NOTES

This is one of the newest offerings from the d’Arenberg team, and one that we are immensely proud of. Chester's daughters Ruby and Alicia take the naming rights for The Laughing Magpie; it is what they call their tame Kookaburra, a member of the Kingfisher family (though not at all similar in looks) that lives in the native scrub surrounding the Osborn family home.

The young Osborn girls found it far easier to say ‘Laughing Magpie’ than ‘Kookaburra’. The characteristic call of the Kookaburra is a loud and startlingly human- sounding laugh.

We thought that calling the wine after the Magpie, a large and melodious black and white Australian native bird (which looks not dissimilar to the European magpie) was a great way to highlight the blend of black (Shiraz) and white (Viognier) varieties which combine to make this wine.

The Laughing Magpie is a blend and style that has its roots once again in the Rhone Valley in ‘Cote Rotie’, where Viognier is grown alongside the Shiraz in the vineyards and hence picked and vinified together to create a highly perfumed red wine.

D’Arenberg has taken this idea and produced its own variation on this marriage of red and white grapes and with a uniquely McLaren Vale twist, has produced a wine with a fragrance of flowers combined with ripe, spicy Shiraz characters.

TASTING NOTES

Upon release d’Arenberg’s The Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier has a vivid dark purple colour. The Viognier adds fragrance and the perfume of flowers, nectarines, ginger and herbs, serving to enhance the very ripe spectrum of the Shiraz, namely blackberry, blueberry and boysenberry.

These same characters are also evident on the palate and prevail with a smooth glycerol impact, following through to the mid palate with fruity tannin.. The structure has an accent on fine structure and a gritty long fruit tannin.

After time in bottle the d’Arenberg’s Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier’s flavours should intensify as with other wines from the d’Arenberg stable. The restrained tannin and acidity will produce a seamless velvety rolling length with age.

OTHER REVIEWS

Rich, velvety, luscious fruit flavours saying more about McLaren Vale than Viognier; chocolate rather than apricot; however no niggles with the wine. 94 Points, James Halliday, The Australian Wine Companion 2009

This is drinking beautifully right now. It tastes of toast, blackberry jam, coal and cedar and apricots, but you can forget all that and simply expect one thing; deliciousness with an extra serving of loveliness. It’ dark, soft, syrupy, vital red wine at its drinkable best – 93 Points, Campbell Mattinson, The Big Red Wine Book 2008

Strong purple colour. Aromas of black cherry and blackberry, cut flower stalks, charcoal and coconut oak. A bit outré and quite heavy on the peppery toasty smells. It has a full bodied palate with dark cherry, apricot kernel, toast, licorice, spice and some stalky herbal flavours. There are loose knit chunky grainy tannins and some slightly edgy acid. Finishes firm and spicy. It may not be for everybody but it has lots of personality and interest regardless – 90 Points, Gary Walsh, Winorama October 5, 2007

‘The 2006 The Laughing Magpie is composed of 90% Shiraz and 10% Viognier. Deep crimson/violet in color, it offers up notes of cherry, ginger, black tea, tar, and blueberry. Medium to full-bodied, layered flavors of cherry, blueberry, and dark chocolate make an appearance accompanied by ripe tannin and excellent concentration leading to a long, refined finish. It will benefit from 3-4 years of cellaring and drink well through 2020.’ – 92 Points, Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, October 2007