2006 d'Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz 750ml

17/20 Jancis Robinson Tasted: May 2010

95/100 Robert Parker The Wine Advocate Tasted: Feb 2009

95/100 Jeremy Oliver 

95/100 The Wine Front

Drinking Window: 2018 to 2036

The Name 

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. 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.

The Vineyards

The d’Arenberg shiraz vineyards vary greatly in their soil composition. Despite their similar appellation (McLaren Vale) individual plots are markedly different due to the fact that the area features glacial deposits, beach sand and limestone. Soils influence the fruit characters significantly. Vineyards with shallow sands on clay impart the vibrant perfume and length. The red earth on limestone soils across the hill tops adds an extra level of spice and a lively intensity to the fruit and tannins. Shallow loams on marley limestone clay give the fruit its late-emerging liquorice characters and firm gutsy tannins. The ripening periods in our vineyards differ such that we pick individual parts of each vineyard at separate times to ensure correct fruit flavour and character.

The Vintage

The quality of vintage 2006 was very good across most varieties with fruit characters noticeably fragrant with good acidity and excellent length of flavour. The lead up to vintage was uneventful with average winter rain followed by heavy rains in spring that resulted in vines with healthy, balanced canopies on most soils. A mild, early, summer leading into a warmer period during veraison stopped vegetative growth allowing vines to channel energy into the fruit. A prolonged cool period occurred after veraison in February with some rain which enabled the fruit to ripen without any stress. Finally the warmth returned in March with cool evening temperatures to complete ripening in almost perfect conditions enhancing fruit flavour and richness without diluting levels of natural acidity. Picking was staggered with many parcels picked in wonderful autumn conditions.

The Winemaking

Each batch of fruit received is gently crushed in our Demoisy open-mouthed, rubber-toothed crusher so as many of the berries as possible remain whole. After crushing, the must is transferred to open fermenters where the seeds and skins are permanently submerged beneath the free run juice. The must receives no plunging or pumping over while fermentation occurs. Once the primary fermentation is nearly complete, traditional foot-treading takes place prior to basket-pressing. The wine is then transferred to barrel to complete its primary and secondary fermentation.
After 20 months every barrel is individually assessed for quality.
Only the best barrels are selected to be bottled as The Dead Arm Shiraz.

The Characteristics

A very dark, vibrant, polished appearance with a dense red crimson hue. The aroma upon opening is surprisingly elegant showing superb fruit characters dominated with red fruits, plum, spices, red cherries, cranberry, white and green pepper and blueberry notes against a back drop of very fine oak. The flavours are ripe; red fruits, cherries, plums and black olives with edges of dried garden herbs. As the wine opens the palate is extremely tight and controlled. In many ways this wine is more elegant than previous vintages with tannins that have a wonderful mineral grittiness that is balanced right to the wine’s pointed finish. This wine shows a great potential to age.