidity and smooth tannins mask the huge alcohol content. A great food wine, well just a great wine...
Just wish I had more and that 3 didn't get smashed in transit...
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11/7/2011 - Matt T wrote: 93 Points
This is drinking really well right now. Loads of vanilla, oak, spices, and sweet blackberry with really nice balance and a nice, silky texture. Finish is long with some tannin apparent. Even better integration on the second day. Drink or hold.
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11/6/2011 - acheng wrote: 90 Points
Well, this is the best dead arm I have had. Complex and controlled power. Minty, spicy peppercorn, anise, black fruit with toasty oak. Ripe and juicy acidity with still some drying tannin to resolve. Outstanding.
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11/2/2011 - wineotim wrote: 93 Points
Dark as night with a tight core of dark berry fruit. Tannins are ripe and well integrated, alcohol well hidden. This was a pleasure to drink with food.
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10/30/2011 - atwkite wrote: 90 Points
Not as integrated and balanced as better years
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10/1/2011 - Peter Z. wrote: flawed
flawed
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10/1/2011 - Zweder wrote: flawed
Regular dinner group (@ PZ): Chocolate, menthol, spiciness, black fruits, but also oxidized impressions. This must be a flawed bottle, so no score.
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8/28/2011 - bkizzle wrote: 90 Points
Dark purple, raspberry nose, jammy fruit, tannins need a lot more time - 5 years or more. Overall nice wine, good Aussie shiraz. goes great with food
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8/28/2011 - deltacop wrote: 90 Points
I think this is real nice, without the fake Aussie taste, but comparing this to my Favorite Amon Ra, this is not up to them. This still has a drying finish and I think has a few more years to still work itself out. I'll hold off on my others for a few more years. Enjoy
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8/27/2011 - Colia wrote: 93 Points
Rather lighter than I remember it. Licorice, black tea, black cherries and raspberries, smoke, tar and tobacco. Long finish
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8/18/2011 - jskuek wrote: 93 Points
Needs lot of time in the decanter, full body, cherry and hits of chocalate, long finish and i am still waiting now for it to get to its prime, probably another hour or so
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7/29/2011 - cmr Likes this wine: 91 Points
An Aussie Rhone, done in the Northern Rhone style but with Aussie concentrated fruit. Excellent structure, earth tones and really concentrated fruit but not jammy at all as it's more old world in style.
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7/2/2011 - Tavastgatan wrote: 91 Points
Hard to rate this wine, since it's not my cup off tea. Dense black fruit, but you can hardly tell it's a syrah. No lack of concentration here, but you have to like what is concentrated. I don't. Nice note of spearmint thou.
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7/1/2011 - danp wrote: 92 Points
Tonnes of black fruit with hints of vanilla and pepper. Enough tannin to make me think the second bottle I have will be good for a few more years.
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5/20/2011 - tomandlu wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Opaque blood-red color. Complex, almost searing nose of eucalyptus, cherries, mint, tar, and iron. Very fresh on the palate with teeth-lashing tannin, bright fruit and surprisingly light mouthfeel. Long, tannic finish. Great wine and very syrah, but not so much Australian shiraz. The balance is impeccable. Served with grilled lamb chops and swiss chard gratin.
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4/24/2011 - Pavan wrote: 91 Points
Disappointing. Good acid, yet dull on the palate. Maybe too young
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4/20/2011 - Stoth wrote: 92 Points
Tart black raspberries, kirschwasser, strawberries, white pepper, grape candy, jammy, good creamy oak.
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3/28/2011 - OTTnMIA wrote: 91 Points
This isn't good wine, this is great wine! Amazing nose, almost the Aussie equivalent of the classic cherry-oak nose of a Napa cab, but in a darker more purple, spicey Shiraz style. I've had a lot of Australian Shiraz in my time, and this was one of the most balanced to date. Much more refined than many of the fruit bombs from down there, with none of that over-sweetness that taints so many in my opinion. Great stuff, and well worth the entry fee!
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3/20/2011 - paulevd wrote: 90 Points
Pop and pour. Inky dark color. Slightly muted bramble fruit nose. Nice clarity of intense berry flavors with good length, but very one-dimensional.
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3/19/2011 - shadow wrote: 88 Points
my last dead arm, maybe ever, may be a little off, got a tart finish like no previous dead arms, probably stored wrong. too bad, at one time was one of my favorites, sad its going out with a thud.
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2/17/2011 - ews3 wrote: 90 Points
Synygy Wine Tasting Club - Shiraz/Syrah (Turbine Hall, Chester PA): better than the last bottle of this i tried, still not worth the price tag. much more restrained than the mollydooker, but still primary in it's fruit. shows some spice that is pleasant on the midpalate.
