Thistledown The Thorny Devil Grenache 2023
Fruit for Thorny Devil comes from a variety of some of the finest vineyards in McLaren Vale. Old bush trained vines and sandy, mineral strewn vineyards ensure that this is amongst our most delicious Grenaches.
The resulting wine has the characteristic McLaren Vale perfume and spice with a beguiling texture and perfume that unfolds, layer by layer.
94 Points – Halliday Wine Companion
“I always enjoy this wine, the entry point to the glories of McLaren Vale grenache, among the world’s finest expressions of this variety. Tamarind, red cherries, mint and sap verging on rhubarb. Almost like a Beaujolais, and yet there is plenty of tannic grit. Cranberry, white pepper, clove and dried thyme notes on a long, gentle finish. Delicious.”
93 Points – James Suckling
93 Points – The Wine Front
93 Points – The Real Review
“The 2023 Thorny Devil Grenache is routinely a rip-snorting little wine. Raspberry compote, orange peel, black tea, humbug candies and red licorice frame the bouquet, while on the palate, the wine is plush, luxurious and velvety. It’s really good—again!”
92 Points – The Wine Advocate
The aim at Thistledown is to make wines of great purity, precision and energy. Thorny Devil comes from a variety of fine, old sites, all of which have in common old, bush trained and dry grown. With Grenache, they are always looking to maximize fruit purity, texture and finesse and do so through earlier picking, on the way up, rather than the way down which allows them to couple concentration of flavor with balance and elegance. The fruit was handpicked from a variety of sites, all of which were vinified separately with up to 30% whole bunches retained in the ferment. Fermentation began naturally and hand plunging twice a day was carried out through to dryness. 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 approximately 8 months before bottling.
