d'Arenberg The Love Grass Shiraz 2004
Syrah/Shiraz
from McLaren Vale, Australia
winemaker's notes:
The palate is juicy with weighty, red-fruited Shiraz dominated by plums, rhubarb, cherries, strawberries, mulberry, smoked bacon, white pepper and flower characters then a level of black currants and fragrant spice from the Cabernet and Petit Verdot appear. On the second sip a lovely mulberry tar-like character of Merlot starts to fill the palate with vivid, deep-red cherry flavors mixed with a hint of sage leaf, cloves and turmeric from the Petit Verdot which fans out across the finish with a grippy but polished finish.
About Love Grass
A wild grass, the Lovegrass often grows in the vineyards. During vintage, the sticky, Velcro-like, long-stemmed flowers of the Lovegrass affectionately attach themselves to the vineyard workers' socks. They even manage to get caught in Coco , the winery dog's coat and have yet to be brushed out. This shiraz will linger with you much the same way as the sticky flowers do and, as such, the family thought it fitting to name this wine.
89 Points
"Firm and frankly gamy, but plenty of blackberry and plum fruit comes through, emerging and persisting on the finish. A rugged wine that needs cellaring to bring some polish to it."
Wine Spectator
89 Points
“Dark violet. High-pitched floral bouquet of fresh rose, blackcurrant and blackberry. A rich, supple shiraz with broad, almost confectionery dark berry flavors and hints of licorice, floral candies and chewing tobacco. For all its sweetness, it's also bright, even racy for shiraz, with good precision and delineation of fruit and herb flavors. Finishes with fine-grained, harmonious tannins." Steve Tanzer's
International Wine Cellar