2023 Thistledown Sands of Time Old Vine Grenache Blewitt Springs McLaren Vale 750 ml

The greatest wines in the world are the product of obsession, pure and simple—and nobody in Australia is more obsessed with ancient-vine Grenache than the two Masters of Wine who founded Thistledown, Giles Cooke and Fergal Tynan.

Since Thistledown first opened their doors in 2010, they’ve worked to save these historic vineyards, many of which were ripped out or abandoned over the decades because of the labor involved in tending them. Thistledown pays their network of small growers top dollar, with long-term contracts to ensure that their old vines produce grapes for decades to come.

One of their crown jewel sites is the Trott Vineyard, one of the quintessential Blewitt Springs sites, planted at over 200 meters above sea level on the region’s sloping hills. In addition to its giant, gnarled old vines and sandy soils, the area is known for being slightly cooler, which suits early-ripening Grenache and allows for longer hang times. 

Once the grapes from this incredible site are hand-harvested at optimal maturity, Thistledown ferments them with an eye towards great Burgundy and Châteauneufs like Rayas and Pignan. That means fermentation with whole clusters, balancing the rich fruit with savoriness and texture from the grapes’ stems. They use old-school concrete fermenters, and always have an eye toward elegant wines and gentle extraction. The wine is then aged in large, old oak barrels that allow for maturation without overly woody aromas and flavors.

Thistledown is now at the forefront of something truly special—a big reason that Wine Enthusiast called this a “new era for Australian Grenache.” This is a rare chance to try one of the best bottles out there.