Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier by d’Arenberg

Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier- a great example of this popular Australian blend from one of Australia’s premium vineyards.

Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier by d’Arenberg – An enticing mix of primary fruit characters entwined with flowers, ginger and stone fruit.

Why is the wine called Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier

The Kookaburra is a native Australian bird famous for its distinctive laughing call, Chester’s young daughters named them ‘Laughing Magpies’. The Magpie plumage is black with a stripe of white feathers, representing McLaren Vale’s first ever blend combining the (black) Shiraz and its white partner, Viognier.

The Characteristics of Laughing Magpie

A classic northern Rhone blend, Shiraz with a little touch of Viognier. Very perfumed, black and red berries. A vibrant concoction.
the Shiraz brings black fruits, plums, black cherries, and the small parcel of cofermented Viognier brings stone fruits like peach and a touch of apricot. This makes
for a very savoury and harmonious bond between the two varieties. This is certainly a wine that will benefit from careful cellaring for many years to come.

Vintage Conditions

Quite a wet winter with July, August and September being way above average in rainfall. October, November and December
were a little below average and January, February and March were more or less bone dry. Temperatures were mild until
late January, so vines seemed to be delayed and harvest appeared like it was again going to be late. However, a few hot days and
nights brought the ripening forward with slight sacrifice of acidity. The above average temperatures of February and March and
the dryness made everything ripen relatively quickly. Yields appeared on the lighter side, because the heat and dry conditions
did reduce them significantly, however they were still quite respectable across all varietals

Winemaking Technique

SSmall 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 old 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.

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An iconic Australian winery producing wines loved the whole world over.

d’Arenberg Laughing Magpie Shiraz/Viognier -A truely wonderful different wine from the well known d’Arenberg family wineries.