An exotic, flamboyant effort, the 2002 The Hermit Crab (60% Marsanne and 40% Viognier) possesses copious quantities of marmalade, honeysuckle, and white flowers presented in a hedonistically driven, dry white fruit bomb. This ripe, heady 2002 offers a smorgasbord of fruit in its dry, long, glycerin-imbued personality. Enjoy it over the next 18 months. Chester Osborn, the remarkable person behind this enormous array of both impeccably high quality and value-priced wines, deserves considerable accolades for what he is able to achieve at all price ranges. If you love Australian wines, d’Arenberg is a winery to seek out as these offerings all possess abundant soul as well as character. In short, the accolades that proprietor/winemaker Chester Osborn receives not only from The Wine Advocate, but virtually everybody in the wine world, are all well deserved.Importer: Rob McDonald, Old Bridge Cellars, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 258-9552

Starts off with a kick of white pepper on the palate, which segues into fleshy stone fruit and a citrus-like tang. It’s round in the mouth and moderately zesty, finishing a little less so.——D.T.(5/1/2004)—— 85