d'Arenberg d'Arrys Original Shiraz/Grenache 2004

This wine is named in honour of d'Arenberg's principal, Francis d'Arenberg Osborn, universally known as d'Arry. d'Arry's Original – called d'Arry's Burgundy in the 60's, 70's and 80's (in the days when medium bodied red wines with a soft finish were always called Burgundy) has always been made from Shiraz and Grenache, the backbone varieties of McLaren Vale, grown on d'Arenberg's low-yielding, 19th century vineyards.

d'Arry's Original is very much a traditional style of wine, being rich, lucious and opulently soft and very much an expression of terroir and variety which ages spectacularly. The final blend varies from year to year in an effort to maintain the well-established hallmarks of d'Arry's Original.

In its youth d'Arry's Original display a bright magenta like brick red colour. The nose invariably attacks with lifted spicy cinnamon plum, mulberry & prune aromas. Typically cherry, wild strawberry & lolly-like musk smells also, as well as tighter liquorice, spice, rosemary & fennel smells. Hints of coffee & caramel on the nose are usually quite evident on the palate; a backdrop for cherry-raspberry & richer mulberry-blackberry primary fruit. The palate is typically d'Arenberg & McLaren Vale, soft & rich in the middle, rolling on to a soft but slightly piquant acid/tannin finish.

Well cellared, d'Arry's Original becomes, soft, generous, full flavored, velvety long & seamless in bottle, with no particular component standing out, as more than four decades of previous vintages have shown.