d'Arenberg 2014 The Dead Arm Shiraz - 97 Points

Dead Arm is a vine disease caused by the fungus Eutypa Lata that randomly affects vineyards all over the world. Often affected vines are severely pruned or replanted. One half, or an 'arm' of the vine slowly becomes reduced to dead wood. That side may be lifeless and brittle, but the grapes on the other side, while low yielding, display amazing intensity.

Small batches of grapes are gently crushed and then transferred to five tonne headed down open fermenters. These batches remain separate until final blending. Foot treading is undertaken two thirds of the way through fermentation. The wine is then basket pressed and transferred to a mixture of new and used French and old American oak barriques to complete fermentation. The barrel ferments are aged on lees, there is no racking until final blending and no fining or filtration.

97 POINTS - "Mulberry and ripe plum nose, layers of flavor as one is peeled back another comes to the fore. It’s a wine to sip, savor and appreciate, somehow descriptive words seem scarce, the enjoyment in the mouth overriding words in the mind. It’s long stretching in a lazy way from beginning to end, the pleasure points beautifully caressed as the wine flows across them." - Tony Keys

97 POINTS - "If you haven’t been to d’Arry’s in McLaren Vale, you really haven’t lived. This iconic little restaurant is a must visit – great food and great wines. The Dead Arm is the pinnacle and this elegant 2014 is as stylish and refined as any released. Supremely balanced with a deep palate intensity that is controlled and effortlessly long. A wine that will live for many years yet is drinking so beautifully now." - Ray Jordan

96 POINTS - "The Dead Arm Shiraz is one of the most iconic wines of McLaren Vale, fermented in 5 tonne open fermenters with header boards that submerge the grape skins, ensuring tannin and colour extraction. The wine finishes fermentation in barrel, is aged on it’s own lees and bottled without fining or filtration. This is a wine that you should open and decant for at least a few hours if drinking in the next two to three years with air helping to unravel layers of complexity. On the nose there is a concentration of plum that gives way to star anise and cured meat, oak is there but very much secondary. Taut black fruits and redcurrant are the first impression on the palate, with bay leaf, coffee grinds and gentle oak spice that gain a touch of blue fruit on the mid palate before a web of drying tannin put it back in it’s place. The finish is all class, lightly spiced plum and dark cherry are wrapped in woodsmoke and earth. The length is significant." - Patrick Eckel

95 POINTS - "Part hand, part machine-harvested, crushed and destemmed, 203 weeks on skins in an open-headed down fermenter, matured for 20 months in French oak (8% new) and a dab of Amercian oak. Deep crimson-purple; ultra full-bodied and densely packed with the darkest black fruits, licorice, 70% cacao dark chocolate and ripe tannins. Will live forever. 14.4% alc" - James Halliday

This is one of the more pure fruited versions of this iconic wine that we have seen in recent times. Highly aromatic in the early stages of its life, the nose is dominated by an array of perfectly ripe berry fruits and spicy notes. The dark, earthy and savoury characters that we are well accustomed to, whilst present, seem to be taking a backseat. Nonetheless, they play an integral role in adding depth and complexity here. The palate is similarly positioned, showing almost restrained fruit weight but great depth of flavour and wonderful brightness. What hasn't changed is that line of fine, lively tannins that present themselves early and drive the wine from start to finish, drawing fruit flavour along with them.