d'Arenberg The Swinging Malaysian Shiraz 2010
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Enthusiast
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Suckling
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Parker
Robert
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Wine Enthusiast
D'Arenberg's lineup of single-vineyard Shirazes is especially impressive in the 2010 vintage, and this was one of my favorites. The aromas are tight, nearly impenetrable at first, then only stubbornly yielding hints of graphite, but the mouthfeel is expansive and richly textured. Aristocratic notes of pencil shavings balance supple tannins and layers of dark fruit, concluding in espresso and chocolate on the finish. Drink now–2030.
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Wine & Spirits
In the same neighborhood as Osborn's Dipsomaniac, this vineyard was planted to shiraz in 1978, grafted over to riesling ten years later, then the vines cut and allowed to revert to shiraz in 2001. Half of the site is clay over sandstone, half is just bare sandstone. The wine itself is pure McLaren Vale in the old-fashioned d'Arenberg style. You can breath it out of the glass or out of the finish: minerals, pine, porcini, herbs, the fruit taut, edged in red, going the distance from flavor to memory. A classic, best suited to age.
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James Suckling
Fresh red-berry and herb notes with a lightly tarry edge, too. The palate has a succulent, fleshy and quite composed feel. Taut, elegant, even and very composed with fresh blueberry and blue-plum flavors. Chocolate and spice finish. Savory. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep purple-black in color, the 2010 The Swinging Malaysian Single Vineyard Shiraz reveals youthfully muted aromas of black currants, red plums, and black pepper with nuances of salami, dried herbs and damp soil. Taut and muscular, with plenty of savory, peppery flavors and firm chewy tannins, this medium bodied wine finishes long and earthy.
d'Arenberg is one of the undisputed kings of Australian Shiraz and other Rhone varieties that have historically defined the region. A century on, their vineyards have grown to some 450 acres in McLaren Vale, including Shiraz dating back to d'Arenberg's first plantings in 1912, and nearly one-third of McLaren Vale's old bush-vine Grenache. Fourth generation winemaker, Chester Osborn, recently converted all of the family's vineyards to organics and biodynamics and moved to solar energy in the winery. All the while, in terms of winemaking, not much has changed--all the wines are basket-pressed, the reds foot-trodden during fermentation; everything is done in small batches, leading to an impressive array of bottlings every year, each showing a different facet of McLaren Vale terroir. Having been inducted into Wine & Spirits Magazine's Hall of Fame for earning a place on its Top 100 Wineries nine times, this accolade is a reflection of d'Arenberg's revered reputation worldwide.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Known for opulent red wines with intense power and concentration, McLaren Vale is home to perhaps the most “classic” style of Australian Shiraz. Vinified on its own or in Rhône Blends, these hot-climate wines are deeply colored and high in extract with signature hints of dark chocolate and licorice. Cabernet Sauvignon is also produced in a similar style.
Whites, often made from Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc tend to be opulent and full of tropical, stone and citrus fruit.