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2/14/2011 - tantotinto wrote:
Very oaky with a sour finish. This is a mere shadow of our last bottle. I know one of our bottles has not been stored in consistently ideal conditions. This has to be it and our disappointment a result of my own carelessness. We have had too many good experiences with this wine to believe otherwise.
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1/21/2011 - HS61 wrote:
this was nice
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1/4/2011 - tantotinto wrote: 91 Points
Tasted immediately after opening. Garnet color. Aroma of oak, dark fruit and spice. Flavors of blackberry, blueberry, licorice and a touch of pepper on the finish. Plenty of stuffing but definitely not over the top. There is enough backbone here to give many more years of pleasurable drinking but it is very good now. The rich fruit is nicely balanced against the tannins. This is a very good wine that reminds my wife and me that we haven't been drinking Syrah often enough lately.
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12/29/2010 - spineguy wrote: 84 Points
Great big nose. Wonderful. Mid palate overshadowed by an acetic acid (vinegar) tone. Not smooth and a bit vegetal on the tongue. Maybe a bad bottle or needs more time. Drank over 3 hour period with another and did not change much. Other taster had same thoughts.
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12/11/2010 - LesterKwong wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Dark purple in color, almost opaque. Concentrated nose of red and dark fruits along with a bit of cola and an interesting Indian spice twist. Full body wine with gripping tannins. Requires a bit more time to integrate and for the secondary characteristics to develop.
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11/27/2010 - Battleship wrote: 90 Points
Upon opening, a big aussie shiraz nose of blueberry and spice, but made the mistake of decanting more than 3 hours until after TG dinner was finished and it calmed down to be almost non-descript. You could tell there was underlying structure and potential, but no nose and a very neutral palate and finish. I covered the decanter and moved on to other wine. Day 2 revisited and it was still similar, but added a little food to the equation and it lit back up again in a sophisticated fashion. Lessons learned: 1. Shorter decant without food, longer decant with food.
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11/22/2010 - jerrylindstrom wrote: 94 Points
Another great bottle. Decanted for an hour. Lovely nose, black fruit. Tasted great with a long finish. Will age longer, but very nice now.
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11/18/2010 - waterintowino wrote: 91 Points
Huge Syrah almost soupy texture though, big oak yet big fruit and decent acid. Not sure what sets it apart from other Shiraz at lower price points but still a major league wine.
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10/13/2010 - Zweder wrote: 91 Points
Monthly Tasting Group HWS #051; TOP Australia. (by EvA): Chocolate, black fruits and pleasant oak in the bouquet. Chocolate on the palate as well, together with a lot of black berry fruits and plums. Soft but still youthful tannin. At this moment I score it one point less than the 2003, but give it 3 - 4 more years and it will probably gain a point or two.
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9/25/2010 - bryon m wrote: 93 Points
We drank the Caymus 1991, The Dead Arm 2005 and Beringer Napa 2004 on the annual golf trip. No surprises on the tastings - The Caymus has held up well, the color was slightly brown on the edge but in real good shape, the body was medium, the fruit and oak was light and enjoyable. We had this one first as if it were a Pinot to start the evening. The Dead Arm was the third wine the first evening and it was awsome! I love Oak and it had plenty, the fruit was also well pronounced, the wine was very dry but balanced and the body and color was perfect. The Beringer Napa Cab we drank on the second night as the third wine. It definately had a nice oak flavor, Very enjoyable! Ii is less balanced then the Dead Arm. Of the last two the Dead Arm seemed to have plenty of life left and the Beringer was drinking at it's peak.
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8/23/2010 - UROMD wrote: 92 Points
very good
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8/20/2010 - christhewino Likes this wine: 91 Points
Show me a better Shiraz and it will have a price tag 3 times the cost of this. I love The Dead Arm, it is not for everyone but it is full of flavour, the nose is enticing and it is worth at least twice the price. Better than the 2006.
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8/8/2010 - dron_ap wrote: 93 Points
Much better then the last one, develops well in the glass, a wine to enjoy.
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8/1/2010 - UROMD wrote: 91 Points
edges smoothed after 3 days. Jamie liked.
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7/9/2010 - ssock wrote: 93 Points
This is fantastic. Beautiful fruit and well balanced. Tannins beginning to mellow, but structure well intact for many more years of cellaring. This is third bottle I have had over last 2 years and each one has gotten better. At current published prices, this is tremendous value. What was WS thinking?
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7/6/2010 - ColinR wrote: 94 Points
Crimson-black; intense blackberries, smoked meat, tar, earth; ripe berry, smokey, full body, good balance, good acidity, chewy tannins, long finish.
Decanted 1 hr. Ripe berry and smokey flavours with class and depth from old vines. Tremendous finish. Good vintage, plenty of years left. A top Aussie shiraz for an affordable price.
