Langmeil Hangin' Snakes Shiraz-Viognier 2009

89 points: James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion

Langmeil Winery - 5 Stars, James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion 2006 - 2011 

The colour is a very deep crimson with purple hues.  The nose expresses lifted, sweet, Satsuma plum, raspberry and peach aromas dominate with hints of biscuity French oak.  The palate - a lovely sweet fruit gives a full, rich mouthfeel and is balanced with Briary spice and fine dry tannins.  The combination brings about a luscious, fruit driven wine with an extremely long finish.

Try with Ragu, BBQ sausages and steak, pizza or matured cheddar cheese.

The aim to make a Shiraz-Viognier blend was a natural one, as are the traditional winemaking techniques employed to achieve the style; ripe bunches of Shiraz and Viognier, hand picked, gently crushed, open fermented and then basket pressed into new and old French oak barriques.

Speaking a local dialect known as ‘Barossa-Deutsch’, a blend of German and English that embodies much of the history of the district, one of Langmeil’s best growers doesn’t curse, just as his forebears didn’t, but in the heat of vintage is oft heard to mutter “Hangin’ Snakes!”