d’Arenberg has developed an enviable reputation with their range of idiosyncratic wines. From the Stump Jumps through to the highly regarded Icons, these wines offer value, individuality and a true taste of McLaren Vale. The Ironstone Pressings, The Coppermine Road, The Dead Arm ShirazThe Icons are the most powerful and concentrated of d’Arenberg’s wines. Comprising of the Dead Arm, the Coppermine Road and the Ironstone Pressings, this range represents the pinnacle of d’Arenberg’s efforts. Century old, low-yielding vines produce intensely flavored fruit which is traditionally vinified and undergoes rigorous barrel-selection prior to classification. The Lucky Lizard, The Twentyeight Road, The Last Ditch, The Money Spider, The Feral Fox, The Sticks & Stones, The Derelict Vineyard, The Cadenzia, The Galvo Garage, The Laughing MagpieSince the early 1900’s, d’Arenberg has pioneered innovative wine styles and varietal plantings. Chester’s Champions represent d’Arenberg’s most exciting new ventures, offering an eclectic alternative to the known and loved bastions of the portfolio. The Dry Dam, The Broken Fishplate, The Olive Grove, The Hermit Crab, The Custodian, The High Trellis, d’Arrys Original, The Love Grass, The Footbolt.The Classic Red Stripes represent the backbone of the d’Arenberg range. Considered the epitome of d’Arenberg’s style, they are a reflection of skillful winemaking and unique terroir – regionally expressive, fruit-forward and approachable. Stump Jump White, Stump Jump Red, Stump Jump ShirazNamed after an important South Australian invention – the Stump Jump plough, these wines are typically light- or un-oaked, offering a fresh, approachable view of McLaren Vale’s premium varietals.
The Broken FishplateRegion: Adelaide HillsVarietals: Sauvignon Blanc Tasting Notes & Review: 2007 
Background:This sauvignon blanc is sourced from two vineyard sites, Prospect Hill and Plump Shed Block. The name is derived from the fishplates which sit underneath harvest tractors that straddle the vines. These are invariably broken en-route in the steep vshaped gullies leading to these vineyards. Winemaker Notes:The nose shows lifted herbaceous, gooseberry, blackcurrant leaf, freshly-cut grass, and passionfruit smells, as well as a base of more subtle and elegant, slightly perfumed lychee and lime aromas. The youthful d’Arenberg Broken Fishplate Sauvignon Blanc palate is intense with a long aftertaste and crisp, dry finish. Although not specifically intended or ideally suited for long-term cellaring, a short to medium-term stint in bottle lets d’Arenberg‘s Broken Fishplate Sauvignon Blanc develop lovely nutmeg, apple, ripe pear and honeysuckle aromas.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Dry DamRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Riesling Tasting Notes & Review: 2007 
Background:Keen to produce d’Arenberg’s first white in the late 1950s, d’Arry Osborn needed no convincing that it should be made from Riesling. Inspired by his friend and neighbor, Cud Kay of Amery Vineyards, d’Arry finally released d’Arenberg’s first vintage of Riesling in the late 1960s. Another neighbor, Jack Neil, inadvertently helped d’Arry to decide in which years it was best to make d’Arenberg’s Riesling. The Neil’s dam runs up against d’Arenberg’s Riesling block and a dry summer always meant a ‘Dry Dam’, which results in concentrated Riesling grapes brimming with flavor and well balanced acidity. It was not long before d’Arry discovered that the best Rieslings were Dry Dam Rieslings. Winemaker Notes:The young Dry Dam is medium bodied with lime and lemon flavors initially, followed by tropical pineapple and pear flavors. The rich, soft, juicy mouthfeel finishes with fresh crisp acidity. Over time the color will take on a deeper golden appearance and the fruit intensity will develop into a richer honeysuckle, orange peel, glace fruit and tea aromas.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Hermit CrabRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Marsanne/Roussanne, Viognier Tasting Notes & Review: 2007 
Background:Many of McLaren Vale’s vineyards are on the free-draining soils underlain with limestone, formed by the calcareous remains of the local marine fauna. One such creature is the Hermit Crab. The Osborn family thought the name appropriate for this, McLaren Vale’s first-ever Marsanne Viognier blend, as it is best enjoyed with shellfish and seafood dishes. Winemaker Notes:The Hermit Crab is a green, brilliant mid-straw color, and exhibits fresh flower and tropical fruit aromas, with emphasis on, apricot and white peach, as well as pear, pineapple, guava and mango. Added complexity comes from a nutty touch. The youthful palate is immediately fruity, with strong tropical and stone fruit flavors, leading to a very long finish.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Last DitchRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Viognier Tasting Notes & Review: 2007 
