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In 1912, Joseph Osborn purchased the well-established vineyard just north of the township of McLaren Vale. Joseph's son, Frank, built d'Arenberg's cellars in 1927. By 1957, Frank's son, d'Arry, had bottled the first of the famous diagonal red striped wines.
Enter the fourth generation, d'Arry's son, Chester, who took over the reigns in 1984. In 1990, Chester was crowned, “McLaren Vale Bushing King,” for producing the best table wine in McLaren Vale and in December, 2005, The Wine Advocate declared him, “Wine Personality of the Year.” Four generations of learning have provided current Chief Winemaker, Chester Osborn with an intimate knowledge of his vineyards (now totaling over 345 acres) and a healthy respect for the differing fruit characters obtained from the individual vineyard sites.
Nineteenth century basket presses are extensively utilized to press the fruit, both white and red, providing a gentle extraction of juice. Much of the red fruit is fermented in 5 ton wax-lined, headed down, open fermenters. Both American and French oak barriques are used extensively.
Varieties: Shiraz
Maturation: 21 months in new and older American and French oak
Technical Analysis: 14.5% alc/vol.
Dead Arm is a vine disease caused by the fungus Eutypa Lata that randomly affects vineyards all over
the world. Often vines affected are severely pruned or replanted. d’Arenberg believes that this is a natural part of vineyard life. One half, or arm of the vine slowly becomes reduced to dead wood. That side may be lifeless and brittle, but the grapes on the other side display amazing intensity. Vintage 2005 could be summarized as a vintage that ripened without interruptions. The resulting wines are tight with amazing red fruit fragrance and lovely acidity. Crops yields were above average although slightly under the 2004 vintage.
Only the best barrels of Shiraz are selected to be bottled as The Dead Arm. The 2005 Dead Arm displays intense cedar, fig, blackberry, blueberry, and pepper aromas. Perfectly structured with a long and rich framework, it will yield this wine great ageing power. After time in the bottle, the Dead Arm gains a biscuity, cinnamon, caramel and eucalyptus based bouquet on top of rich blackberry pie smells. Tobacco, mushroom, malt, spice and earth flavors play a complementary part on the long, fleshy finish.
95 pts “d’Arenberg’s most famous wine is its flagship, The Dead Arm Shiraz. The 2005 The Dead Arm Shiraz is sourced from ancient head-pruned vines. It was aged for 22 months in a mix of new and used French and American oak. It is opaque purple/black with an expansive perfume of toast, smoke, spice box, mineral, pencil lead, tar, licorice, blueberry, and blackberry. Full-bodied, opulent, and super-concentrated, this structured, lengthy wine will benefit from 3-5 years of cellaring and drink well through 2025.”
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
October 2007, Issue 173
Enter the fourth generation, d'Arry's son, Chester, who took over the reigns in 1984. In 1990, Chester was crowned, “McLaren Vale Bushing King,” for producing the best table wine in McLaren Vale and in December, 2005, The Wine Advocate declared him, “Wine Personality of the Year.” Four generations of learning have provided current Chief Winemaker, Chester Osborn with an intimate knowledge of his vineyards (now totaling over 345 acres) and a healthy respect for the differing fruit characters obtained from the individual vineyard sites.
Nineteenth century basket presses are extensively utilized to press the fruit, both white and red, providing a gentle extraction of juice. Much of the red fruit is fermented in 5 ton wax-lined, headed down, open fermenters. Both American and French oak barriques are used extensively.
Varieties: Shiraz
Maturation: 21 months in new and older American and French oak
Technical Analysis: 14.5% alc/vol.
Dead Arm is a vine disease caused by the fungus Eutypa Lata that randomly affects vineyards all over
the world. Often vines affected are severely pruned or replanted. d’Arenberg believes that this is a natural part of vineyard life. One half, or arm of the vine slowly becomes reduced to dead wood. That side may be lifeless and brittle, but the grapes on the other side display amazing intensity. Vintage 2005 could be summarized as a vintage that ripened without interruptions. The resulting wines are tight with amazing red fruit fragrance and lovely acidity. Crops yields were above average although slightly under the 2004 vintage.
Only the best barrels of Shiraz are selected to be bottled as The Dead Arm. The 2005 Dead Arm displays intense cedar, fig, blackberry, blueberry, and pepper aromas. Perfectly structured with a long and rich framework, it will yield this wine great ageing power. After time in the bottle, the Dead Arm gains a biscuity, cinnamon, caramel and eucalyptus based bouquet on top of rich blackberry pie smells. Tobacco, mushroom, malt, spice and earth flavors play a complementary part on the long, fleshy finish.
95 pts “d’Arenberg’s most famous wine is its flagship, The Dead Arm Shiraz. The 2005 The Dead Arm Shiraz is sourced from ancient head-pruned vines. It was aged for 22 months in a mix of new and used French and American oak. It is opaque purple/black with an expansive perfume of toast, smoke, spice box, mineral, pencil lead, tar, licorice, blueberry, and blackberry. Full-bodied, opulent, and super-concentrated, this structured, lengthy wine will benefit from 3-5 years of cellaring and drink well through 2025.”
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
October 2007, Issue 173