D'Arenberg's 2016 The Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier includes 4% Viognier, historically on the low side for this bottling. It's imperceptible on the nose, which shows plenty of dark, plummy fruit, hints of barrel char and a wisp of menthol. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, fairly round and generous for a d'Arenberg wine—that's likely where the Viognier influence is felt the most—then firmer and more tannic on the finish.

D'Arenberg's 2015 The Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier reveals the Viognier component on the nose, offering up hints of apricot alongside the main aromas of black olives and blueberries. Over time, those stone-fruit notes will fade, so if that's your jam, catch this wine over the next year or so. If you prefer a more conventional Shiraz profile, hold the wine for 3-4 years. It's certainly got the stuffing for that and more, offering a medium to full-bodied palate, a rich, almost creamy mouthfeel packed with ripe tannins and a lingering finish.

Even after several years in bottle, d'Arenberg's 2013 The Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier—a 94% Shiraz and 6% Viognier blend—comes out of the bottle a bit tight and tarry, with notes of espresso and black olive taking the lead. Give it a quick splash in a decanter to let raspberries and blueberries emerge. It's medium to full-bodied, framed by grainy tannins on the palate and finishing softly dusty.

The 2009 The Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier contains 6% co-fermented Viognier. It presents a deep garnet-purple color and notes of blackberry and blueberry preserves with some raisins, violets, peach blossoms and baking spices. Rich, ripe, and nicely balanced, it’s full bodied with firm grainy tannins, crisp acid and a long finish. Drink it now to 2021+. The d’Arenberg winery is 100 years old with a fourth generation Osbourne in charge today of this now considerable operation. Graduated from Roseworthy College in 1983, Chester was expected by his father to change things when he took over the family business. Instead he went back to tradition rather than modernizing. In the d’Arenberg vineyards there is no cultivating, fertilizing or herbicides used – Chester compares these artificial means to growing plants hydroponically. Looking to continually improve the root systems of his vines, he rarely irrigates. Average yields are 1.7 tons per acre. “2011 was actually a great year for us,” Chester informed me. “We didn’t have any problems with rot.”Importer: Old Bridge Cellars, Napa, CA, www.oldbridgecellars.com