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6/13/2010 - Wayne Richmon wrote: 87 Points
After a three hour decant this was a smooth drinking wine with some dark berry flavors rolling accross the palate, but no sign of tannins. Not overly impressive but this has never been on of my favorites from AU.
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5/7/2010 - bryon m wrote: 93 Points
Dense, inky color. Truly interesting with many different flavors from start to finish. Dark berries, vanilla, mint and silky smooth! Great wine!
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4/14/2010 - wurzel68 wrote: 91 Points
Tief tintenschwarzer Wein mit mittlerer Nase nach Rauch, Speck und Leder, schwarzer Johannisbeere, Blaubeere; Holunder; Kräuteraromen; am Gaumen fleischig-voll, sehr extraktreich, kräftige Säure, feine Tannine, sehr langer Abgang; trinkig
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3/6/2010 - donald71_1 wrote: 92 Points
Blueberries, blackberries, almonds, herbs. Great stuff. Almost 1 min finish.
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2/7/2010 - soyhead wrote: 89 Points
No formal notes - deep ripe red and dark fruits without being jammy but not quite verging on delicious then followed by a surprising acidic bite on the end. Overall I was slightly disappointed. I imagine this also could use plenty m,ore time in bottle to integrate. Hold.
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2/5/2010 - tg2lam wrote: 79 Points
harsh & unrefined similar to a bottle of "2 buck chuck" unlike the 2004 or 2006
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1/29/2010 - chaos wrote: 91 Points
I held off until 2010 as per orders. It is a lot of fun right now. Full figured, inky, developing nose. I expect higher scores with time. Can I wait until 2011?
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1/24/2010 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 91 Points
2005 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm (Australië, South Australië, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale) Kleur: Diep donkerrood Aroma / bouquet: Zwoel, zondoorstoofd, boordevol donker fruit, gebrand (koffieboontjes), potloodslijpsel en grafiet, kruidige houttoets, cederhout, beetje inkt-achtig. Smaak / Afdronk: Enorm geconcentreerd en krachtig, klein zoetje, matige zuren, krachtige maar boterzachte tannines. Heerlijk krachtig glas met een ietsje branderige afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Karafferen helpt de wijn om iets van zijn toch wel wat alcoholische toets kwijt te raken. Supervol en superzwoel, vraag me af of deze wijn - zoals Parker voorspelt - de 2035 gaat halen. Daarvoor is het allemaal wel erg aan de rijpe kant. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Smaak / Afdronk: 17 + Algemeen / potentieel: 7 = 91/100
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1/22/2010 - shadow wrote: 93 Points
drinking this would make a shiraz lover out of many who pass on the typical Aussie with big in your face fruit. This wine so reminds me of the 98 Grange, anyway, dark in color, smells like Napa cab, taste is soft smooth all the way, flavors are many, but very soft, you can use this to wash down the dinner or turn the lights down and enjoy a summer night in McLaren Vale
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1/9/2010 - bryon m wrote: 93 Points
Good color, weight and clarity. Big wwine able to age for a while longer. Good fruit and oak flavors, very dry.
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12/31/2009 - rrNYC wrote: 91 Points
Did not have a chance to decant but was pleasantly surprised that it was so smooth and mellow to drink. But still a bit on the closed side, so I look forward to giving more time in the bottle, or at least having a chance to give it a proper decanting next time.
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12/24/2009 - bryon m wrote: 92 Points
Cabin Trip this week. Drank three wines, Hanna Bismark Ranch was excellent, good color, body complex fruit and oak flavors. D'Arenberg Dead Arm - Great wine, good color and body, has many years left in it. Extremely dry, good fruit and oak, this is a big wine! Bongiovanni - Borolo - Past its prime, slightly brown in bolor and light in body. Flavor was still good. Recommend as a early light warm up wine or something to finish with.
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12/3/2009 - tomandlu wrote: 93 Points
Popped and poured. Intense, murky garnet-red color. Opaque even at 2 cm depth. With 30 minutes of air aromas of tar, smoke, bacon, dried cherries, Provencal herbs and damp earth emerged - all beautifully balanced. The palate impression echoed the fragrance and the whole was wrapped with nice acidity and ripe tannins. The wine also had a resinous character that I always associate with old vines. The finish was long and fresh. This was a very pleasant surprise as it bore none of the over-ripe, over-oaked character I associate with so many Australian shiraz. This was indeed a world-class wine and it possesses significant up-side potential.
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11/29/2009 - fcs wrote: 90 Points
Disappointing compared to previous vintages
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11/7/2009 - CyrusGray wrote: 92 Points
Fruity with nice tannins. Balanced and thoroughly enjoyable. Hoping it continues to age well.
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11/6/2009 - martcouz wrote: 88 Points
Beau nez très expressif. Quelque peu décevant en bouche. Peut-être pas encore prêt?
