2017 d'Arenberg The Bonsai Vine

Community Tasting Notes (3) Avg Score: 88.3 points

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Nfmds's profile
  • Report Issue

  12/29/2021 - Nfmds Likes this wine: 88 Points

  Harsh and tannic at first, but mellows nicely with time and food. Well balanced: raspberry, herbs

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View forceberry's profile
  • Report Issue

  4/17/2021 - forceberry wrote: 89 Points

  A blend of Grenache (48%), Syrah (47%) and Mourvèdre (5%) sourced from old, small bush-vine vineyards, hence the name. Fermented spontaneously in open-top fermentors with foot treading for two-thirds of the fermentation, then racked into old barriques to finish the fermentation. Aged on the lees for 12 months, until the one single racking prior to final blending. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 14,5% alcohol, 1,8 g/l residual sugar, 6,6 g/l acidity and pH 3,48.
  
  Somewhat translucent black cherry color. Ripe yet quite dry and savory nose with aromas of blackberries and boysenberries, sun-baked earth, some meaty tones, light fruitier notes of blueberries, blackcurrants and plummy fruit, a little bit of licorice root, a savory hint of woody spice and a touch of ripe red apple (not aldehydic green apple, just a somewhat juicy, appley nuance). The wine is ripe yet dry, savory and slightly bitter on the palate with a full body and somewhat chewy flavors of fresh blackberries and ripe blackcurrants, some gamey meaty tones, a little bit of peppery spice, light spicy notes of savory wood, a hint of fresh blueberry and a sweeter touch of ripe strawberry. The alcohol shows a little bit. The overall feel is quite structured and relatively tightly-knit, thanks to the high acidity and moderately grippy, slightly tough tannins. The finish is dry and slightly warm with savory and slightly bitter flavors of blackcurrants and juicy blackberries, some licorice root, a little bit of savory wood spice, light gamey notes of meaty umami, a sweeter hint of dark plum and a touch of peppery character. The tannins make the wine end on a moderately grippy note.
  
  A nice, savory and very no-nonsense GSM. The wine might not have the softness, fruit and accessibility normally associated with GSM wines (be they from Australia or Southern Rhône), which most likely is the result of the high proportion of Syrah in the blend and d'Arenberg's way of making savory, less fruit and more structured wines. Although the wine might be lacking some GSM typicity, I enjoy this kind of non-crowdpleaser style - a point nicely emphasized by the somewhat noticeable streak of bitterness that runs through the taste. All in all, the wine shows terrific acid-and-tannin-structure for an Australian GSM. Overall the wine might be a bit too clumsy and rough on the edges now, but I can imagine it will pick up some finesse as it ages in the cellar. Not really at its best now, seems to need 5+ years more. Priced according to its quality at 22,72€.

  1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View Henman's profile
  • Report Issue

  4/9/2021 - Henman Likes this wine: 87 Points

  Some ripe dark toned fruit on the nose. Full bodied and rather robust on the palate, showing a bit undetermined ripe dark fruit with gentle tannic bite and decent acidity. Not much red Rhône blend typicity. Overall easy drinking but a tad overripe.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.