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d’Arenberg Vintage Fortified Shiraz is winemaker Chester Osborn’s take on a Port-style wine, a fortified Shiraz. Australia has always had a long history of fortified wine production, and d’Arenberg’s first vintage of fortified shiraz was in 1928.
The wine has always been Shiraz-based, but in some vintages, there were other grape varieties in the blend, some vintages have included Chambourcin in the blend, for example.
Among Australia’s most celebrated wineries, D’Arenberg is one of the McLaren Vale region’s best wine producers. The winery’s origins trace back to Joseph Osborn, a Cornish immigrant whose family arrived in Australia during the 1850s. Osborn carved out a remarkable reputation as an Australian Rules footballer and co-founder of the Norwood Football Club. Eventually, he would become a partner in Thomas Hardy Limited, a local politician and became involved in horse racing before buying what would become the d’Arenberg estate.
The pivotal moment came in 1912 when Osborn acquired the property that would eventually bear the d’Arenberg name. More than a century later, the family tradition continues under the stewardship of Chester Osborne, representing the fourth generation of winemaking excellence. D’Arenberg has cultivated a distinctive identity through its unmistakable red-striped labels and an imaginative approach to wine nomenclature, featuring memorably eccentric names like Dead Arm, Peppermint Paddock, and Stump Jump that have become synonymous with the brand’s playful yet serious approach to winemaking. d’Arenberg are members of Australia’s First Families of Wine.
The McLaren Vale, located some 45 minutes south of Adelaide, is perfect for grape growing with a Mediterranean climate, huge diversity of soil types and proximity to the ocean with the resultant cooling sea breezes.
The estate is famous for its top-quality, premium red wines made from classic Australian grape varieties like Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache; however, they also have some more unusual plantings of Mediterranean and Rhone varieties, including Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Vermentino, Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier.
Minimal intervention is the keyword in the winery, where the individual vineyard site’s character is allowed to shine through. Classic vinification methods are used, such as open top vat fermentation, foot treading and basket pressing. All d’Arenberg estate-owned and leased vineyards are NASAA Certified for organic and biodynamic processes.
From D’Arenberg:
“Beautiful perfume with blackberry, blueberry and middle eastern saffron spice on the nose. Dusty, earthy aromas give way to layers of aniseed and black olive. The palate beautifully follows the nose; mouth filling, generous, and not overtly sweet. One to cellar for many moons.”
Try with dark chocolate, dark chocolate desserts or blue cheeses.
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