Thistledown, The Great Escape Chardonnay, Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia, 2022

Producer Profile

Masters of Wine, Giles Cooke & Fergal Tynan, founded Thistledown Wines in 2010 after discovering iconic vineyard sites in the McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills.

They make hand-made, small batch wines that perfectly illustrate the benefits of great sites and intelligent, minimalist winemaking.

Viticulture

The Great Escape is Thistledown's benchmark, cooler climate Chardonnay produced from fruit grown in the Eden Valley’s elevated vineyard sites which allow for a long ripening period which helps to maintain the natural sugar and acid balance of the grape. With moderate alcohol, focussed, crisp citrus fruit and a mouthwatering finish, this is an accomplished, truly modern style of this noble variety. Trellised vineyards, pruned to produce moderate yields.

Winemaking

Fruit went directly to press after picking. The free run juice was run off to tank to settle. A relatively high level of solids in the ferment is retained, all of which is wild fermented in used French oak or concrete egg. They do not encourage malolactic to ensure they preserve the crisp, citrus fruit profile.

Oak Ageing

Time: 10 Months
Type: Tight grain French Oak 300l
% wine oaked: 50
% new oak: 10

Tasting Note

Citrussy, subtle oak influence and a bright yet creamy palate. With moderate alcohol, focussed, crisp citrus fruit and a mouthwatering finish, this is an accomplished, truly modern style of this noble variety.

Food Matching

Shellfish, oysters and aromatic Asian dishes.

Awards

James Suckling 93 Points
Wild fermented in a combination of used French oak and a concrete egg. Mlf was discouraged to retain acidity. More flavourful than in recent years. Stone and orchard fruits spill across gentle acid rails. The fruit intensity verges on palate staining, yet the feel is mid-weighted, nicely slippery, moderately fresh and not dissimilar to a Mâcon from a warmer vintage, despite it being a cooler one in these parts. 93 Points, NG (MW), 2023.
Robert Parkers Wine Advocate 92 Points
The 2022 Great Escape Chardonnay is from the Eden Valley, in Barossa, and shows all the mineral tannin and subtle nuttiness that we expect from the region. I enjoyed this more than previous vintages, perhaps due to the extreme youth of the wine, which cauterizes some of the tropical fruit characters that seem to emerge with the high diurnal range of the area, replacing them with a cooling, mineral feel. Very good, lean and taut. 92 Points, EL, August 2023.