Background:Shiraz, grenache and mourvedre have been the backbone of d’Arenberg’s vineyards
since the 1880’s. These three are also the traditional red wine mainstays of the
Rhône Valley in France, while the best whites are made from the trio of Viognier,
Marsanne and Roussanne. It was not until 1995 that the plantings at the bottom of
the vineyard known as ‘The Last Ditch’ were replaced with these, the first ever
plantings of viognier, marsanne and roussanne in the district. Winemaker Notes:The Last Ditch Viognier has a brilliant mid straw color with lifted nectarine, white peach and apricot dominated aromas, as well as enveloping rose and ginger. These also dominate the young palate where thick and viscous fruit showing rose, nectarine and white peaches develop into an unctuous long lasting palate. This is a very complex wine, offering a huge spectrum of flavors.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Olive GroveRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Chardonnay Tasting Notes & Review: 2006 
Background:Over the years various varieties of olive trees have sprung up everywhere, on the sides of roads and in the middle of the chardonnay vineyard. However, the inconvenience of wild olives is forgotten when neighbors drop off a bottle or two of their olive oil. d’Arenberg was amongst the pioneers of the variety in the district, releasing their first bottling of chardonnay in 1984, utilizing vineyards planted in 1977 and have made chardonnay each year since. Winemaker Notes:The Olive Grove Chardonnay is a slightly green, brilliant mid-straw color and typically exhibits attacking, fresh and lifted melon complex fig and cashew aromas. These are based on smells of apples, limes and pineapples. Traces of vanillin yeast autolysis smells give creamy and bready hints as well as some smoky & cedary touches. The youthful palate is clean, direct with limey peach and rockmelon flavors balanced by fresh grapefruit and light butter tastes, before a long elegant melon fruit finish.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Lucky LizardRegion: Adelaide HillsVarietals: Chardonnay Tasting Notes & Review: 2006 
Background:During the summer months, the Red Dragon Lizards sun themselves on the vineyard posts and watch out for potential prey. Occasionally during harvest, these lizards are dislodged and find their way into a load of grapes headed for the winery. Lucky for these lizards, d’Arenberg uses a very gentle Demoisy crusher, which allows these lizards to pass through the ordeal slightly shaken, yet unharmed. Only the very best barrels of Chardonnay were selected for release under the Lucky
Lizard label. Winemaker Notes:The nose is immediately inviting with volumes of mango, passionfruit, pineapple, guava, hints of peach, green melon, a touch of citrus, and the characteristic cool climate flowery granny smith apples. Oaky spices, mainly nutmeg, are very well–integrated, due to the careful blending process from selected barriques.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Stump Jump WhiteRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: White Blend Tasting Notes & Review: 2006 
Background:The Osborns are proud to release The Stump Jump range of premium McLaren Vale wines, so named as the land for many of the region’s old vineyards was originally cleared using the Stump Jump plough. This South Australian invention enabled the ploughshare to jump over the gnarled “mallee” Eucalypt roots, saving valuable time and resources. Winemaker Notes:Marsanne, a full-bodied wine with heady aromas of honeysuckle and almonds, is an excellent blending partner for aromatic varieties with high natural acidity, such as Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. These three varietals have proved themselves to be a popular blend since this wine’s first release.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Feral FoxRegion: Adelaide HillsVarietals: Pinot Noir Tasting Notes & Review: 2006 
Background:Since 1912 the Osborn family has tended the 19th century vineyards at their d’Arenberg winery, located in South Australia. Occasionally the family procures top quality fruit from the cool climate Adelaide Hills region, which has become one of Australia’s finest Pinot Noir districts.
The feral foxes that inhabit this area have developed an appetite for grapes as a replacement for their old favourite, the local rabbit, whose numbers have reduced substantially in recent years dues to the Calici virus. The folks at d’Arenberg, however, are unfazed, as the foxes actually act as crop thinners, which ultimately enhances the quality of those grapes too high to reach. Winemaker Notes:The color is deep bright-red, akin to most good Pinot Noirs. The nose is a fruit bomb showing inviting ripe strawberry, plums and many different spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, as well as the more savory edges of forest floor.