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11/5/2009 - dron_ap wrote: 91 Points
Extremely aromatic and fruity both on the nose and in the mouth, but develops not very much in the glass. tannic finish. Not sure that there is big potential
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10/7/2009 - christhewino wrote: 91 Points
A real quality wine from one of the finest Mclaren Vales. This would have lasted for years more but I couldnt leave it! Strong blackberry and cinnamon nose with a finish that is full of minerals and herbs but also a sweetness.
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10/4/2009 - sethmorgenlong wrote: 89 Points
Tasted Blind. Inky black purple core to a thin, red ruby rim. Wine appears youthful though has thrown some sediment and rim variation indicates development and oak aging.
Healthy on the nose with moderate + intensity, moderate- development with notes of spice and pepper, dark currant syrup, eucalyptus notes and a final sensation of dust.
On the palate, the wine is dry, moderate - acids, moderate + tannins, intensity and development. Follows nose with pepper, spice, dried herbal notes, ripe black fruit and menthol.
Wine is heavily concentrated, deeply focused with a moderate to long finish and high alcohol that is balanced and welcome. Drink or Hold. Highly recommended.
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10/1/2009 - jmetvoice wrote:
Decanted for 12 hours, and still had a pleasant grip to it. Many years to go, but an incredibly massive mouthfeel and depth of character for a wine this youthful.
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8/26/2009 - GA wrote: 91 Points
8/09 Blackberry nose - acidic fruit attack with a balanced tannic finish - spice and pepper - not as much punch and concentrationas expected - surprisingly ready now. 91 pts.
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8/16/2009 - MarcoAzevedo wrote: 90 Points
Dark and full bodied red. Round tannins, and good aging potencial. Lots of currant and gooseberry on the nose with hints eucalyptus and leather.
Very sweet on the mouth, red fruit jelly with a very long finish.
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6/25/2009 - tendring wrote: 91 Points
Wine Education Service - Masters of Australian Shiraz (LSE): Very dark and dense, showing a bit of age.
Waxy first aromas, understated, delicate fruit, mint, tobacco.
Sweet attack, quite jammy, soft tannins, smooth mid-palate, long sweet finish.
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6/15/2009 - madia wrote:
Superb nose with a lot of fruit and vanilla. Full bodied, round, tannic. Excellent (79$)
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6/15/2009 - dssmith wrote: 89 Points
Dark red. Some bouquet. Very pleasant. It went well with a steak dinner
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6/7/2009 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 92 Points
2005 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm (Australië, McLaren Vale) Kleur: Diep donkerrood met een nog steeds wat paarse rand. Aroma / bouquet: Expressief en zwoel, zondoorstoofd bijna jammig donker fruit als bramen en cassis, gebrand en getoast, kruidig, eucalyptus, cederhout / potloodslijpsel / grafiet. Ook wat mokka en bittere chocola. Smaak / Afdronk: Klamboemwijn. Klein zoetje in de aanzet, vol en krachtig, krachtige zuren, royale hoeveelheid prachtig rijpe tannines, veel materie en concentratie. Behoorlijk alcoholisch. Lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Vol, zwoel en krachtig. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 12 + Smaak / Afdronk: 18 + Algemeen / potentieel: 7 = 92/100
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5/25/2009 - Meeko wrote:
Decanted, but still quite closed. Strong fruit and deep dark texture in the glass. Would give it another couple of years.
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5/24/2009 - JNK Pereira wrote: 88 Points
Still very closed. Decanted and let sit for an hour...and finally started to show. Side by side with the 2000 (rated 92) and not in the same league. We'll see in a few more years.
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5/22/2009 - ChinonRouge wrote: 90 Points
A reliable old standby. Good balance of flavor, finesse, and shiraz zing.
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5/19/2009 - jmetvoice wrote:
Drank this to celebrate our engagement. Decabted for 8 hours, and it really allowed to open fully. Full ripe fruit with balanced spice. Will be young for years to come yet, but very enjoyable for a wine this youthful.
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4/23/2009 - Yagil wrote: 89 Points
At Raab
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4/22/2009 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Menthol, with notes of chocolate, a bit gutsier and showing more tannin than the Barossas that I have been drinking as of today. Also a touch of heat to the back end. A nice grace to it. More complex than The Bishop in my opinion.
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4/6/2009 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - South Aust Shiraz 2005 (blind) (Alio's, Surry Hills): [screwcap, 14.5%, A$70 but $40 at auction!] Dark chocolate and coffee aromas. The palate offers plenty of chalky tannins, ripe spicy shiraz fruits; blueberries and black fruit characters. The finish is full-bodied and warm, but not hot. Strong coverage along the palate, and an intensity of flavour that speaks of tight structure. A very good wine which ought to age respectably, given the balance between fruit, acid and tannins.
