$2249each $267DOZEN EACH DOZEN

$2249each $269DOZEN EACH DOZEN

d'Arenberg own and manage nearly a third of all the old Grenache bush vines in McLaren Vale. The very first instalment by d'Arenberg to display the famous red stripe was a Grenache wine, it has been a variety central to the estate portfolio ever since. During the 1980s, d'Arenberg resisted taking part in the great government sanctioned vine pull out scheme which proved to be disastrously short sighted and an assault on national treasure. Their faith in the wizzened old vines of McLaren Vale has bestowed upon d'Arenberg the accolade of Custodian.

$2199each $263DOZEN EACH DOZEN The finest small batch Grenache parcels are passed through a gentle Demoisy crusher, leaving many of the berries whole. Fruit is transferred to open fermenters where seeds and skins are permanently submerged beneath the free run juice. When tannin extraction is just right, Custodian is basket pressed and transferred to a mix of seasoned and new French and American oak barriques for completion of ferments and a course of malolactic. Components are matured nine months on lees to slow the ageing and keep the wine fresher while also reducing influence of oak. Chester and the team undertake an extensive barrel tasting to determine the final assemblage, to be bottled without fining or filtration.

Intensely coloured, cherry red hue. Black forest berries, woody spices and soil like notes slowly give way to brighter undertones of raspberry, blueberry and florals. The palate tells a slightly different story with a raft of red fruit characters such as raspberry and stewed rhubarb paired with an almost cranberry like acidity. The tannins are verging on gritty, in a tantalizing sense.

Crafted from choice parcels of Shiraz and Grenache, picked off d'Arenberg's low yielding 19th century vineyards, very much a traditional style of wine. d'Arry's Original is named in honour of principal, d'Arry Osborn, a Winemakers Federation of Australia Patron and recipient Medal of the Order of Australia. One of d'Arenberg's most enduring labels, originally called d'Arry's Burgundy in the 1960s, when medium bodied red wines with a soft finish were always called Burgundy.

$2199each $263DOZEN EACH DOZEN Walking along the rows of vine and tasting random grapes, Chester Osborn classifies each vineyard and determines the ideal picking time. Individual batches are crushed through the Demoisy open mouthed, rubber toothed crusher into a collection of five tonnes headed down open fermenters. A traditional course of foot treading is followed by good old fashioned basket pressing into a mixture of seasoned and new, French and American oak barriques for completion of ferments and natural malolactic. Components are matured twenty months on gross lees solids, followed by racking and the final assemblage, to be bottled without fining or filtration.

Deep scarlet colour. Packed with berry perfumes and spice notes over a darker background of black olive and freshly turned earth. Purity of fruit is the real star, exhibiting great poise, luscious plum and raspberry flavours, blueberries and black to the core, before secondary notes of nutmeg and clove. Tannins are fine and mineral, holding the wine together unobtrusively, Grenache makes d'Arry very approachable as a young wine.

McLaren Vale was planted to Grenache long ago, when pioneers established plots of vine on their homestead farms. Grenache became rather unfashionable towards the middle of the twentieth century, Chester Osborn had the vision to acquire many of these overgrown and abandoned bush vineyards. To the layman's eye, they still look like derelict old sites, but they yield precious harvests of the most outstanding fruit. A concentrated wine with depth and complexity, oozing lozenges of winegum and prettily perfumed purple fruits.

$3199each $383DOZEN EACH DOZEN There are no secrets at d'Arenberg, each grape must be the finest that McLaren Vale can produce and all wines are made by hand, to the most exacting standards under the meticulous scrutiny of Chester Osborn. The aim is to make the most generously proportioned, brilliantly balanced wines, supported by sound structure and just the right amount of oak. Small batches are gently crushed and fermented, basket pressed and filled to a selection of well seasoned French and American barriques for completion, aged on lees, assembled and finished without fining or filtration.

Bright garnet red. Vigorous Grenache perfumes, plums and blueberry, raspberries, an undercurrent of earthyness and game. Full bodied palate, generous over chalky tannins, succulent acidity, lively and mouthwatering, refinement after a term of bottle age, smoothing edges whilst maintaining youthful appeal. The oak is totally integrated and allows the fruit characters to star, will go perfectly with juicy steak or gourmandise game.

d'Arenberg's love affair with Grenache reaches its pinnacle with Ironstone Pressings. The original block planted in 1918, on the lower side of the winery, has a plentiful amount of ironstone throughout the soil structures, which enhances the body and tannin structure of the wine. As the finished wine is a cepage of three grapes it is a matter of selecting and screening the very best Grenache barrels. They complement the Dead Arm Shiraz component which likewise complements the 28 Rd Mourvedre portion to a point where the Grenache is beautifully framed.