The taste is immediately silky with spicy sweet glycerol, strawberry and plums growing in intensity to a lush, rich full texture, which in turn leads to a lovely spicy fruit structural tannin, which finally gives into a very long, spicy, strawberry and plum glycerol end.
After time, the whole wine will become one silky, glycerol textured, spicy lush fruit wine with totally integrated tannins.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The CustodianRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Grenache Tasting Notes & Review: 2006 
Background:d'Arenberg’s rich, luscious reds have always been grenache based and no other Australian winery has so proudly represented the varietal. Hence the name The Custodian, as d'Arenberg has kept watch and ward over grenache for 40 years. Winemaker Notes:As a young wine, The Custodian shows a dark ruby-purple color, and distinctive rich, ripe, lifted plum, cherry and deep blackcurrant aromas, on top of earthy, spicy, violet, musk and raspberry smells - the essences of Grenache. Touches of white pepper, tobacco, cinnamon and spice follow onto the full-bodied juicy palate. The rich plum and sweet blackberry fruit flavors are lifted by gentle vanillin and coffee-mocha oak derived flavors, as well as crunchy, fine-grained fruit and mineral tannins.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Derelict VineyardRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Grenache Tasting Notes & Review: 2006 
Background:Some years ago, chief winemaker, Chester Osborn, sought out additional premium Grenache fruit from McLaren Vale to meet the high demand for d’Arenberg’s Grenache-based wines. Amongst others, a particular vineyard planted thirty years ago with Grenache appeared promising, and was the inspiration in the naming of this wine.
Last used for grape production two decades ago, the vineyard fell into neglect and was utilized as a horse paddock. Horses had trampled on the vines making them unproductive. Vine pruning occurred sporadically when the horses snacked on them. Long bracken ferns and native grasses up to a meter high entwined with, and hid the vines. The vines themselves resembled Medusa’s hair - wild, thick, struggling and gnarled. Taming and rejuvenation of the vineyard occurred over several years with weeding, reposting, trellising and pruning undertaken. The exceptionally low yielding Grenache was hand-picked late in
vintage. Winemaker Notes:The palate starts with a huge flavor. Thick, ripe mulberries, blackberries and blueberries progress into a rich, gutsy, licorice and bitumen palate, followed by masses of powerful, youthful, gritty fruit tannins, layered with tons of flowery, cranberry and dark fruit flavors, and a youthful acidity. This is a wine of intense concentration.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Twentyeight RoadRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Mourvedre Tasting Notes & Review: 2005 
Background:d'Arenberg’s vineyards are bordered by Seaview Road to the North, Chalk Hill Road to the South, Coppermine Road to the East and Twentyeight Road to the West. Some locals claim Twentyeight Road is so named originally being 28 ‘chains’ in length. Others claim it was because it runs to the original 128th linear map division of the district. Alongside this somewhat crooked dirt track is d'Arenberg’s Mourvèdre Vineyard. Winemaker Notes:Deep bright crimson ruby in color with lifted, spicy clove, cranberry and ripening blackberry primary fruit smells, elements of mulberry, light blackcurrant, cinnamon and vanilla liquorice, as well as mint and flowers, especially violets are evident on the young palate. Its medium to full flavored fruit weight dominating softer, rounded vanilla mocha oak flavors, before a long fine acid and slightly sour cherry tannin like finish.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The FootboltRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Shiraz Tasting Notes & Review: 2005 
Background:Joseph Rowe Osborn, the founder of d'Arenberg first became involved in the wine industry when he joined the prospering Thomas Hardy and Sons in 1881, eventually becoming a partner and director. A colorful character and enthusiastic patron of the turf, he secured a well-bred chestnut colt named "Footbolt" whose winning streak of six races assisted Joseph in funding the purchase of d'Arenberg's first vineyards in 1912. Winemaker Notes:Four decades of young 'Footbolt' have been very consistent in color, a deep red-purple, with the immediate hallmarks of spicy, lifted ripe peppery, mulberry and blackberry fruit aromas.
McLaren Vale produces beautiful fine fruit elegance amidst thick rich, ripe fruit flavors, with great depth. 'The Footbolt' Shiraz, like all of d'Arenberg's traditional red wines, gains considerable complexity with age. The aromas slowly incorporate developed cedar, coffee and developed dark chocolate smells with leather, tobacco and earthy aromas while maintaining fragrant, spicy, fruit characters. On the tongue, a wonderfully textured palate is maintained. Gentle, grainy, black olive flavors balance the sweeter coffee, chocolate and very long spicy, fruit characters. Malty, earthy and distinctly savory characters on the rich middle palate dominate against soft tannin and piquant acidity.