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4/4/2009 - vespasian wrote: 91 Points
Quite a powerful concentrated nose - very little complexity at this stage. Muscular palate - Chocolate and smoky herbaceous dark fruits. Needs plenty of time.
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3/29/2009 - Amrussell wrote: 89 Points
Nose of smoke, mint and black fruit. Pepper, oak and cherry on the palate with a taste something like grass... Dark dark purple and relatively full bodied. Everyone enjoyed this immensely and I would say it's very solid value for the money. Marked it down a point or two as it seemed to fall apart a little about 4 hours after the decant - taste became much more metallic. That said, I think this may have simply been a function of its interplay with the food consumed, so I would not want to judge it based on that factor alone. All in all, a very good Auzzie Shiraz.
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3/9/2009 - jmetvoice wrote:
Huge inky fruit balanced against just the right acidity. Still young, but already great. (Dedalus Private Tasting)
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2/27/2009 - Umay Ceviker wrote: 93 Points
Dark ruby colour. Pronounced flavours of black cherries and plums surrounded with a frame of graphite and cedar. Elegant structure and nice acidity to supplement the black fruit and oak on the silky palate.
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2/22/2009 - Rob MacKay wrote: 87 Points
VCTE III tasting. No decant. Super dark violet, almost black color. Some fruit on the nose but mostly a white pepper element with a touch of blackberry. Full bodied with dark fruit and plum flavors. Finishes with dusty, fine grained tannins. Decent but not as good as I was expecting for nearly $50.
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2/21/2009 - jhannah27 wrote: 88 Points
OC Poker for Wine/CT Virtual Tasting III (Wine Cellar Club, Irvine, CA): Black, purple, and opaque in color. Nose shows BIG chocloate, blackberry, black pepper and some green pepper. Insanely aromatic wine. Tastes of lush black and red berry fruits with underlying vanilla spice and pepper flavors and very chewy tannins. Well balanced as it never went insanely over the top with the oak and the jammy fruits as the Aussies are known to do, but I still felt that this wine was lacking in any elegance or direction. A bit all over the place with so much going on. I rather enjoyed it at this juncture, but I could see being turned off to this if I wasn't in the mood for it.
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2/21/2009 - WetRock wrote:
VCTE III & OC Poker (Wine Cellar Club): Dense nose showing oak an brown sugar over strong boysenberry. Ripe and tart with more boysenberry on the palate this seems to fall off towards the finish. Not a lot concentration though not too much fruit or overly sweet. A crowd pleaser.
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2/21/2009 - grafstrb wrote: 89 Points
VCTE III & OCP4W I; 2/21/2009-2/22/2009: -- double decanted the day before tasting: decanted for 6 hours --
-- tasted non-blind --
NOSE: strong spearmint note; hint of cherry as well as an odd vegetal aspect; oak; black licorice scent emerges with time in the glass
BODY: garnet color of great depth; medium bodied
TASTE: tannic; oaky; sweet leather and bramble along with some blackberries. This wine basically cemented in my mind my growing ambivalence towards Aussie Shiraz. Tasted this against an '06 Dead Arm ... I slightly preferred the '05 over the '06.
B: 50, 5, 11, 16, 7 = 89
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2/21/2009 - Wrighty wrote: 90 Points
Virtual Community Tasting Event (VCTE) III; 2/20/2009-2/22/2009 (Various, Hong Kong): Decanted for 3 hours. Some licquorice, dry mint, a little raw meat. Palate is quite dry, minimal fruit. Good though, fine grained tannins. Medium length finish.
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2/21/2009 - NiklasW wrote: 88 Points
Virtual Community Tasting Event (VCTE) III (Virtual): Decanted for 4 hours. Very dark, almost black in colour with a violet tinge to it. Nose is initially very expressive, lots of cassis coming through with clear notes of oak in the background. This time the oak seems to fit in nicely with the fruity smells, let’s see what happens with more airtime. After 4 hours of airtime, there are distinct notes of licorice and the oakey smells turn into vanilla-like aromas. Quite delicious! On the palate this is not the fruit bomb I was expecting, although lots of cassis (distinctly cassis) coming through and oak also, but it’s not bothering me as it usually does. Maybe it is more integrated here than in the wines where it has bothered me? Tannins are quite strong. This is a big fruity wine, quite nice, but still not quite my style of wine. I like this, but at €40 per bottle I won’t be getting more. 50+4+12+15+7=88
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2/11/2009 - NomadicEntrepreneur wrote: 91 Points
earthy, great depth
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2/8/2009 - thirtyoneknots wrote:
Single Blind Syrah Showdown (Chateau Taylor): Lots of alcohol, lots of mint (at first), lots of tannin. Medicinal in a semi-unpleasant way. It wasn't awful, but certainly a big disappointment after my anticipation to try the much-vaunted Dead Arm. This was a huge shock to me when unveiled. The Penfolds Bin series ran circles around this tonight. Pass. 14.5% alcohol.
