Ranked #12 of 72 2005 Shiraz from McLaren Vale
92/100
4 Stars
Huon Hooke
Good colour, oak-driven old fashioned style, with lashings of what appears to be American oak. Savoury palate, seems a trifle acidified - a tangy wine with lots of coconut-vanilla oak. Already has charcuterie/smoked meat developed bouquet. Good depth and weight in a traditional big Aussie style.
Tasted: 14/12/2007
Drink: N/A
95 Points Robert Parker
D’Arenberg’s most famous wine is its flagship, The Dead Arm Shiraz. The 2005 The Dead Arm Shiraz is sourced from ancient head-pruned vines. It was aged for 22 months in a mix of new and used French and American oak. It is opaque purple/black with an expansive perfume of toast, smoke, spice box, mineral, pencil lead, tar, licorice, blueberry, and blackberry. Full-bodied, opulent, and super-concentrated, this structured, lengthy wine will benefit from 3-5 years of cellaring and drink well through 2025.
Source: Robert Parker (Robert Parker Wine Advocate) by Jay S Miller. October, 2007
89 Points James Halliday
Some reduced characters blur the profile of the usually opulent fruit, introducing some bitter notes; not likely to recover. Drink to 2012.
James Halliday. June, 2021
D’Arenberg’s most famous wine is its flagship, The Dead Arm Shiraz. The 2005 The Dead Arm Shiraz is sourced from ancient head-pruned vines. It was aged for 22 months in a mix of new and used French and American oak. It is opaque purple/black with an expansive perfume of toast, smoke, spice box, mineral, pencil lead, tar, licorice, blueberry, and blackberry. Full-bodied, opulent, and super-concentrated, this structured, lengthy wine will benefit from 3-5 years of cellaring and drink well through 2025. Source: Robert Parker (Wine Advocate) October, 2007 by Jay Miller