THE LAUGHING MAGPIE GHING MAGPIE

THE LA
AU
UG H I N G M A G P I E
Shiraz Viognier 2011
McLaren Vale, Shiraz (90%) Viognier (10%)
The Name
The Characteris
Characteristics
tics
The Kookaburra is a native Australian bird
famous for its distinctive laughing call,
Chester's young daughters named 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 partner, Viognier.
A dark, complex nose, highlighted with a
twist of peppery spice and a subtle
undertone of apricot and florals from the
Viognier. The palate is similarly dominated
by the dark and brooding Shiraz. Fennel,
cured meat and beetroot like flavours
combine initially but over time some of the
more savoury and closed notes lift,
revealing the fruit sweetness that lies
beneath; plums, blackberry and dark cherry.
The palate is rich and generous and the
tannins have a certain silkiness to
them. An exotic, mysterious wine
that, in youth, will benefit enormously from
a liberal dose of air through decanting.
The Vintag
Vintagee
There was ample winter and spring rain
which provided good sub soil moisture and
resulted in healthy canopies and good
vigour. Summer conditions were very mild.
Grapes ripened gracefully with only a few
small rain episodes, enough to keep the
vines fresh and vibrant. Rainfall was only a
little over average for the first months of the
year.
The Winemaking
Small batches of grapes are gently crushed
and then transferred to open fermenters,
where the Viognier and Shiraz are
co-fermented. Foot treading is undertaken
two thirds of the way through fermentation,
the wine is basket pressed and transferred
to a mixture of old French and American
oak to complete fermentation and mature.
The barrel ferments are aged on lees, there
is no racking until final blending and no
fining or filtration.
Harvest dates
Residual sugar
pH
Chief Winemaker
7 Mar - 7 Apr
1.1
3.52
Ches
Chester
ter Osborn
Alcohol
Titratable acid
Oak maturation
Senior Winemaker
14.2%
6.6
Up to 10 months
Jack W
Walton
alton
O S B O R N R O A D / P O B O X 1 9 5 M C L A R E N VA L E S O U T H A U S T R A L I A 5 1 7 1
T E L E P H O N E + 6 1 8 8 3 2 9 4 8 8 8 · FA C S I M I L E + 6 1 8 8 3 2 3 9 8 6 2 · D A R E N B E R G . C O M . A U
FA C E B O O K · T W I T T E R · I N S T A G R A M · @ D A R E N B E R G W I N E