Thistledown, Gorgeous Grenache White, South Australia, Australia, 2024

Producer Profile

Thistledown was founded by Master of Wine, Giles Cooke who had a vision for a more elegant, textural interpretation of Australian wine.

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.

Viticulture

Grenache Blanc is a relatively new variety in Australia with the majority of plantings being vsp on trellis rather than the more traditional bush training for reds.

Winemaking

Oxidative handling before a wild ferment in both concrete egg and used French barrels. No MLF and maturation on lees for 4 months helped increase texture prior to bottling.

Tasting Note

An explosion of flavour meets suave, seductive personality! Bright, tangy citrus laced fruit with hints of honeysuckle and lemon balm. Taut, yet textured and complex, this is a beautifully crafted white that breaks the mould.

Food matching

Excellent with summer salads, grilled chicken satay, sea bass.