Home
: 1998 d'Arenberg "Dead Arm" Shiraz McLaren Vale South Australia

1998 d'Arenberg "Dead Arm" Shiraz McLaren Vale South Australia

SKU #1007171 94 points James Halliday

Outer quote mark Dense red-purple; a typically rich, dense and concentrated bouquet oozing dark plum and berry fruit is followed by a massively rich and ripe palate with powerful tannins to boot. (JH) Inner quote mark (7/2011)

94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark One of the most backward wines included in the June tasting, this 1998 needs another 4-5 years to reach full maturity. Everything is here, including a dense ruby/purple color, and subtle but impressive notes of damp earth, roasted meats, herbs, spice box, pepper, and black fruits. Tannic, full-bodied, and youthful, it is capable of lasting another 25-30 years. (RP) 94+ Inner quote mark (6/2009)

93 points Wine Spectator

Outer quote mark This is a round, generous Shiraz that's packed with layers of flavor, offering ripe berry, plum, exotic spices and a touch of mint as the long finish unfurls. Can go decades in the cellar. *Highly Recommended* (HS) Inner quote mark (6/2001)

Share |

1998 d'Arenberg "Dead Arm" Shiraz McLaren Vale South Australia

Price: $74.99

Quantity:

JH: 94

RP: 94

WS: 93

Real Time Inventory by location:

The item you have chosen is not in stock in our retail stores or within our main warehouse.

Product turnaround time varies by location of inventory and your chosen method of shipping/pickup. For a detailed explanation click here.

Related Items

Product Reviews:

Additional Information:

Varietal:

Shiraz/Syrah

- One of France's noblest black grape varieties, Syrah is known for its intense and distinctive perfume reminiscent of briar fruit, tar, spice and black pepper and its firm structure. One of few black grape varietals frequently vinified on its own, the best examples of Syrah come from the Northern Rhône, particularly Hermitage, but also Côte-Rôtie, Cornas, Crozes-Hermitage and St-Joseph. These wines are very astringent in their youth, though some Crozes-Hermitage and St-Joseph can be enjoyed young, relatively speaking. Given the requisite patience, though, these wines can reveal amazing complexity and secondary fruit characteristics like plum and blackcurrant as well as subtle hints of smoke and flowers. In the Southern Rhône, Syrah is used to add structure and complexity to wines dominated by Grenache and complemented by Mourvèdre, like the more immediately drinkable Côte du Rhônes, as well as the long-lived wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In recent years, plantings of Syrah have spread throughout the Languedoc-Roussillon where it is produced on its own or blended with other varietals. Outside of France, the most important Syrah growing country is easily Australia, where it is called Shiraz. Quality levels here depend greatly on yields and geography, and the wines range from bold, fruity and easy-drinking to intense and ageable, like the famed Penfolds Grange. Often bottled on its own, in Australia Syrah is also can be blended with Grenache and Mourvèdre, as in the Southern Rhône, and is increasingly combined with Cabernet Sauvignon. Syrah has also been steadily increasing in popularity in California, thanks to a group of advocates called the Rhône Rangers. Its most successful iterations come from the Central and Sonoma Coasts, where winemakers are pushing boundaries and creating some incredible wines. In recent years Syrah has also found a number of proponents in Washington State, which is definitely a region to watch for this variety.

Country:

Australia

- While it is true that the greatest strides in Australian winemaking have come in the last 30 years or so, commercial viticulture began as early as the 1820s and has developed uninterrupted ever since. The majority of the great wine regions are in the southeastern area of the continent, including Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, McLaren Vale, and Coonawarra in South Australia; Yarra Yarra Valley and Pyrenees in Victoria; and the Upper and Lower Hunter Valleys in New South Wales. Many of the wines from Southeastern Australia are based on Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon and various blends including Grenache and Mourvedre. In Western Australia, along the Margaret River, great strides are being made with Pinot Noir as well as Bordeaux-styled reds. There are also many world-class releases of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc from the land Down Under, where Riesling also enjoys international acclaim. While many equate Aussie wines with “value,” there are more than a few extremely rare and pricey options, which never fail to earn the highest ratings from wine publications and critics throughout the world.

Sub-Region:

South Australia

Specific Appellation: