d'Arenberg The Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier McLaren Vale 2019 October2023Reductions and built for the aperitif

and built for the aperitif hour

fiercely rampant

with spontaneous fermentations and lunar-cycle rackings in the cellar

the birthplace of Albarino

never heavy

d'Arenberg The Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier McLaren Vale 2019 October2023Reductions and built for the aperitifThe Laughing Magpie takes the classic Northern Rhone trick of co fermenting Shiraz with a splash of Viognier, a nod to Cote Rotie, and applies it to McLaren Vale fruit. It's mostly Shiraz (around 94%) with the Viognier lifting the aromatics and adding silk. d'Arenberg is a fourth generation South Australian estate run by the inventive Chester Osborn, who favors old vines and traditional basket pressing. The 2019 is darkly perfumed and savory, with