$7299each $875DOZEN EACH DOZEN Most of McLaren Vale's soils are impregnated with ancient, decomposed laterite granite known as ironstone. The larger pieces were cleared from vineyards in the late 1880s and utilized in many of the buildings at d'Arenberg. Small batches of Shiraz, Grenache and Mourverdre are separately passed through a rubber toothed crusher into open fermenters. Some parcels are tread by foot two thirds of the way through. When tannin extraction is just right, the wines are basket pressed into oak for the completion of ferments and malolactic. Components are matured on lees in a combination of seasoned and new French oak barriques before assembling into the final wine.

Brilliant, gleaming red. Dark fruits, mulberr and plum nose, fresh soil and peat over an underlying lick of exotic Indian spice. An abundance of fresh fruits on the palate marry well with the more complex characters of cinnamon and quince, nutmeg, star anise and earthy beetroot. Open and generous upon release, lively acidity and the abundance of fine gritty tannins. Unfiltered and unfined, a harmless deposit may form in the bottle.

Chester Osborn was one of the first growers to plant Tempranillo in McLaren Vale. This torrid Spanish grape is well suited to the Mediterranean climes of the region and a traditional blending partner for some of d'Arenberg's favourite old world styles. Grenache and Tempranillo work beautifully together, the Portuguese mix of Tinta Cao and Souzao provide wonderful complexity and depth. And the quirky name? Sticks and stones may break bones but will never hurt, in truth, much of the fruit is picked off sticks planted to parched, stony soils.

$3099each $371DOZEN EACH DOZEN Bunches of Tempranillo and Grenache, Souzao and Tinta Cao Souzao are picked to a staggered schedule as the varieties come into their own ripening. Fruit is gently treated to d'Arenberg's rubber toothed crusher, vinified batch by batch in traditional headed down open fermenters. When tannin extraction is just right, batches are basket pressed and transferred to a mix of seasoned and new French and American oak barriques for completion of ferments and malolactic on sedimentery yeast lees. Components are aged for a year before asemblage, minimal handling ensures maximum flavour while reducing the oak influence, unfined and unfiltered, a harmless deposit may adhere to the bottle.

Deep, brilliant red. An enticing mix of red, black and purple fruits, wild strawberries and dark cherry, grilled meats and straw notes. Sour plum and red berry flavours, quickly leading to game, five spice and dried herb, Tempranillo provides tomato leaf and baked red fruits, linear shape and length. Grenache lends juicy blueberry and plum with just a hint of clove, succulence and fine, gritty tannins.

$3499each $419DOZEN EACH DOZEN

$4999each $599DOZEN EACH DOZEN

$2999each $357DOZEN EACH DOZEN

$2999each $359DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Saint-Esprit is a unique wine within the appellation of Cotes-du-Rhône. The harsh prevailing Mistral wind, spawned by variations of pressure in the Rhône's north to south microclimates, is one of the essential factors in the vines development. Cuvee Saint-Esprit comes from a small valley nestled in the northern part of the Ardeche. Vineyards here are planted on granite, to southerly facing slopes near the villages of Saint-Julien and-Saint-Alban. Authorized maximum yields are a scant 2.6 tons/acre, mostly of Syrah with a little Grenache.

$2599each $311DOZEN EACH DOZEN High seasonal rainfall, hot temperatures and abundant sunshine are characteristic of Cotes-du-Rhône. All the grapes are de-stemmed, fermentation and maceration takes place in closed vats for a fortnight. Daily pumpovers ensure maximum extraction of flavour and good colour. After de-vatting and pressing, racking and completion of malolactic, a third of the parcels are transferred to a selection of seasoned oak barrels to integrate and develop during a term of maturation. The remainder is kept in vats to preserve fruit aromas, a course of regular rackings allow components to stabilise naturally. After coming of age, Saint Esprit is assembled and bottled following a light filtration.

Deep, dark colour, hues of plum. The nose is classically Syrah, exuding berry fruit aromas and violet notes, liquorice and spice. A full, rounded palate with long fruit, good acids and a nicely drying finish. Saint Esprit is optimally crafted to mate with robust Provençale style cuisine, games, stuffings and grilled meats.