What We Say 2018 'Gorgeous' Old Vine McLaren Vale Grenache
What the Winery Says
Thistledown
Grenache is Australia’s signature grape variety and we’re slightly obsessed with it. Utilising a range of premium vineyards across South Australia, we’ve crafted a wine that captures all that is good about Grenache. Aromatic, deceptively light but with beautiful wild fruit, and slurpy, supple tannins.
Above average rainfall in July and August filled soil profiles and dams but from then on the season was very dry. Blewitt Springs had 40% of average rainfall. It is this dry weather that characterised the 2018 season and the low disease pressure coupled with ideal conditions for flowering and early development set the vines up for an excellent season. Virtually no rainfall between January and April, fruit quality in all areas was very good though some heat stress in February led to isolated defoliation. As we like to ‘pick on the way up’ our season began quickly with several varieties ripening at once but then progressed nicely, with the ability to pick when it suited given the settled weather.
Sourced from some of the best vineyards in both Blewitt Springs and Clarendon sub-regions of McLaren Vale, it includes some delicious, succulent Riverland fruit that gives it a bright, breezy character. A variety of vinification techniques are used with the various wines blended closer to bottling. The Blewitt Springs portion is wild fermented, 30% whole bunches in a layered ferment in a concrete egg. No mechanical extraction was used. The Clarendon portion was wild fermented using early hand-picked fruit. 25% whole bunches, gentle hand plunging twice daily, extended tine on skins. Pressed to older oak. Riverland portion was whole berry fermented to retain freshness and bright fruit character. Gently extracted and pressed to older oak. 10% of wine spends 5 months in older French oak.
Sourced from several Grenache vineyards across South Australia, including some of the region’s most iconic sites, Gorgeous Grenache displays a beautifully perfumed nose with hints of violets and wild strawberry. The palate is succulent, juicy and Pinot-like in its profile while the finish is savoury and moreish.