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Past tasting notes and reviews d'Arry's OriginalRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Shiraz, Grenache Tasting Notes & Review: 2005 
Background:This wine is named in honor of d’Arenberg’s principal, Francis “d’Arry” d’Arenberg Osborn. It is the culmination of more than half a century of d’Arry’s winemaking career at his family winery in McLaren Vale. d’Arry’s Original blend, first launched some four decades ago, was and is to this day a blend of shiraz and grenache grown on the 19th century low yielding vineyards. Winemaker Notes:d'Arry's Original displays a bright magenta like brick red color. The nose attacks with lifted spicy cinnamon plum, mulberry & prune aromas. Typically cherry, wild strawberry & lolly-like musk smells, as well as tighter liquorice, spice, rosemary & fennel.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Love GrassRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Shiraz Tasting Notes & Review: 2004 
Background: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. Winemaker 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.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Dead ArmRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Shiraz Tasting Notes & Review: 2005 
Background:Dead Arm is a vine disease caused by the fungus Eutypa Lata that randomly affects vineyards all over the world. Often vines affected are severely pruned or replanted. d’Arenberg believe that this is a natural part of vineyard life. One half, or arm of the vine slowly becomes reduced to dead wood. That side may be lifeless and brittle, but the grapes on the other side display amazing intensity. Winemaker Notes:Attacking spicy dark cherry, plum and blackberry fruit dominate the taste with a complex, slightly acetone, liquorice, prune richness and silkiness leading to a slight cedar, mineral and svelte array of tannins. The length comes right back to gritty, vibrant fruit tannins giving the wine great ageability.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Laughing MagpieRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Shiraz Viognier Tasting Notes & Review: 2006 
Background:The bushland that surrounds the family’s vineyards is home to the unique native Australian bird, the Kookaburra, famous for its distinctive laughing call. Much to the amusement of the family, the daughters of winemaker, Chester, called their two wild pet Kookaburra’s the “Laughing Magpies”. The Magpie, a black and white bird bears no resemblance to its famous cousin, but to this day the likeable Kookaburra is known at the winery as the “Laughing Magpie”. Winemaker Notes:Vivid dark purple in color. The viognier adds fragrance and the perfume of flowers, nectarines, ginger and herbs, serving to enhance the very ripe spectrum of the shiraz - blackberry, blueberry and boysenberry.
These same characters are also evident on the palate and prevail with a smooth glycerol impact, following through to the mid palate with fruity tannin. The structure has an accent on fine structure and gritty long fruit tannin.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The High TrellisRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting Notes & Review: 2006 
Background:The High Trellis Paddock has been producing grapes since the late nineteenth century. Nicknamed “The High Trellis” as its vines were the first at d'Arenberg to be trained above knee height in the 1890’s. Over the past four decades Cabernet Sauvignon from the High Trellis Paddock has been released under the d'Arenberg label to consistent critical acclaim. Winemaker Notes:The hallmarks of The High Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon are a soft, rich middle palate, terrific texture and a long rolling finish, all of which can reside with this wine for a number of years, even decades, as more than four decades of previous vintages have shown.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Coppermine RoadRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting Notes & Review: 2005 
Background:Since 1912 four generations of the Osborn family have tended their nineteenth century vineyards just north of the township of McLaren Vale, bordered by Seaview Road, Chalk Hill Road and Twenty-eight Road. But on their western side, the winery’s best cabernet sauvignon runs parallel to the one road with four separately named parts, Field Street, Oliver Road at each end and Coppermine Road. Naturally confused, locals just refer to it as ‘Brewery Hill Road’. Winemaker Notes:Upon release, d'Arenberg's The Coppermine Road has a deep, vibrant redpurple color. The nose shows intense blackcurrant fruit and subtle cedary cinnamon spice, barrel ferment and oak derived aromas, violet and mint scents, as well as liquorice and chocolate smells. These aromas combine with some blueberry, cassis and sweet rhubarb flavors on the palate, with long, intense, vibrant, gritty fruit tannins.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Vintage Fortified ShirazRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Vintage Fortified Shiraz Tasting Notes & Review: 2005 
