Weekend Wine! Laughing Magpie!

As mentioned on Friday, I worked yesterday and did not have much time to prepare for dinner. I had a bottle of 2003 D'Arenberg 'Laughing Magpie' Shiraz Viognier that I wanted to try. So I went the quick and easy option. I bought a small standing rib roast (2 ribs only) from Zone Fresh, took it home and cut it in two to make two thick rib on the bone steaks.

I also fried some garlic, onion and mushrooms added some wine, reduced slightly and then cream (extra light) for a lovely creamy sauce. I also prepared a potato gratin variant with some onion and instead of using cream I simply used chicken stock - fantastic!

The "Laughing Magpie" (from McLaren Vale - where else?) was very good. We really enjoyed it. The tannins appeared to be well balanced (really? what would I know). You could tell there were tannins and you had that dry taste but it was not overpowering and there was no "pucker" factor (I have learned a little about that from one of the Wine Girl's blogs. It certainly doesn't seem as vibrant (if that's a good description) as a straight McLaren Vale shiraz but there a complexity to the taste that is extremely enjoyable. Will definitely keep for a while yet (I have another 4 bottles left - yippee!)

By the way, I better make it clear that I do NOT come from the McLaren Vale region! The way I rave about the wines from there, one would be excused for making that assumption.

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