d'Arenberg The Laughing Magpie

A dry red wine from d'Arenberg called The Laughing Magpie. It is a dominant wine with abundant sweet fruit characters. It takes its name from the Kookaburra, a native Australian bird famous for its distinctive laughing call. The winemaker's daughters call 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 counterpart, Viognier.

Organic Australian wines from d'Arenberg

The Australian wine company d'Arenberg was founded in 1912 in the South Australian wine-rich McLaren Vale region. While most of the grapes used to make d'Arenberg wines come from this region, some fruit also comes from vineyards in the Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu Peninsula. All vineyards used for this brand's wines are certified organic and biodynamic. Low yields, strong root systems, and preservation of the soil's natural quality are the key environmentally friendly principles responsible for the natural acidity and concentrated flavors of the fruit grown here. The grapes are harvested with great care to guarantee the high quality of d'Arenberg. After harvest, the grapes are gently crushed and transferred to open fermenters, where the Viognier and Shiraz are fermented together. After foot-pressing, the blend is transferred to old French and American oak barrels to complete fermentation and age.

The intense aromas of d'Arenberg The Laughing Magpie

The Luaghing Magpie darkens in the glass with a vibrant purple hue. It is complex and dry. The nose is particularly intense, with peppery spice, hints of fragrant floral and perfume aromas, plus nectarines, apricots, ginger, and spices from the small parcel of Viognier used to ferment the Shiraz. On the palate, the Shiraz is more dominant, with sweeter fruit notes such as blackberry and blueberry. The palate is rich and generous, with soft, silky tannins.