06/07/03 – d’Arenberg (Australia) The Galvo Garage 2001

d’Arenberg (Australia) The Galvo Garage 2001
wine-pages readers will need little introduction to d’Arenberg, whose wines have featured on these pages many times. Perhaps most famous for their ‘Dead Arm’ Shiraz, now a Robert Parker favourite and nearing cult status, this is a new wines from them, named in hommage to the Garagiste winemakers of Bordeaux’s right bank and California, producing tiny quantities of super-expensive wine. Blending 66% Cabernet Sauvignon with 20% Merlot and 14% Cabernet Franc, this wine has already picked up 88-90 points from Parker, who also reckons it will cellar for 12 years. It has a beautiful nose, with sweet plummy aromas, concentrated black cherry and a depth of savoury cedar and tobacco. There’s just a hint of ripe, minty chocolate. On the palate this is silky-textured and very fine despite its 14.5% alcohol, with a robust damson and plum-skin savoury bite to concentrated black fruits. Tannins are fine and quite mellow, and a lot of the structure here comes from fruit concentration and seasoned oak. Good length, and a very nicely balanced yet fruit-forward wine. £11.99 Oddbins