Ranked #13 of 74 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.
Source: James Halliday. September, 2007
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