d’Arenberg 2002 Dead Arm Shiraz Sept 04

After a bunch of negative reports on the latest release of Dead Arm, I decided to sacrifice a bottle to see for myself what all the fuss was about. I opened the bottle not knowing what I would find, or if I would love it, or hate it, and for the record, I have loved some vintages and hated others.  

To do the wine complete justice, I have tried it over a period of the best part of day and have made notes as I went.

First impression upon opening was a bouquet dominated by loads of dusty oak, mushroom, blackberries and a fairly prominent herbaceous undertone. The first sip indicates this wine is a veritable baby and I was committing the worst possible case of vininfanticide. All the components are there but they are not harmonious, to the contrary, the wine is disjointed and jarring. However, when examined closely they are all there in the right proportions and on the plus side, the finish is persistent.  

Ninety minutes later coffee essence and an unusual scent that I had trouble positively identifying were the major factors. The unidentified scent seemed like it was “green oak.” On the palate, it was not as jarring as the first sip; it was OK but still very much a baby. Fine-rained dusty tannins, and ripe fruit provide coffee, chocolate, plum and blackberry flavours but there was an herbaceous streak with mint and menthol running through the palate.  

After three hours, this wine is really starting to change. On the palate, the fruit is rich and intense with many of the previously mentioned flavours still in play but now there is a real spiciness to it too.  

After six hours, the bouquet is dominated by floral violet notes, menthol and spice; it’s very attractive and totally unlike the monster that reared its ugly head six hours ago. Tannins are very fine and grip the tongue like a vice, the acid is baby fresh and the fruit is up to the task but now, all the disjointed impression that was evident when first opened has disappeared and the components are more harmonious and in balance. Finish is very long. Spice, coffee essence, multiple berry flavours, plum and chocolate surfing the tasting buds on a (now much tamer and less aggressive, almost Cabernet like) herbaceous under bed with mint and menthol.

After eight hours, now this wine is really singing. The herbaceous streak has receded even further, almost disappearing and it is dominated by chocolate, coffee, spice and glorious rich plumy fruit that is full bodied and finishes with great intensity and persistence.

In summary, if those you canned the wine did so from a bottle that was freshly opened, I can understand why. By the same token, those that judged the wine alongside others in a big line up will also have been justifiably disappointed, especially without significant decant time because it would not show very well at this stage against other wines, which no doubt, would be more attractive and easier to drink in their youth. However, I am very happy I bought this wine and in time, think it will be wonderful. Current rating is Excellent *** for value with room for improvement as the wine matures around the turn of the decade.