 | d'Arenberg The Ironstone Pressings Grenache/Shiraz 2002
In its youth, d’Arenberg’s ‘Ironstone Pressings’ is almost black, unusual for such a blend. Upon release, this vintage is extraordinarily fragrant but also very tight. Violets and other flowers dominate at this stage, but become more complex with a wide array of spices and emerging plums, dark cherries, cranberries and blackberries. As with previous vintages of this wine, the extreme terroir shows through due to the extraordinarily low grape yield; characters of earth, stones and dried plant material feature. With time the full spice, strawberry and liquorice and blackcurrants will develop with fresh pepper tails; at this stage, it is a mean monster with fragrant, gritty, fruit tannins that go on forever. Eventually, the Grenache and Shiraz blossom as rich, sweet, violet-like scents, with spicy based aroma, before malty, sweet, dark chocolate flavours and crunchy, chewy textured black olive, spicy ginger and long fleshy textures. The Mourvedre adds dried herbs and iodine characters that are very persistent, matched with slightly chalky tannins. The hallmark of vigorous, fine piquant tannin and acidity continue to reside with ‘The Ironstone Pressings’ after some considerable time, as have previous vintages since the late 1950’s.
Price: £23.88 (Including: VAT at 17.5%) |