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2/5/2009 - gbm wrote: 94 Points
Virtual Community Tasting Event (VCTE) III; 12/30/2008-2/20/2009: Popped and poured, then imbibed galss by glass - slowly - over two days. COLOR: Deep purple or violet, but with very good clarity. NOSE: Leather opening up to chocolate and some blackberry as it warmed up. TASTE: Excellent. I was surprised by the acidity and how well it was integrated with the tannins. Very complex and hard for me to pull out individual flavors, but I think there was some chocolate, dark plums, licorice, and a hint of vanilla. Very nice, smooth, medium finish. OVERALL: I really enjoyed this wine. I am very happy that I bought a second bottle. (4+13+18+9)
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1/29/2009 - tendring Likes this wine: 98 Points
Wine Education Service - Syrah/Shiraz (South Hampstead High School): Pleasantly fruity nose with excellent complexity.
Gorgeous mouth, great balance, lots of life, very complex, great length.
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12/22/2008 - James B wrote: 92 Points
Opened fairly quickly. A bit tannic, but drinkable now. Lush fruit on the nose; black cherry and plum. Obvious peppery shiraz aroma. A bit more austere on the palate, likely a product of youth. More spice on the palate than on the nose. Nice balance, and likely will improve in this regard over time. Medium to long finish.
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12/21/2008 - michelvl wrote: 94 Points
This wine, like all Dead Arm's, is a superior tipple that does best with 4-6 years of bottle age. Almost French in its required maturation. Drank it therefore too soon but could taste the fine tannins, beautiful balance and promise of things to come after a 3 hour decant. Own and save. will be perfect around 2015
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12/17/2008 - fergus12 wrote: 89 Points
Drank alongside a katnook Prodigy and Amon Ra - needs a little more bottle age to harmonise. Slight alcoholic burn compared to other two. Classic Dead Arm though.
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12/12/2008 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 94 Points
2005 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm (Australië, South Australië, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale) Kleur: Intens diep paarsrood. Aroma / bouquet: Intens en overweldigend aroma, enorme complexiteit, overrijp, zwart fruit als bramen en zwarte bessen, hout / vanille, getoaste aroma's als sigarenkistjes, potloodslijpsel en grafiet, rokerig, teer en leer, kruidnagelen, koffie. Smaak / Afdronk: Vol en krachtig, dik en geconcentreerd, behoorlijke zuren, krachtige tannines in combinatie met een behoorlijke lel alcohol, hierdoor een klein zoetje en een peu'tje branderig, zelfs een beetje port-achtig in de afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: Super-krachtige en super-geconcentreerde Shiraz, nu al een perfecte maaltijdbegeleider maar met body en reserves voor de komende 15 jaar. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 13 + Smaak / Afdronk: 18 + Algemeen / potentieel: 8 = 94/100
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12/3/2008 - GregGH wrote: 88 Points
nice - very nice --but when you figure out the QPR this is not a good value - will return the remaining to LCBO ( one advantage of Ont wine monopoly -a great exchange program )
Don;t think the WS rating of 79 is deserved - but not the way high # I expect for a $55 bottle. For $55 I would stay French - - like this ...http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=176388
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11/8/2008 - clayfu wrote: 93 Points
10 hour decant.
When I took a sit at hour 2 I almost gagged at the amount of petroleum syrup there was in this wine, I wasn't ready for it. But when i re-bottled it and brought it to Steve's it changed into a whole different beast. A nice nose of small dark berries with some spice box waffling at the top. I was surprised by great amount of acidity on the palate with clean concentrated fruit of (limited) strawberries and blueberries with fresh cracked pepper sprinkled on top. Elegantly made with no overwhelming alcoholic presence and a long 30+ second finish of light tickling fruit and fine tannins.
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10/17/2008 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
Drank at Lionel's place. This had been opened for about 24 hours. Complex nose with clean primary blueberry and plums along with a little touch of earth, some bramble and later, touch of anise, pepper and licorice as the wine warmed up. There was some glyrcerin as well. The palate was really clean and bright, with a really high amount of acid. At times, it seemed almost a little sour. Not a bad thing though, because there was a lot of material that needed to be supported by the acid. I got flavours of prunes and berries along with some dried wood and fresh pepper. While not as thick and super-rich as some of the other vintages, this was still well concentrated and showed some amount of residual sugar. Rather superb finish which flourished freshly with a touch more pepper and an oaky, mocha linger and fine-grained tannins. What was a bit strange was that it seemed to ebb and flow between being nicely integrated and falling apart slightly at the edges, with some heat showing up around the edges. Lots going on, already good, but not altogether super-pleasing at the moment. This really needs more time in the cellar.
