Description

d’Arenberg 2009 The Dead Arm Shiraz
100% Shiraz | Alc: 14.5% – Big and Bold
McLaren Vale, Australia

Winemaker’s notes:
d’Arenberg 2009 The Dead Arm Shiraz has notes of licorice, blackberry and savory dark fruit that leap from the glass, laced with a hint of char. Complexity in the shape of soil like notes follow, give it power and structure. There is a plethora of sweet fruit character, plums and mulberries, but not a hint of fatness. It is compact and focused with layers of exotic characters and earth, which add to the intrigue of this wine.

Critical Acclaim:
“Very deep garnet-purple colored, the 2009 The Dead Arm Shiraz presents an intense and complex nose of blackberry preserves and dried mulberries over coffee, black olives, smoky bacon and hummus. The palate is richly fruited and nicely balanced with layers of savory and dark berry flavors and crisp acid textured by medium-firm finely grained tannins. It finishes long with hints of menthol and marmite toast coming through. It should be drinking best 2013 to 2024+.” 95 Pts – The Wine Advocate

“Opaque ruby. A complex, floral-accented bouquet displays cherry-cola, cassis, bacon fat, licorice and candied violet. Initially firm and linear but quickly unfolds to offer sweet dark berry and bitter cherry flavors and an overlay of baking spices. Vanilla and cola nuances build with air and carry through a long, gently tannic, focused finish. Very rich but I get no impression of excess weight here.”  93 Pts – Stephen Tanzer’s IWC

“Deep, inky purple-crimson; in archetypal Dead Arm style, powerful and rich, but given some welcome lift by the mix of bitter chocolate and savoury/spicy notes on the palate. This is a style that will not change any time soon, and, within that context, is a good example.” 94 Pts – Australian Wine Companion

“Named for the eutypa fungus that kills off one side of a bush vine, leaving the fruit on the other side that much more concentrated, The Dead Arm is d’Arenberg’s top selection from their old-vine shiraz. The 2009 is dense but not jammy, the rich black cherry juiciness lifted by tannins that fall somewhere between silk and satin. There’s a generosity to the wine that’s tied as much to its earthiness as to its fruit. Appealing now with lamb, this will gain from several years in the cellar.” 92 Pts – Wine & Spirits

Winery

Tipsy Knitter Wines – Your Seattle based, online wine shop