d'Arenberg, The Dead Arm Shiraz, McLaren Vale, 2005

A very dark wine almost black in appearance, but with a dense purple-red hue. The aroma upon opening is very intense with a complex combination of fragrant spices, red fruits, plum, dark cherries, cranberry and blueberry notes with a back drop of very fine oaks, licorice, white pepper, boot-polish and edges of parsley stalks. The taste is rich, gutsy and virile, dominated with red fruits, cherries, plums and dried black olive. The palate is very controlled, tight and has a wonderful liveliness about it. Even the tannins feel cool and silky with mineral grittiness and wonderful acidity. The length is excellent and beautifully pointed with soft red fruit flavours and spice.

The wine is named after "Dead Arm" - a vine disease caused by the fungus Eutypa Lata that randomly affects vineyards all over the world. The affected vines are replanted or severely pruned. One half or ‘arm’ of the vine slowly becomes reduced to lifeless brittle deadwood, but the grapes on the other side, while low yielding, display amazing intensity.