The RRP has finally crept up to $20. Still an incredible bargain. The move to just using old French oak is a masterstroke to keep the subtleties and nuances of the fruit rather than bombarding the drinker with sweet bourbon reminiscences.

d’Arenberg, d’Arry’s Original, Shiraz, Grenache, McLaren Vale, 2017

Aromatic and earthy. Broodingly handsome. Dark chocolate, roasted beets, fleshy plum, maraschino cherry, buttery cedary oak and a strike of briny, almost sea spray “minerality.” Full bodied with astringent tannins keeping the red fruit focus tightly bound. Drying, stony finish with a lick of warmth and bittersweet licorice/herbal echo. There’s some sneaky clandestine acid sluicing about to remind of youth. It will all gel wonderfully over the next few years of course, there’s a definite track record and you still can’t go wrong at the price.

RRP: $20
Alc: 14.5%
Rating: 17/20

Wine sample courtesy of d’Arenberg