In 2012, d’Arenberg celebrated 100 years of family ownership. Established in 1912 by Joseph Osborn, the d’Arenberg story began with the purchase of a picturesque property atop one of the rolling hills of McLaren Vale. d’Arenberg now exports to over sixty countries and is one of Australia’s most revered wineries, with two wines in the Langton’s Classification of Australia Wine and a top rating in the Australian Wine Companion. Leading the celebrations in 2012 is the current Managing Director, 84 year old d’Arry Osborn OAM.

Shaped like a golf club on a steep south facing block, the vineyard is roughly as wide as a decent hit with an eight iron.

In common with its 2012 siblings, open-fermented, foot-trodden and basket-pressed. The bouquet is distinctive, with some iodine and bitter chocolate aromas; the palate is full-bodied, but not without polish, fruit, oak and tannins moulded together, the finish long and balanced. The style of d'Arenberg's Scarce Earth is different (to a large degree from terroir, not quality). Drink to: 2037; Date Tasted: June 2014; Alcohol: 14.6%; Rating: 96 Points; James Halliday Wine Companion