Magpie Estate is a joint venture between Rolf Binder and English Wine Merchant Noel Young (International Wine Challenge 2008 ‘East of England Wine Merchant of the Year’ and ‘Australia Specialist Wine Merchant of the Year’).  Both Rolf and Noel have a passion for Rhône varieties which are of course the original varieties planted in the Barossa Valley. Magpie Estate source grapes from all over the Barossa, the aim being to make rich flavoured wines that really evoke the Barossa. Rolf and Noel blend the wines to make appealing drinkable styles and also some premium wines that show great potential. The Magpie‘s expression changes from label to label and this is done to poke fun at wine pretension. The range can vary from year to year and the super premium wines are only made in the best vintages.

Rolf Binder also makes the Rolf Binder (formerly Veritas) and JJ Hahn range of wines.

Magpie Estate

One of the ‘Best of the Best’ and 5/5 star winery rating
James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2011

Mapgie Estate ‘The Schnell’ Shiraz Grenache

One of the ‘Best of the Best by variety’ and 94/100 points (2007 vintage)
“…a fragrant and complex bouquet with red fruits of quite different registers, one ex the shiraz, one ex the grenache; the medium-bodied palate does not disappoint, adding fine tannins to impressively extend the length…”
James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2011

Magpie Estate ‘The Election’ Shiraz

94/100 points (2006 vintage)
“…a complex bouquet of black cherry, spice and oak; the medium-bodied palate has excellent line and length, plum and black cherry, spice and oak (ex 22 months maturation)…”
James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2011

92/100 points (2006 vintage)
“The wine is a saturated purple color with a bouquet of damp earth, mineral, spice box, leather, blueberry, and blackberry. Elegant yet powerful on the palate, it has superb depth and concentration, complex flavors, a silky texture, and 5-7 years of aging potential.”
Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate, Feb 2009

Magpie Estate ‘The Sack’ Shiraz

92/100 points (2007 vintage)
“…the bouquet is fragrant, with plum and black cherry aromas, the medium-bodied palate following suit with juicy fruit, ripe tannins adding a slightly savoury finish, embellished by fresh acidity…”
James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2011

91/100 points (2006 vintage)
“The wine is a glass-coating opaque purple. It exhibits an aromatic array of violets, smoke, game, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. Smooth textured, dense, and rich, this nicely layered effort will evolve for 2-3 years.
Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate, Feb 2009

Magpie Estate ‘The Black Sock’ Mourvèdre

91/100 points (2006 vintage)
“The wine is purple-colored with a nose of wood smoke, mineral, forest floor, blueberry, and Asian spices. Already revealing some complexity, this sweet, savory effort has a firm finish and the structure to evolve for 3-5 years.”
Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate, Feb 2009

Magpie Estate ‘The Call Bag’ Mourvèdre Grenache

90/100 points (2007 vintage)
“…a lively light-to medium-bodied blend that has warm spice notes woven through its red cherry and damson plum fruit, tannins appropriately fine, oak largely irrelevant…”
James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2011

91/100 points (2006 vintage)
“It has an enticing perfume of underbrush, mineral, wild cherry, and blackberry leading to a glossy, ripe, intensely flavored wine with enough structure to evolve for 2-3 years.”
Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate, Feb 2009

Magpie Estate ‘The Fakir’ Grenache

91/100 points (2007 vintage)
“…a lively, fresh, red-fruited Barossa Valley grenache, with spices denoting the variety rather than confection/Turkish delight; I enjoy the restraint in flavour, achieved without sacrificing length…”
James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2011

Magpie Estate ‘The Malcolm’ Shiraz

96-99/100 points (2006 vintage)
“Purple/black colored, it has an ethereal bouquet of wood smoke, pencil lead, crushed stone, bacon, game, blueberry, and blackberry. Dense and packed, with gobs of spicy black fruits, super depth and concentration, and a very long finish.”
Jay Miller, The Wine Advocate, Oct 2007

Magpie Estate ‘The Salvation’ Gewürztraminer

90/100 points (2009 vintage)
James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2011