D'Arenberg, The Dead Arm Shiraz

This iconic Shiraz is one of the best-loved premium Australian wines in Ireland. Intense earthy, savoury notes lead to dark bramble and sweet black fruits, that are loaded onto the palate, where the sweetness and fruit ripeness is balanced by oak spices and fine, present tannins that yield after four or five years of bottle aging. It is massive stuff and is a perfect candidate for the decanter. Age-worthy for at least another decade.

The Osborn family are an incredible Australian institution that represents four generations of winemaking and over 150 years of Australian history. Based in the McLaren Vale, they began their wine work in 1912 by farming grapes in Bundarra. It wasn't until the 1950s that the d'Arenberg name became appended to the wines, with the invented family crest and now famous red stripe. Since then, they have won almost every possible award. Multiple Australian wine awards and trophies for most of their (sometimes infuriatingly) enormous range of wines, wine personality awards, business awards, best restaurant awards for their two restaurants and the list goes on and on.

Chester Osborn, son of d'Arry, is the current head winemaker and his personal impact and charisma are world-famous. Exuberant styling aside, it is the quality of his wine that truly stands out. They are classic and classy and often defy  generically held opinions of Australian wine quality and traditions. They are exciting in freshness and balance, invention and ingenuity; using old vines and sometimes uncovering varieties that were growing without acknowledgment on their estate, and now, all farmed organically. This is a company and family that is steeped in tradition, but a tradition of self-examination and reaction. The myriad wine names and versions of multiple grape combinations delivers a brilliant patchwork of a portfolio that is worth every accolade that they have received. It doesn't look like they will stop any time soon.