Thistledown The Vagabond Grenache 2018
We’re convinced that, of all of the regions of Australia, the greatest potential for greatness is in the McLaren Vale. We therefore set about finding unique plots throughout the region, looking for specific soil formations that would embue the Vagabond with finesse, varietal purity and texture.
Sourced from three remarkable sites in the famed Blewitt Springs sub- region of McLaren Vale, this wine possesses a beautifully complex, aromatic nose of violets, wild cherry, rosemary and warming spice. The palate is energetic yet polished and smooth with vibrant cherry, spice, wild strawberry and liquorice on the palate. Medium bodied but multi- layered and textural with a very long, aromatic finish.
Top 100 Austrailian Wines of the Year James Suckling
3x Trophies & 1x Gold McLaren Vale Wine Show 2019
Gold Six Nations WIne Challenge 2019
96 Points Sarah Ahmed
95 Points Huon Hooke
93 Points The Wine Front
92 Points Wine Advocate
From old, dry grown, bush trained vineyards in Blewitt Springs, planted in deep sands with some ironstone.
The fruit was hand-picked, 68% was wild fermented in a concrete pyramid which had layers of whole bunch and crushed fruit. This ferment had no mechanical extraction. The balance was wild fermented in an open fermenter with 35% whole bunches, hand plunged twice daily. This portion was aged in puncheons while the pyramid fermented was pressed back to a concrete egg and oak puncheons for maturation.
It is dry weather that characterised the 2018 season and the low disease pressure coupled with ideal conditions for flowering and early development set the vines up for an excellent season. With virtually no rainfall between January and April, fruit quality in all areas was very good though some heat stress in February led to isolated defoliation, particularly on Shiraz. As we like to pick “on the way up” our season began quickly with a number of varieties ripening at once but then progressed nicely, with the ability to pick when it suited given the settled weather.
