d'Arenberg Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier 2006

The vineyards and bushland that surround the d'Arenberg winery are home to a unique native Australian bird, the Kookaburra, famous for its distinctive laughing call. Winemaker Chester Osborn's daughters named their two wild pet Kookaburras the "Laughing Magpies." The Magpie plumage is black with a stripe of white feathers and bears no resemblance to its famous cousin, but the name has stuck as it is the perfect choice for McLaren Vale's first ever Shiraz (black)/ Viognier (white) blend.

The wine has a dark, saturated appearance with a violet-crimson hue. Maraschino cherries, spiced fruit peel, ginger and apricot stones are apparent on the nose, with black tea, olive and tarry notes appearing as the wine opens up. The palate is soft and generous, showing juicy flavors of blueberries, ribena, cherries and dark chocolate. Tea-like tannins are abundant and combine with defined acidity to provide structure and length. The long, refined finish reveals this wine's aging potential.

"Rich, velvety, luscious fruit flavours saying more about McLaren Vale than viognier; chocolate rather than apricot; however, no niggles about the wine."
-James Halliday

"The 2006 The Laughing Magpie is composed of 94% Shiraz and 6% 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."
-Wine Advocate