Background:Since the first declared vintage, 1928, d'Arenberg’s vintage fortified wines have been shiraz based. The vines that produced the original vintage still provide the grapes for this wine. These old vines are invariably stumpy, gnarled, deep rooted and shy bearing, but are distinguished by their prized small bunches of highly colored and flavored grapes. Winemaker Notes:Upon release, eight decades of d’Arenberg’s Declared Shiraz Port, traditionally just known as “Vintage Port”, have had a consistent deep, intense purple almost black color matched by just as intense aromas of ripe, spicy shiraz fruit, combined with a lifted brandy spirit. Spicy blackberry, mulberry, plum and blackcurrant fruit smells are also evident on the structured young palate. The initial attack of primary shiraz fruit flavors combined with the light brandy spirit ensure the palate is rich, intense and full flavored, especially in the middle, all before a firm, drying astringency from the fruit tannins leaving no lingering sweetness on the finish.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Noble Chardonnay SemillonRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Other Dessert/Fortified Tasting Notes & Review: 2006 
Background:Early May 1985 saw d’Arenberg’s first ‘Noble’ attempt. The extraordinary coincidence of biological
events and contradictions required to produce ‘Botrytis Cinerea’ mold occurred. More than a decade
later, d’Arenberg has earned an enviable reputation for ‘sticky’ sweet dessert wines. Winemaker Notes:The Noble Chardonnay Semillon has a beautiful nose of white peach, nectarine juice, and
pineapple typically seen in McLaren Vale chardonnay. The Semillon component of this blend brings
acidity and balances the chardonnay with light dried-straw and grass notes. The palate is thick and
unctuous and offers rich apple and pear notes on the finish. This wine is the perfect
accompaniment to an indulgent brunch or gourmet cheese selection.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Noble RhoneRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Other Dessert/Fortified Tasting Notes & Review: 2003 
Background:Early May 1985 saw d’Arenberg’s first ‘Noble’ attempt. The extraordinary coincidence of biological events and contradictions required to produce ‘Botrytis Cinerea’ mould occurred. More than a decade on, d’Arenberg has an enviable reputation for ‘sticky’ sweet Noble Rieslings. Winemaker Notes:The palate is lush with pears and apricots, white peach notes which lead to flavors of mango and a ripe passionfruit spectrum. The Roussanne imparts the pear and floral notes, the Marsanne the green honeysuckle and the Viognier; the apricot spectrum. This wine is beautifully suited to be served with a dessert or on its own as an aperitif.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Noble RieslingRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Other Dessert/Fortified Tasting Notes & Review: 2006 
Background:Early May 1985 saw d’Arenberg’s first ‘Noble’ attempt. The extraordinary coincidence of biological events and contradictions required to produce ‘Botrytis Cinerea’ mould occurred. More than a decade on, d’Arenberg has an enviable reputation for ‘sticky’ sweet Noble Rieslings. Winemaker Notes:The Noble Riesling has a rich straw-gold, green-tinged color with aromas are of dried apricots, citrus blossom, cumquats, citrus, lime, pineapple and mangoes. There is also perfumed passionfruit, crab-apple jelly and peachy ‘botrytis cinerea’ smells. The young Noble Riesling palate is intense, with mouth-filling apricot, cumquat, sweet peach and Riesling flavors that crescendo with an intensely luscious yet refreshingly clean finish.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Money SpiderRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Roussanne Tasting Notes & Review: 2005 
Background:The first crop of roussanne from the 2000 vintage was found to be covered in a sea of tiny Money Spiders (Erigoninae). Popular belief is that kindness to these active little creatures will bring good luck, hopefully in the form of money. Being naturelovers and slightly superstitious to boot, d’Arenberg refrained from sending the spiders to their death and hence were not able to release the first roussanne until the 2001 vintage by which time the Money Spiders had learned their lesson and moved from the vineyard to the bushland surrounding the winery. Winemaker Notes:In its youth, d’Arenberg’s The Money Spider Roussanne has a brilliant midstraw color with lifted honeysuckle, nectarine, white peach, citrus, and honey, as well as nutmeg, cinnamon, and a touch of gooseberry. These also dominate the young palate, where thick nectarine and white peaches develop into citrus, honeysuckle and spice, ending with a nutty mineral but fruity structure.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Stump JumpRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre Tasting Notes & Review: 2006 
Background:The Osborns are proud to release The Stump Jump range of premium McLaren Vale wines, so named as the land for many of the region’s old vineyards was originally cleared using the Stump Jump plough. This South Australian invention enabled the ploughshare to jump over the gnarled “mallee” Eucalypt roots, saving valuable time and resources. Winemaker Notes:A voluminous, sweet fruit, mulberry, raspberry, spicy and earthy nose leads through to the palate showing the same flavors as the aromas. A great round glycerol sweetness fills the mouth with a touch of fresh, ripe fruit tannins on the aftertaste.
