With their distinctive red-stripe branding, the wines from d’Arenberg in the McLaren Vale, South Australia, are easy to spot on a wine retailer’s shelves. But as well as distinctive labelling, these are wines exuding individuality and value for money. Tasting The High Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 at the recent Waitrose press tasting reminded me how significant this estate has been for me over the past 35 years.
I first became aware of d’Arenberg as I was starting my wine exploration at the end of the 1980s. Back then the world of wine was a lot more traditional than it is today, with classics from Bordeaux, Rioja and Tuscany dominating wine merchants’ offers. Against this backdrop, the appearance of creatively labelled, fruit-driven, alternative styles of wines from Australia and New Zealand was akin to bottles of wine arriving from another planet.
The wines of d’Arenberg were very much part of that revolution, with the fourth generation of the family represented by the highly colourful Chester Osborn (pictured above). At a time when Oddbins presented their frequently changing wine list (illustrated by Ralph Steadman), the appearance of Osborn appeared to confirm how things were changing.
In fact, the idea that Osborn and d’Arenberg represented something revolutionary was a bit of a misconception, as the family-run business has always had tradition at its heart. d’Arenberg are champions of the wines from South Australia – particularly those from McLaren Vale.
Founded in 1912, the estate was set up by Chester Osborn’s great-grandfather, with the winery in operation from 1927. Today, the family owns over 200 ha (494 acres), all adhering to organic and biodynamic practices – making this the largest certified biodynamic grower in Australia. d’Arenberg works with over 40 grape varieties and produces a range of around 70 different wines. What makes this operation so different from others in Australia is that scale and innovation are still being delivered by a family business, rather than having been swallowed up by some corporate group.
The individuality at d’Arenberg is highlighted by the fact that all red and white wines are basket-pressed – a much more ancient, smaller-batch system than the modern pneumatic/bladder presses frequently found in larger wineries. When used with red grapes, the basket press is often seen as producing press wine of high quality, albeit in smaller batches. But its use for white wines is much less common. Open fermenting vats are employed across the board, with 100% of the estate’s reds being foot-trodden around two-thirds of the way through fermentation.
Their dynamic approach has also been seen with the installation of The Cube (pictured below) in 2003. Ranging across five floors, this visitor centre goes beyond just the inevitable tasting room and winery restaurant to include a sensory room and a ‘virtual fermenter’ – sounds very intriguing.
The company’s most iconic wine – Dead Arm Shiraz – was first released in 1993. Named as a result of the impact suffered by old vines from the fungal disease Eutypa dieback, Dead Arm still represents astounding value given its reputation. It was certainly one of the very first Australian wines (along with Hill of Grace, Grange, Old Block Shiraz (St Hallett) and Rockford Basket Press Shiraz) which stood at the top of the aspirational tree. Just a shame I couldn’t afford to buy all of them!
The d’Arenberg range has now broadened to span value and mid-tier wines (such as The Footbolt Shiraz and The Hermit Crab Marsanne/Viognier) through what the marketing department list within diversely named groups such as ‘The Radicals’, including Mother-in-Law’s Tongue Cabernet Sauvignon, and ‘The High Altitude Hillbillies’, where one might find The Feral Fox Pinot Noir.
Further up the quality scale, the names get even more eclectic. At the cellar-door, AU$100 and AU$150 will buy you (respectively) The Vociferate Dipsomaniac and The Other Side – both examples of single-vineyard Shiraz. For AU$200 you can savour even more intriguing wines such as d’Arenberg’s premium blend of Shiraz, Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier – The Old Bloke & Three Young Blondes – or The Athazagoraphobic Cat, an unlikely blend of Sagrantino and Cinsault.
Coming back to earth, the 2021 High Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon is a great-value wine from old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon (some of these vines date back to 1912), with bunches gently crushed before being transferred to five-tonne open fermenters. The grapes are food-trodden before basket pressing, with the fermentation finishing in old French barriques. A veritable bargain at £15 for this traditional approach, with the finished wine showing much more subtlety and elegance than might be expected at the price point.
Long may d’Arenberg continue to remain in family hands, while innovating and producing distinctive wines which combine high quality and great value for money.
All images courtesy of d’Arenberg and their US importer Old Bridge Cellars.
d’Arenberg’s High Trellis Cabernet has long been one of our go-tos; Jancis made the 2002 vintage her wine of the week way back in 2005. Members can find many more reviews of d’Arenberg wines in our tasting notes database, or explore the wider world of McLaren Vale wines.
