d'Arenberg Shipster's Rapture Shiraz 2010

This wine comes from the vines planted next to the cellar door at d'Arenberg's, which may mean that this wine is made in smaller quantities. What they have done with this wine is they have pulled back the use of oak allowing the vineyard to express itself magically.

d'Arenberg Shipster's Rapture Shiraz 2010

The wine is very expressive, even at this early stage, but you can feel that is coiled up tight.  The flavours are dark and there is a lovely mid palate richness, think dark chocolate, that allows the other lighter flavours a brilliant counter point.  I'll give you an example.  The wine starts out with bright red fruits and spice before the chocolate covers my tongue after which a sandpaper and smoke element finish me off.  Does this mean that this wine is all about fruit? Hell no. This wine is more about structure that anything else. The tannins are like liquid velvet in my mouth, covering and expending all the way to the very back taste bud in my mouth.  As I taste more 2010 wines from McLaren Vale I get the feeling that they are going to show so well as a teenager especially compared to the 09 wines.

Alcohol: 14.2%
Price: $99
Rated: 94+
Drink: 2019 - 2038