Thistledown, Gorgeous Grenache Rose South Australia, 2021

Ever since historic Scots, James Busby and John MacArthur founded the Australian wine industry in the early 19th century, the relationship between Scotland and Australia has been an enduring one.

Guardians of a long history, Thistledown Wine Co. continues the tradition of Scottish ingenuity and great Australian wine. From their small-batch winery in the idyllic Adelaide Hills, they work with pristine fruit sourced from iconic vineyard sites. Giles Cooke MW and Fergal Tynan MW, with the helping hand of Peter Leske, craft lithe, energetic wines that illustrate the benefits of great sites and intelligent, low-intervention winemaking. Giles and Fergal share a particular passion for Grenache and, in ever more detail, Thistledown continue to unpick the rich patchwork of South Australian Grenache – reassembling it in their own inimitable style. This unique blend of superb fruit sources and experience in both the New and the Old Worlds helps craft wine of subtlety, texture and detail – wines perfectly suited to complement rather than overwhelm fine food. In one of the most geologically diverse regions in the world, Grenache thrives but has not always been valued – until now.

Sourced from a single, old vineyard that is approximately 70 years old. Trained more like trees than bushes, these venerable old vines produce beautifully balanced fruit with subtle flavours.  The fruit is hand-picked and delivered to the winery where it is crushed and left on skins for just 3.5 hours before pressing off – this ensures the very pale, delicate colour. It is then settled and fermented cool to capture the vibrant, tangy, fresh fruit character.