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10/10/2008 - gmbdds wrote: 91 Points
Tasted blind. Aromatic nose of blackberry, raspberry and anise. Big flavor yet balanced with subltle oak, plenty of fruit and smooth feel. Took some time to unwind and would benefit from laying down a while.
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10/4/2008 - salil wrote: 92 Points
Dark purple-red colour. Fantastic nose showing smoky dark fruits, lots of spices, graphite and some hints of eucalyptus with floral notes emerging with time. Full bodied and concentrated on the palate with intense flavours of blueberries, plums, smoke, chocolate and roasted meats. Soft and plush in texture with smooth tannins, low acidity and a long finish showing a little alcoholic warmth.
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9/11/2008 - kstoddard wrote: 91 Points
Black fruit nose. Raspberries, earth, flowers and blackcurrant. Good structure and depth. Full bodied. Excellent balance. Nice elegance and complexity on the finish.
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9/11/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 91 Points
100% shiraz. i don't condone it, but i understand it. easily the most complete wine tasted tonight. at least it has some balance/structure/fruit that can be recommended. however, apparently, i have lost (for the most part) that loving feeling for the australian ethos.
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6/29/2008 - amateurwino wrote: 91 Points
complex nose of pepper and eucalyptus, vibrant acidity. 24 mos. French oak, 80-100 yr. old vines. Scoring from memory 91+.
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6/23/2008 - Hazeo wrote: 90 Points
Good fruit, perfect sweetness and abundant complexity masked by huge tannins that will take a while to subdue. Day 2 after vacuum decant - Lost complexity and fruit while retaining the tannins. Tasted a little flat. Overall a pleasant wine but not good for the price.
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6/10/2008 - guile wrote:
Deep purple/black color with amazing aroma of crushed blueberry, raspberry and strawberry, leather, chocolate. Amazing acidity makes me think this will last at least 2 decades. Silky tannins and only slight heat make this a winner. Still a little jammy but not over the top.
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5/29/2008 - jamieirving wrote: 85 Points
The Sampler (Angel, London): Rich purple in colour, this wine is aged in French and American oak for 22 months before bottling. The nose shows smoke, spice, liquorice and a little alcohol. The palate is full bodied and very concentrated. Opulent black fruits, vanilla and tobacco characters. Good, but lacking the elegance of the 2004.
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5/3/2008 - mimik wrote: 92 Points
Young brooding pure complex fruit nose of plums, coffee, cassis and walnut with hints of vanilla. The palate is quite acidic with blackberry fruit framed around well-integrated tannins that are a little dusty on the long finish. Not my cup of tea that much these days but outstanding nonetheless. 92+ for now. Decant 3-4 hours.
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4/12/2008 - royalscam wrote: 92 Points
Great deep red/black color, medium to full bodied - aromas of sweet blackberry, tobacco and licorice; concentrated and somewhat complex in palate; respectable finish; will benefit from more time/ needs to further evolve.
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3/29/2008 - Nutty08 wrote: 89 Points
Pebble Beach Food and Wine; 3/27/2008-3/30/2008 (Pebble Beach Resort, CA): Nose of dark fruits. Palate smooth but seemed a bit flabby for tis high alcohol fruit forward wine. Medium finish with mocha and flint added to the fruit. I continue to be disappointed in d'Arenberg for the price.
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3/23/2008 - jjtarnow wrote: 92 Points
Fantastic...drinks well now but will cellar well for 10+.
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3/10/2008 - lzhu wrote:
Dark purple, very solid color. Smell vanilla with oak, meaty flavor,also smell dust.Later on, also sense a hint of chinese medicine and leather. Taste of dark berries, quite acidic.
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3/9/2008 - LesterKwong wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for four hours. Deep dark purple with a dark fruit core on the nose along with a hint of vanilla, licorice, and black pepper. In the mouth, tannins are still very gripping and is generally void of much fruits. The presence of alcohol along with notes of tar, coffee, black pepper, and wood are detectable. A slight disappointment. Day 2 notes: After 31 hours in the decanter, the nose is much more complex with candy, chocolate, tea leaves, meat juice, black pepper and licorice. A thick, viscous full body wine with sour black cherries, cola and an array of spices in the mouth still with firm tannins. A very structured wine with a long finish on minty notes. Score 90+. This wine will take years to come around and is perhaps currently in an awkward phase. As it sits, it is a very subdued on the fruit end and predominantly spice dominated.
