Thistledown The Vagabond Old Vine Grenache 2016
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The Vagabond draws its fruit from the unique sub-region of Blewitt Springs - a region characterized by a raised elevation and distinct deep sandy soils dotted with ironstone. These ancient soils provide the perfect medium for Grenache to thrive. It is here that Grenache is at its fragrant, textural best - exhibiting beautiful balance, floral, dried citrus character and amazing length. Gently vinified with minimal intervention.
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Peter Leske is the winemaker on the ground for Thistledown, working with UK-based MWs Giles Cook and Fergal Tynan, who founded the firm to explore old-vine grenache in South Australia. The Vagabond comes from a vineyard in Blewitt Springs where 70-year-old bush vines grow in deep sands with some ironstone and without irrigation. They ferment it without added yeasts, half of the lot in a concrete egg where they layered whole bunches with crushed grapes and left it alone; they later pressed it, then returned it to the egg for aging. The other half fermented in an open-top vat with some whole bunches and regular punch-downs; they aged this lot in oak puncheons. It’s a complicated plan that produced a complex ine, taking the ripe, powerful grenache that Blewitt Springs can offer and refreshing its scents of road tar and sweet peach with the stemminess of hojicha green tea, a savory tarragon note and brisk acidity. It’s a big wine to decant for a thick-cut lamb chop.
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Wine Enthusiast
This wine starts a little bombastically, with ripe, borderline candied fruit. But give it time in glass and it will keep changing for the better, getting prettier and more ethereal. It's dominated by raspberry compote and rhubarb aromas but then orange peel and violet notes emerge along with something savory, herbal and almost smokey. The palate is light to medium-bodied and those tart orange citrus characters really stand out here, backed by tight-grained yet satiny tannins and a herbal tonic finish.
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An Englishman, an Irishman and an Australian of German descent..... at home in the Adelaide Hills, Thistledown make super premium wines from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills and Langhorne Creek regions of South Australia.
Drawing on strong Celtic links, the thistle provides an apt image for a producer that, for all the rugged exterior, makes wines that possess a delicacy, subtlety and beauty that counters the notion that bigger always equals better. Thistledown works directly with growers in the premium regions of South Australia to source fruit that has the potential to communicate its origins precisely while delivering polished, balanced, delicious wines of great personality.
Established since 2010,Thistledown is developing a focus on individual terroir expressions of Grenache and Syrah - a passion borne of our love for the wines of Southern France and Spain.
Whether it's the deep, ironstone rich terra rossa of Marananga in the Barossa or the delightfully light, deep sands of Blewitt Springs in McLaren Vale, we look to reflect the terroir by picking for optimal balance rather than power and by winemaking that is, wherever possible, hands off.
Grenache thrives in any warm, Mediterranean climate where ample sunlight allows its clusters to achieve full phenolic ripeness. While Grenache's birthplace is Spain (there called Garnacha), today it is more recognized as the key player in the red blends of the Southern Rhône, namely Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône and its villages. Somm Secret—The Italian island of Sardinia produces bold, rustic, single varietal Grenache (there called Cannonau). California, Washington and Australia have achieved found success with Grenache, both flying solo and in blends.
Known for opulent red wines with intense power and concentration, McLaren Vale is home to perhaps the most “classic” style of Australian Shiraz. Vinified on its own or in Rhône Blends, these hot-climate wines are deeply colored and high in extract with signature hints of dark chocolate and licorice. Cabernet Sauvignon is also produced in a similar style.
Whites, often made from Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc tend to be opulent and full of tropical, stone and citrus fruit.