2015 d'Arenberg The Laughing Magpie Shiraz-Viognier

Community Tasting Notes (13) Avg Score: 89.4 points

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  2/11/2024 - honest bob wrote: 88 Points

  From 75cl screwcap. As noted on 22.11.2022. Holding up well. 88P

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  11/21/2022 - honest bob wrote: 88 Points

  From 75cl screwcap, decanted off powdery sediment 1 hour. This continues to mature well: once-brash blackberry fruit, bruising acidity and rough tannins have now come together into a full-bodied, concentrated-raisiny, robust-forward union. The still-powerful, tooth-enamel-testing acidity is less abraisive than I remember, and makes this an excellent foil for almost any fatty, meaty food you choose to throw at it. Very respectable value at the 18,50€ paid, but, I fear, still a lesser wine than some Magpies of the past; not sure I'll be restocking with a more recent vintage. 88–89P

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  3/11/2022 - honest bob wrote: 89 Points

  From 75cl screwcap, decanted 45 minutes. As noted on 29.12.2021, this would have benefitted from a longer decant. No hurry. 89P

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  12/29/2021 - honest bob wrote: 89 Points

  From 75cl screwcap, opened but not decanted 1 hour, improved considerably in glass. This has come together nicely in the last 6 months. The aromatics are still less generous than expected, but there are hints of lilly perfume and a closed fist of red fruit; the previously biting acidity and bruising tannins seem much better balanced than my previous bottles (CT TN 03.02.2021 and 09.05.2021). Not yet plush and purring, but perhaps 2022-23 will see this open up further... 89P(+?)

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  5/9/2021 - honest bob wrote: 87 Points

  From 75cl screwcap. Bottle 2 of 12. Probably a mistake to decant: this was juicy-right-in-yer-face-mate on opening, and that might well turn out to be its best aspect. As noted on 03.02.2021 this is a rustic commercial product, nuked and filtered (no sediment) and therefore barely recognizable as a young vintage of the Laughing Magpie brand I used to enjoy so much a decade ago. Let's just hope the quality of d'Arenberg's premium wines (especially Dead Arm and Coppermine Road, two wines which—at least in the 1998 vintage—were beautiful) holds up better than that of the Laughing Business Plan Enforcer, ahem, sorry, Magpie. A good party drink with BBQ sausages and Ceasar salad, but a highly questionable value at 20 EUR German retail. 86–87P(?)

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