2006 d'Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz Museum Release

Winemaker Chester Osborn has a clear winemaking philosophy that's expressed in the Dead Arm Shiraz: 'I aim to make loudest, most flowery fragrant and most fruit-flavoured wines that have great palate texture and are free of excess oak. I look for tannins that are long, lively, gritty and youthful with fragrant fruit-mineral notes… One other focus is to make a wine that is not going to go too earthy or bitumen - tarry with age. Some producers make wines that have oodles of fruit; they’re ripe, rich and gutsy, but in a few years these wines may show inherent problems from their production. That is fat, blousy, and chocolate and tar with short palate life. This is also the opposite of what we aim to produce.'

A magnificent Dead Arm!

Re-tasted 20/05/2015:
Totally opaque impenetrable inky black core with a deep very dark red black tinged hue. The nose offers up an intense aromatic profile of ripe dark plums, liquorice and dark chocolate over some vanillin oak, light leather and spicy pepper end notes. Powerful, opulently fruited and plushly textured the palate possesses a rich flavour profile of ripe blackberries, dark plum and liquorice followed by a trace of dark chocolate, vanillin oak, a touch of leather and spice. Superb depth and concentration with very polished, silky smooth tannins. Exceptionally long aftertaste of ripe blackberries, liquorice, subtle dark chocolate, vanillin oak, a touch of leather and spice. A very impressive Dead Arm that is maturing beautifully.
Alc 14.5%

First Tasted August 2008:
Opaque black purple colour with black purple hue, showing excellent cling to the glass. Superb nose of violets, confectionary, blackberry, vanilla and cedar followed by end notes of liquorice and toasted oak. Mouthfilling palate, displaying classic McLaren Vale 'joosy' character. Flavours of liquorice, black pepper and spice supported by fine grained tannins. Excellent balance. Exceptionally long aftertaste of vanilla, confectionary, spice and black pepper.
99 points
Alc/Vol: 14.5%
Stelvin

Other Reviews......
D’Arenberg’s flagship is the 2006 The Dead Arm Shiraz. Opaque purple-colored, the nose is reticent but gives up aromas of meat, bacon, game, truffles, blueberry, and blackberry. Firm, layered, and complex, this beautifully rendered Shiraz demands a decade of cellaring. It will be superb from 2018 to 2036.
95+ points
Dr Jay Miller - Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate

The Dead Arm rarely fails to deliver an uncompromising essay on McLaren fruit; deeply concentrated with levels of dark chocolate, blackberry, nuances of florals and a freshness that belies its weight and power. Good value. Drink by 2030.
95 points
James Halliday - Australian Wine Companion