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3/5/2008 - mutimir wrote: 96 Points
Dead Arm is fantastic piece of work. It is so complex I don't even know where to start. It has nearly every scent, every aroma there is in the vocabulary of a wine lover: deep, thick, creamy, black fruit, dry fruit, smoke, spice, lead, fresh asphalt, oak, leather, coffee, chocolate... it is pointless to keep on reciting. If Armageddon is ever going to come, this wine could be a good choice for that day - a farewell with humanity through one of the most enjoyable products humans ever made. And of course, it has the coolest brand name in the wine business.
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2/26/2008 - moutondoc wrote: 94 Points
great bottle, had with pasta meal, way young but highly enjoyable.
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2/24/2008 - Art_Vandelay wrote: 91 Points
Opaque purple core with a purple rim. Very appetizing, savoury nose which surprised me. Smoke, spice box, roasted earth, pencil lead, BBQ black fruits and tar - lots of complexity. Intense, super full-bodied palate with immense tannins (but fine and non-oak driven). Pure raspberry, fresh blackcurrant and blueberry fruits with fig and bitter chocolate on the finish. Balanced acidity and alcohol (15%). Obviously very young right now. This needs 10 years at least. One of the most impressive 'Dead Arms', this seems a lot more savoury with better oak use than in some past vintages. Kudos to Chester.
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2/23/2008 - Tarrant wrote: 93 Points
What can be said about this icon that has not already been said? It's intensity, yet finesse is probably what started the Shiraz 'rage' around the world - It was almost black, very concentrated with notes of black fruit, spice, pepper, casis and oak on the nose, very intense, yet not 'flabby' as the balancing acidity comes through, the finish was amazingly long (93 Points).
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2/20/2008 - Jack wrote: 90 Points
This needs time. Over 2 nights it did open up and settle down a little but I don't get enough fruit to balance out the wine to make it great.
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2/4/2008 - mmyette wrote: 92 Points
Thought this was good, but not on par with the Carnival of Love or the Two Hands Bella's. Lots of integrated ripe fruit on the nose and palate, with complex oak, toast, and hints of dustyness. Finish was moderate. Really a nice wine.
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2/1/2008 - tonygoldstone wrote: 92 Points
Shoshana's Birthday Wines!: 21 quid from oddbins. Screwtop. 2 hours decant. Riedel syrah. Deep purple inky colour. Heaps of black fruit, spice and liquorish. Slightly hot on the palate. Great fruit and I am sure this will settle down to become an excellent dead arm.
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1/16/2008 - Paul Lin wrote: 90 Points
Aussie Wines Offline (Canyon Lodge American Grill - Laguna, CA): This wine was ridiculously tight. Notes of graphite, wet loam, cassis, and blueberry. Intense and very structured. Needs years.
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1/6/2008 - JOsgood wrote: 92 Points
This wine drinks nothing like your typical Aussie fruit bomb. Elegant with good balance.
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1/6/2008 - the godfather wrote: 92 Points
had after the ridiculously sexy Saxum Heartstone so this was hard to rate. I still believe that the dead arm and grange are the greatest aussie wines mostly because they do not taste like aussie wines. this bottle has many many years of life ahead and I would love to taste again in 10 years or so.
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12/19/2007 - SBA Guru wrote: 95 Points
Blind tasting with 2004. Both young. 2005 cork, 2004 screw top. 2005 was more in balance and nearly ready. Should mature into an outstanding wine. Will put away 2 cases for 2012+. Big fruit, long finish, a bit tanic at present.
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12/17/2007 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
Drank with guys form the firm at SCY's farewell. My donation. This seemed better than the last bottle of '05 I had. Maybe because of the slightly shorter decanting - over decanted the last one and it seemed to shut down. Beautiful structure and balance, still a little tightly wound up and will need time. Again, plums, cassis, dark fruits beginning to nicely integrate with the vanilla / oak nuances. Wonderfully made wine. Not as richly fruited and super ripe as the '04, but I prefer this. Nicer structure, more elegant, more focused.
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12/8/2007 - sosgoodjhu wrote: 94 Points
gobs of spicy red fruit being overshadowed by massive tannins right now. would try to hold off for a few years.
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11/19/2007 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
Drank at home over two nights, decanted the first half for 4 hours on day 1, tasted every hour. Decanted the other half 1/2 hour on night two, it was a little oxidised by then unfortunately, still good, but a little sour. The vacuvin didn't do its work(?) Dark red, not as inky black as the '04 though. A lot more restrained on the nose as well. Plums, cassis, spice on the nose, opening up over time. The dark fruits were there again on the palate, but all tightly wound up in the firm tannins. Lots of potential here, with peeks of real depth and elegance coming through. The long, wonderfully lingering finish with the spicy flourish is still there. After 4 hours, the nose completely shut down, and the tannins stood out more than the fruit - overdid the decanting bit I think. Day 2, more fruit, but had gone a bit flabby. This one certainly needs time. I'm glad I've got 2 more!
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