2011 d'Arenberg The Laughing Magpie Shiraz-Viognier

Community Tasting Notes (13) Avg Score: 88.7 points

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  6/5/2022 - AllRed wrote:

  Opened & poured. This smells like Raid Wasp & Hornet spray- it's revolting. Domino picks up some meaty notes but not much else. Maybe flawed, or maybe one of us is off.

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  5/4/2019 - forceberry wrote: 93 Points

  A blend of Syrah (90%) and Viognier (10%) from McLaren Vale, co-fermented in open-top fermentors. Aged for 10 months in a combination of old French and American oak. 14,2% alcohol, 1,1 g/l residual sugar, 6,6 g/l acidity and pH 3,52. Tasted half-blind.
  
  Quite dense yet still somewhat translucent black cherry color with a raspberry red rim and a hint of developed brick hue. The nose is sweet, ripe and slightly lifted with attractive, complex aromas of blackcurrant jam and sweet dark plums, some brambly blackberries, a little bit of perfumed floral character, light savory meaty tones, a cooling hint of eucalyptus and a balsamic touch of VA. The wine is ripe and full-bodied yet dry and firm on the palate with savory and very spicy flavors of licorice root, peppery spice, savory oak spice, some eucalyptus, a little bit of brambly blackberry, light meaty notes of game, a lifted and slightly meaty note of VA, a hint of smoke and a touch of salty liquorice. The overall feel here is quite robust and spicy with lots of layers, but surprisingly little fruit - especially for an Australian Shiraz. The moderately high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the palate. The bright, high acidity and still moderately grippy, textural tannins lend great sense of firmness and structure to the wine. The savory finish is quite robust and tightly-knit with nice tannic grip and long, dry flavors of peppery spice, meaty umami, some brambly blackberry tones, a little bit of stony minerality, light roasted gamey tones, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of licorice.
  
  A very firm, sinewy and expressive Australian Shiraz that feels very unlike your typical Aussie Shiraz: while normally Oz Shiraz wines are jammy, soft and sweet-toned fruit bombs with modest acidity levels and gentle tannins, this is dry, robust and savory, high in both acidity and tannins while quite understated in the fruit department. The overall feel here isn't young anymore, but neither is the wine showing much signs of age either. Overall very impressive and classically built - really a new world wine for the old world palates. Delicious and very rewarding. Excellent value at 18,50€.

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  4/12/2019 - AllRed wrote: 91 Points

  Dark fruit with red plum underneath. Full-bodied, with nice ripe red fruit on the palate. Peppery spice elements on the back end. A nice match for a fatty ribeye.

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  1/21/2019 - Russocaster Likes this wine: 88 Points

  Complejo y delicioso blend de Shiraz y Viognier. Grosella y pimienta blanca en nariz, que junto a una temporada en barricas de roble americano y frances, se entremezclan para brindar una experiencia Multisensorial. Dejar respirar 1 hora antes de servir. Su alta acidez lo hace en un buen candidato para acompañar carnes grasas. Insuperable por su precio

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  4/15/2018 - joraesque wrote: 91 Points

  I enjoyed this more than the 2010.
  90-91

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