Once picked, the fruit is gently crushed in our ‘Demoisy’ open mouthed, rubber toothed crusher and pumped into traditional headed down fermenters. Following fermentation, The Stump Jump Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre is gently pressed by our nineteenth Century “Coq” and “Bromely & Tregoning” basket presses prior to oak maturation.
This is a rich, soft and flavorsome red in the traditional McLaren Vale style highlighting lifted rose petal aromas and dense flavors of 90 year old mourvedre. Best served at room temperature, this wine will gain complexity with careful cellaring over the next 2-5 years.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The CadenziaRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre Tasting Notes & Review: 2005 
Background:In 2004, some of McLaren Vale’s top winemakers agreed to each release a wine under the name ‘Cadenzia’. Cadenzia has been taken from the meaning of cadenza, ‘a soloist virtuoso’, as inspiration to each winemaker to produce a wine with distinct regional identity featuring Grenache. Winemaker Notes:The Cadenzia by d’Arenberg is an exotic full bodied wine dominated by red berries, dark spice, roasted black tea and mulberry fruits. Shiraz adds to the thickness of texture spiced fruits and licorice.
The Cadenzia is original - being big rich and very complex wine, showing true McLaren Vale typicity, generosity and fragrance.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Ironstone PressingsRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre Tasting Notes & Review: 2005 
Background:Most of McLaren Vale’s acclaimed and ancient vineyard land is impregnated with ancient, decomposed laterite granite known as “Ironstone”. Its extraordinary rusty red-brown color is derived from the iron oxides present in the stone. The larger pieces were cleared from the vineyard late last century and utilized in many of the buildings at d'Arenberg and in the district.
It is indeed fitting that “Ironstone” is the first name given to this old Osborn family favorite as it helps, both above and below ground to produce our traditional pressings wine. Winemaker Notes:In its youth, d’Arenberg’s The Ironstone Pressings has a deep, dark plum-purple color matched by just as intense black cherry, spice, plum, strawberry, a little liquorice and brooding blackcurrant aromas. Mulberry, ripe plum and fresh pepper dominate the rich full-bodied palate before a long, intense, rolling, dark cherry spice and gritty tannin finish.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Sticks & StonesRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Tempranillo Grenache Souzao Tasting Notes & Review: 2004 
Background:The inspiration behind this name came from the age-old proverb ‘sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.’ The unusual and quirky names that d’Arenberg’s range of wines have has never done the winery any harm. We also do use sticks (vine cuttings) planted into stony soils to produce the grapes that result in this wine. Winemaker Notes:The palate is immediately fruity with all sorts of red and blackberries, lots of dark cherries, boysenberries and a seam of violets working through. It is rich and juicy with lively, gritty tannins. A very long earth and dried herb end with a twist of liquorice and blackberry completes the finish. This is a big wine built for the long haul. Recommended to be cellared for many years.
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Past tasting notes and reviews The Galvo GarageRegion: McLaren ValeVarietals: Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Tasting Notes & Review: 2004 
Background:Since 1912, the Osborn family has tended the 19th century vineyards located in McLaren Vale, South Australia. The inspiration behind this wine, the so-called “garage wines”, are from the home of the classic grape varieties used in this blend. They are produced in the back shed or “garage” of boutique winemakers dedicated to making small-volume wines of the highest quality.
d’Arenberg’s galvanized, corrugated garage was built in 1927, and, to this day, houses their traditional open fermenters and 19th century basket presses used in the handcrafting of this wine. Winemaker Notes:The wide array of fruits are seen immediately upon tasting and flow elegantly across the mouth in a silky way, gradually tightening in dark, fragrant, compost and lively, dark-berry fruit tannins. The Bordeaux-like tannins are fine and plentiful, with an abundance of intertwined fragrant fruit hanging in the mouth well after the wine has been consumed. A very refreshing but classically styled wine that should age gracefully for many years.
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Past tasting notes and reviews
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