by Thistledown, The Unforgettable Grenache, Shiraz, Mataro, South Australia, Australia, 2023

Producer Profile

by Thistledown is all about good, clean fun. Working hand-in-hand with their merry (in a good season) band of growers, they craft wines of supreme quality without taking it too seriously.

Their ethos is great fruit, grown by great people and made with love in the sure knowledge that wine is about the good times – delicious food and great memories. Founded by Giles Cooke MW and Fergal Tynan MW, who also make the Thistledown wines, ‘mundane’ is simply not in their DNA: being involved in every stage of the winemaking process, from bud burst to bottling, means that every bottle from by Thistledown is an experience you’ll want to savour again and again.

Viticulture

The fruit is drawn from a collection of mature vineyard sites across South Australia, where sustainable farming practices and naturally balanced yields produce grapes of exceptional quality and character.

Winemaking

The winemaking approach is deliberately restrained, allowing the quality of the fruit to take centre stage. The Grenache underwent a gentle crush before fermentation in open vessels, with twice-daily pump-overs to achieve balanced extraction. Following fermentation, the wine spent an extended period on skins before pressing and maturation in a combination of stainless steel and seasoned oak. Carefully selected parcels of Shiraz and Mataro were then incorporated to build complexity and structure. The final blend was crafted to highlight vibrant red fruit flavours, freshness and an appealingly crunchy texture.

Tasting Note

The Unforgettable is a generous blend of 3 varieties (Grenache, Shiraz, Mataro), all of whom are long-term friends that know the benefits of teamwork. Working in cahoots, they produce a wine with succulent red berry fruit with hints of spice and chocolate. A clever, friendly wine that is indeed truly Unforgettable.

Food matching

Sharing plates, charcuterie, rustic braised meats.