No kookaburra kookiness either, just a very exotic red for the winter. This 2007 d'Arenberg Shiraz is big dark and inky amplified by the small dose of Viognier included. The mix is a magical mystery tour of flavors, everything from peaches to blueberries and blackberries, plus notes of smoke, cedar and tea. An amazing mix of sensations that keeps on giving. I knew winemaker Chester Osborne was a wizard with Shiraz in the great value Stump Jump and big-deal Dead Arm, but I was surprised when he pulled this Magpie out of his bag. Mixing black grapes and white is an old custom in the northern Rhone with Cote Rotie, but Chester was the first to do it in McLaren Vale. The Magpie is always a big favorite with James Halliday Down Under and the Wine Advocate Up here. They're right, making a wine this good for less than $20 may be d'Arenberg's best stunt. You've got to try this. Bob Sprentall -Proprietor
Shiraz-Viognier blends have become quite the ticket in recent years (what to do with all that so-so Viognier) but one of the first and still one of the best is the Laughing Magpie. The opaque purple-colored 2007 The Laughing Magpie Shiraz (90%)-Viognier (10%) offers up an expressive bouquet of smoke, mineral, violets, and wild blueberry. Medium-to full-bodied on the palate, it has tons of ripe blue fruits, spice notes, and enough structure to evolve for 2-3 years. This lengthy, pleasure-bent effort will be at its best from 2010 to 2020.
D’Arenberg has been owned and operated by the Osborn family since its inception in 1912. The portfolio, with a focus on the Rhone varieties, is wide ranging and value-oriented from top to bottom. The winery produces a bevy of value priced reds and whites that were reviewed in Issue 178. They should not be overlooked. At the higher end of the portfolio there is one white wine on which to report.
92 points - The Wine Advocate (February 2009) | 
