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.

The 2009 The Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier contains 6% co-fermented Viognier. It presents a deep garnet-purple color and notes of blackberry and blueberry preserves with some raisins, violets, peach blossoms and baking spices. Rich, ripe, and nicely balanced, it’s full bodied with firm grainy tannins, crisp acid and a long finish.