d’Arenberg The Hermit Crab Viognier Marsanne 2020

While d’Arenberg certainly made its name with classic McLaren Vale big reds, their Rhone white wine collection is also worth tracking down. The Mediterranean climate of McLaren Vale has unsurprisingly made a good home for these textural and exotic white wines. This example offers particularly good value with viognier’s typically pungent fruit, which is not everyone’s cup of tea, tamed by the addition of marsanne.

Pale gold in colour, it shows bright and pure apricot, citrus and honeseuckle fruits that are gently aromatic. The palate is then creamy and textural with good energy of fruit which is well balanced with gentle acidity before finishing with good concentration and length for a wine under $20. It has the power and weight to make an interesting match with roast chicken.