D'Arenberg The Ironstone Pressing

Most of McLaren Vale’s acclaimed and historic vineyards are impregnated with ancient, decomposed laterite granite known as ironstone. Its extraordinary rusty redbrown 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. Hence the wine’s name.

The Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre components of Ironstone Pressing come from the best parcels from selected vineyards, and remain separate until final blending.These low yielding, old vines are picked in small parcels and remain separate until final blending. Small batches of grapes are gently crushed and then transferred to five tonne headed down open fermenters. Foot treading is undertaken two thirds of the way through fermentation. The wine is then basket pressed and then transferred to a mixture of new and used oak barriques to complete fermentation. The barrel ferments are aged on lees, there is no racking until final blending and no finning or filtration.

Unctuous blackberry and plum notes lay at  the heart of this classic d’Arenberg example of a GSM. A spattering of exotic spices the likes of star anise, cardamom and nutmeg cling to the sweet, dark fruits and of course, it wouldn’t be a d’Arenberg wine without a rousing dose of earthy, gamey character. The palate is fleshy and juicy with an almost velvet like texture. Abundantly warm and generous but sufficiently structured to suggest this wine can go the long haul.