Thistledown Gorgeous Grenache 2020
Gorgeous deep garnet color. Bright aromatics and quite lifted on the nose with a beautifully layered, textural palate with notes of wild strawberry and spice.
92 points Ray Jordan
91 points Halliday Wine Companion (Ned Goodwin MW) “From a portfolio of multiple single-vineyard grenache offerings, this is more your everyday version, built from a range of old vineyards in the Riverland and McLaren Vale. Plenty of winemaking mods here: separation of parcels, wild ferments, a bit of whole bunch, older and larger oak containers, so it’s all about the grenache, lifted with crimson fruit crush, plenty of spice and a willingness to go with the wine’s inherent finishing tannin coating.”
The fruit for this wine is sourced from a number of really old vineyards, primarily in South Australia’s Riverland region. These “soldier blocks” date back to WW1 and WW2, after which, the Australian government gifted land to returning soliders to get them back on their feet. Thistledown has mapped out these old plots and works with the growers on a long term basis to add value to a previously forgotten resource. The result is a sustainable future for the growers and their vineyards, as well as delicious wine. Using the same philosophy and approach as for their top single vineyard wines, Thistledown taste extensively and pick on the way up to ensure that the fruit is balanced and energetic on arrival at the winery. Multiple ferments combine traditional techniques with open, spontaneous, 100% whole bunch cuvees, partial whole bunch ferments and a gentle extraction regime throughout to encourage the more “pinot” side of Grenache to emerge. As with all Thistledown wines, the approach is detailed, sensitive to each site, with winemaking that allows the fruit to sing.
