d'Arenberg The Laughing Magpie Shiraz-Viognier 2015

2015 THE LAUGHING MAGPIE Shiraz Viognier

An enticing mix of primary fruit characters entwined with flowers, ginger and stone fruit.

TASTING NOTES: The Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier 2015, made during a beautifully balanced year, has all its components in harmony. The nose on this wine benefits from a little air and then just watch the complex array of aromas emerge from the glass. The Shiraz provides both black and red fruits, dark earthy notes, spice and fennel whilst the Viognier compliments this with floral, gingery and apricot highlights. Again, the palate is well balanced. Deep and rich in flavour, long and fine in structure and with an acid line that tightens the whole wine up providing sleek shape and long lingering finish. As with the nose, the palate benefits from time in glass. This is not a punch in the face wine but rather a complex and complete wine, filled with a myriad of subtleties resulting in an experience that is far greater than the sum of the parts. Enjoy the freshness and vibrancy of this wine as a 4 to 5 year old or confidently stow it away in a well-regulated cellar to discover even further layers of complexity.

WINEMAKING: Small batches of grapes are gently crushed and then transferred to open fermenters, where the Viognier and Shiraz are co-fermented. Foot treading is undertaken two thirds of the way through fermentation, the wine is basket pressed and transferred to French oak to complete fermentation and mature. The barrel ferments are aged on lees, there is no racking until final blending and no fining or filtration.

Gold, China Wine & Spirits Awards, 2019

4 Stars, Winestate McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Fleurieu & Surrounds

93, Nick Stock, jamessuckling.com

91, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

90, Joshua Greene, Wine & Spirits Magazine