D Arenberg Ironstone Pressings 1998

In its youth, dArenbergs Ironstone Pressings has a deep, dark plum purple colour matched by just as intense black cherry, dark chocolate, liquorice, tobacco, mixed spice and brooding ripe blackberry aromas. Mulberry, ripe plum and fresh pepper spice dominate the rich full bodied palate before a long, intense, rolling, dark bitter cherry tannin finish. After quite some time in bottle the intense colour fruit aromas and dusty gripping tannins tone down, the colour moving towards brown ruby red. Eventually the Grenache and Shiraz blossom as rich, sweet, violet like scents, with spicy, cedary read more...and tobacco based aromas before malty sweet dark chocolate flavours and crunchy, chewy textured black olive, spicy ginger and long fleshy textures. The hallmark of vigorous, fine piquant tannin and acidity continue to reside with The Ironstone Pressings after quite some considerable time, as have previous vintage since the late 1950s.    (hide)

...owerful, dense, thick, slightly monolithic effort with copious amounts of blackberry fruit, huge body...With silky tannin, explosive richness, and potentially top-flight perfume... Robert Parker. A Proprietary Blend wine from South Australia in Australia. 1998 Arenberg, D Ironstone Pressings 750ml

January 2009

Rating: 90/100 - As reviewed by International Wine Cellar in Issue 97, July/August 2001 Medium ruby. Very ripe but cool aromas of black fruits, minerals, licorice, pepper and mint. Sweet, creamy and concentrated; pliant and deep, with complicating spice tones. A firmly tannic blend with the structure to develop in bottle.

...owerful, dense, thick, slightly monolithic effort with copious amounts of blackberry fruit, huge body...With silky tannin, explosive richness, and potentially top-flight perfume... Robert Parker. A Proprietary Blend wine from South Australia in Australia. 1998 d'Arenberg Ironstone Pressings 750ml

November 2009

Rating: 92/100 - As reviewed in Wine Advocate # 135 on Jun-01

Rating: 92/100 - As reviewed by The Wine Advocate