From the Cellar
d'Arenberg 2002 The Dead Arm Shiraz (Australia)
29 Jan 2021- Details
- Category: Uncorked Tonight
(August 14, 2020) ... Not sure what possesses me to show off Australian wines to Australian people, considering when they were over there they could probably get these wines for the same price, if not cheaper - and probably drank them as well; but sometimes it's fun to see if they can pick out their older wines, especially when they are winemakers who grew up and learned the ropes Down Under.
Tonight I had one such candidate over for a socially distanced fire and wine tasting - after which we raided the cellar and found this 18-year-old Dead Arm Shiraz: smoky dark fruit that showed off hints of plum, spice, and cedar on the nose. The plum notes continued on the palate becoming more dominant the longer it sat in glass. The acidity seems to keep everything in check because it lacks that jamminess you expect to find in Aussie Shiraz, but it definitely has retained that peppery note, this time it is layered with white pepper and red peppercorns.
