D'Arenberg's 2015 The Sticks and Stones Tempranillo-Grenache-Souzao-Tinta Cao remains stubbornly tannic, even five years after the vintage. Yes, there are pretty notions of blackberries and brighter fruit, attractive dark shadings of coffee and chocolate and enough stuffing to think it could eventually grow out of this phase, but when? It's medium to full-bodied and firmly structured, finishing long and mouthwatering but framed by those drying tannins.

Spicy and tannic, the 2014 The Sticks and Stones Tempranillo-Grenache-Souzao-Tinta Cao is full-bodied and concentrated. Deeply purple in hue, it's packed with dark fruit notes and dried spices, with some easier notes of mocha on the finish.

Blended of 47% Tempranillo, 23% Shiraz, 15% Souzao and 15% Tinta Cao, the 2008 The Sticks and Stones displays a deep garnet color and notes of raspberry and blackberry preserves, dried plums, espresso and black olives with hints of tree bark and truffles. Medium to full bodied, it has a good amount of earthy / savory flavors propped-up by crisp acid a medium level of chewy tannins, finishing long. Drink it now through 2015. The d’Arenberg winery is 100 years old with a fourth generation Osbourne in charge today of this now considerable operation. Graduated from Roseworthy College in 1983, Chester was expected by his father to change things when he took over the family business. Instead he went back to tradition rather than modernizing. In the d’Arenberg vineyards there is no cultivating, fertilizing or herbicides used – Chester compares these artificial means to growing plants hydroponically. Looking to continually improve the root systems of his vines, he rarely irrigates. Average yields are 1.7 tons per acre. “2011 was actually a great year for us,” Chester informed me. “We didn’t have any problems with rot.”Importer: Old Bridge Cellars, Napa, CA, www.oldbridgecellars.com

The 2006 The Sticks and Stones is an unusual blend of Tempranillo, Grenache, and Souzao. Purple-colored, it exhibits a brooding bouquet of spice box, earth, and black fruits. Lean with elevated acidity and considerable tannin, how it might evolve is anyone’s guess. D’Arenberg has been owned and operated by the Osborn family since its inception in 1912. The portfolio, with a focus on the Rhone varieties, is wide ranging and value-oriented from top to bottom. The winery produces a bevy of value priced reds and whites that were reviewed in Issue 178. They should not be overlooked. At the higher end of the portfolio there is one white wine on which to report.Importer: Gavin Speight, Old Bridge Cellars, Napa, CA; www.darenberg.com.au