d'Arenberg The Ironstone Pressings

Most of McLaren Vale’s acclaimed and historic vineyards are impregnated with ancient, decomposed laterite granite known as ironstone. Its extraordinary rusty red-brown colour is derived from the iron oxides present in the stone. The larger pieces were cleared from the vineyards in the late 1880’s and utilised in many of the buildings at d'Arenberg, most notably the old stables.

The nose is juicy with fresh plum, blackberry and raspberry entwined with nutmeg and cinnamon spices and a floral lift. There is a touch of licorice and a hint of white pepper adding complexity. The palate has wonderful structure with elegant chalky tannins through the mid palate and long fine gritty mineral tannins providing a refined finish. The palate is nicely layered and although the fruit is quite closed in youth, the soil characters are clearly evident with savoury dried herbs balancing the fruit sweetness and spices of the varietal Grenache flavours. This is a very graceful wine with soulful charm and a sophisticated and precise structure that will only reward those with the patience to cellar it for up to 20 years.