The d’Arenberg Winery has its roots in 1912, when Joseph Osborn purchased Milton Vineyards in McLaren Vale. The business has remained in the family ever since. The fourth generation of the family, Chester d’Arenberg Osborn, is now chief winemaker, following in the footsteps of his father, who now fills the role of managing director.

The top cuvée at d'Arenberg is undoubtedly The Dead Arm, a 100% Shiraz. Dead Arm is an old name for "Eutypa dieback", a vine disease caused by the fungus Eutypa lata. Eventually, part of the vine fails to produce any new growth, whereas the unaffected parts of the vine continue to grow and bear fruit. Hence the vine appears to have a "dead arm".

Upon release d’Arenberg’s The Dead Arm Shiraz has a vivid young deep purple colour. The nose shows intense and complex cedary, fig, blackberry and blueberry like smells occasionally pepper/spice smells too. Robert M. Parker (The Wine Advocate) describes Dead Arm as: "...outrageously rich, spectacular stuff, the likes of which only Aussies seem capable of making."