Review: d’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz 2017

May 14, 2020

No.

No, I can’t see the joy in this Dead Arm. Conceptually, it’s easy to appreciate the appeal of a handpicked, basket-pressed, foot trodden, super-premium McLaren Vale Shiraz in this mode. It’s plush, thick grained and very ripe too, a whole ball of inky density.

But the longer I looked, the uglier it seemed. After that early fruit hit the palate starts looking baked, the tannins desiccated, the alcohol warm. It’s a wine pushing hard for power, plushness, impact, yet ultimately delivering a wine that is an attack rather than an enjoyable drink. The score ends up in ‘bronze’ territory because there’s still a real length of flavour. Still, a no from me.

Best drinking: now to at least ten years. 16.5/20, 88/100. 15%, $75. Would I buy it? No.

2017, McLaren Vale, Shiraz

Andrew Graham was once voted the 23rd most trusted wine critic on the planet. A WCA Journalism Young Gun now old hack with 25yrs as a buyer, judge, journalist, marketer and too much more.

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3 responses to “Review: d’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz 2017”

Mahmoud Ali

May 17, 2020 at 10:12 pm

This is most disappointing. I tasted the 1998 Dead Arm at cellar door and it in no way resembled your description of the 2017. Has the wine making style changed?

Reply
1. Andrew Graham
  
  May 17, 2020 at 10:29 pm
  
  Not changed per se, but this wine is just overripe and pushed too far. More is not more.
  
  Reply
Mahmoud Ali

May 20, 2020 at 9:02 am

Unfortunate, considering that many Australian winemakers are trying to pull back from that style. I have a pair of 2004 Dead Arms and have high hopes for them. I suspect (and hope) that they are still a few years away if Jeremy Oliver is correct in his estimate.

Reply