Two new top dollar $200 wines at d’Arenberg

Our visit with d’Arenberg fortuitously coincided with the release of two new top ($AUS 200) reds.  With ‘shtick-in-trade’ memorable/controversial names, the old vine Shiraz, Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier blend is called ‘The Old Bloke & The Three Young Blondes’ (after Chester Osborne and his three young daughters) while ‘The Athazagoraphobic Cat’ is a Sagrantino and Cinsault blend.  

Here are my notes together with some pics from the vintage.  First, a quick vintage report and winery update  As elsewhere, the harvest started early, in January (whites), following a very dry, unseasonably warm spring.

Winemaker Tony Porter told us that a spot of rain in late January/February had been a godsend because the vines were struggling.   Last week they were already 50% through vintage.

We tasted some fermenting Shiraz which had terrific colour.  Porter reckons the fruit is looking great and it tasted good; swinging by during lunch at the winery’s (excellent) restaurant, d’Arry Osborne spoke positively of the vintage too, though inevitably there is some concern, he said, about low acid.

As of last year, d’Arenberg’s own vineyards were certified biodynamic.  And no, the structure you see if not a giant dynamiser, though I reckon it will do much to dynamise wine tourism in the region. It’s Chester Osbourne’s famous Rubik cube designed visitor centre – expected to be completed early next year.

D’Arenberg ‘The Old Bloke & The Three Young Blondes’ 2011 (McLaren Vale)

Blending/co-fermenting fruit from centenarian Shiraz vines (91%) with white Rhone varieties planted in the 1990s leavens the palate of this intense red which reveals earth and exotic notes to nose and blueberry and boysenberry palate.  It’s very light on its feet with exceptionally fine, blotting paper tannins to mop up and groom the fruit.  Very young with, I suspect, a great future ahead it was aged for 20 months in a mixture of old French and American oak. 14.2%

Incidentally, the Roussanne also made an appearance in this super refreshing palate cleanser – The Money Spider poured over lime and lychee sorbet was just the ticket on a very hot day.

D’Arenberg ‘The Athazagoraphobic Cat’ 2011 (McLaren Vale)

I liked this Sagrantino Cinsualt blend very much.  As you’d expect at the price point, it’s a real step up on the The Cenosilicaphobic Cat Sagrantino Cinsault 2010 so fans of this wine are in for a treat.  A highly characterful palate reveals liquorice,  dried herbs, especially lavender, membranillo spices (cinnamon, clove) black olive and earth to its red and briar fruit.   Only Sagrantino pressings are used and its thread of tannins entwines, embeds and extend the flavours over a long, quite beguiling finish.  This wine finished fermentation in old French oak barrique.  14.3%