Thistledown Thorny Devil Grenache – The ‘24 vintage, being the first El Niño season, was expected to be warm and dry but if anything, the early season conditions were the opposite. Unsettled, cool, and sometimes wet weather resulted in erratic fruit set but from the end of January onwards, the weather was settled and very dry. Aside from a few days of heat in March, the season continued, with the moderate temperatures and mild conditions allowing for picking all varieties at the ideal moment. The resulting wine has the characteristic McLaren Vale perfume and spice with a beguiling texture and perfume that unfolds, layer by layer.
In 2014, the vineyard the fruit came from performed out of its skin and it was while in the vineyard that they came across a little lizardy fellow called a Thorny Devil. They liked the name and the fruit produced beautiful wine and so decided that it was high enough quality to be bottled on its own. Thorny Devil draws on fruit from a number of sub regions of McLaren Vale, all of which are old, dry grown and bush trained. Picking times and ferments vary but the common thread is of picking on the way up.
All ferments are wild with differing percentages of whole bunch, though every ferment has some. Extraction regimes are very light, with the aim of infusion rather than heavy extraction. Once pressed, the wine is stored in seasoned French oak of 300 & 500 litres for approx. 8 months before bottling.
A beautiful match for game meats, North African lamb and charcuterie.
Initial explorations resulted in access to many of the best vineyards, many of which were the previously unloved Old Vine Grenache. Incredible, historic fruit sources coupled with Giles’ increasingly adept efforts has quickly resulted in a reputation for being amongst the best in the country. Narrating the stories of these wines to an increasingly attentive global audience is Giles’ heartfelt commitment and mission.
Thistledown works closely with a diverse group of growers across the Barossa, McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills and Langhorne Creek regions of South Australia and seeks out growers whose fruit is capable of expressing balance, varietal expression and a keen sense of place. In general, Thistledown sources fruit that is grown at about 3 tons per acre which we believe provides them with the optimal combination of concentration, fruit purity and balance. The regions of Barossa and McLaren Vale are blessed with a multitude of soil structures and we like to work with fruit that displays the effects of the changing nature of the soil explicitly – be that the rich, deep terra rossa soils of the Barossa Valley floor or the undulating, sandy soils of Blewitt Springs in McLaren Vale. Much is talked about the role of old vines and they are indeed a fabulous resource. However, they are not a guarantee of quality and in some years, having a trellised, judiciously irrigated middle aged vine may well provide wine of better balance than a dry grown old vine. We therefore like to work with a spread of trellised and bush vine vineyards, old and new, dry grown and irrigated. The consistent factor must be limited yields and balance.
To find out more about the Thistledown winery please go to their website
To see our full range of Thistledown wines go to their page on our website
Best known as one of the leaders of the contemporary Grenache movement, Thistledown Wines make small batch Grenache, Shiraz and Chardonnay from McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and the Adelaide Hills. Alongside Wild & Wilder Wines, benchmark regional varietals and Mediterranean blends, and Millions Suns, sustainably certified wines from The Riverland, they produce world class wines with quality, value and sustainability at their core.
Like the Thistle itself, Thistledown wines may appear robust on the surface but they seek deep flavours, a core of beautiful fruit and complexity that can be peeled back, layer by layer.
Thistledown Thorny Devil Grenache – great Aussie Grenache
£20.00 a bottle
2 in stock
Thistledown was founded in 2010 by Master of Wine, Giles Cooke whose vision was to craft wines of precision, elegance and energy. Wines that not only faithfully expressed the sites from which the fruit was grown but challenged the accepted norms of Australian wine at the time.
Thistledown craft elegant, energetic and detailed Grenache, Chardonnay from the Adelaide Hills and Eden Valley, and contemporary style Shiraz from McLaren Vale, Eden Valley and Barossa
The Barossa Valley is one of the major regions in Australia, where many of the major wine companies are based. It is believed the first vineyards were planted in the 1840s by Silesian migrants (who settled in Bethany). There followed a rapid expansion of plantations. The early styles of wines produced were heavy dry red wines and fortified wines that were popular both domestically and in Britain. After the Second World War the styles shifted to lighter table wines with production of Chardonnay, Riesling, Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. The Barossa Valley is home to some very well known names such as Seppelt, Wolf Blass and Penfolds as well as many smaller producers. The climate is Mediterranean with hot dry summers and cool wet winters, making it ideal for viticulture. The main wine styles: White – Semillon, Riesling, Chardonnay, Semillon-Chardonnay blend; Red – Shiraz (full bodied & ripe) with Old Vine Shiraz a speciality of many vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Shiraz-Grenache-Mataro blend, Cabernet-Merlot blend.
Originates from Spain (known as Garnacha). This grape generally produces soft, velvety, high alcohol wines with sweet, ripe blackberry flavour. Old-vine versions are prized in South Australia.
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