THISTLEDOWN GORGEOUS SHIRAZ 2022

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.

Winery notes (2022 Vintage)
"Not your average Shiraz! On the nose there are peaches, ripe nectarine, wild raspberry and a little spice. The palate is soft and slurpy, the texture silky and any tannins just add a little seasoning – like macerated strawberries and black pepper. Turning a previously undervalued resource into something that is hugely enjoyable and ultimately gorgeous.

A small proportion of Zibibbo, otherwise known as Muscat, was co fermented using wild yeasts. A short ageing in old French oak followed by bottling young to preserve the hugely aromatic, textural deliciousness that we sought from the outset."

90/100 JamesSuckling.com (2022 Vintage)
"All Riverland fruit, with a heritage property supplying the shiraz. A dollop of old-vine zibibbo and a smidgeon of fiano were co-fermented, serving lift and perfume. This has some throaty warmth to it, yet the extraction regime was clearly whole-berry gentle, so easy is this to drink. Mindless, in the very best way. It avoids the bane of excessive reduction, ploughing cinnamon stick, clove, cardamon, bergamot and bing cherry lines across a drift of gentle tannic grip. Chilling this is imperative."

90/100 The Real Review (2022 Vintage)
"Bright ruby with a vibrant purple tone into the rim. Ultra fragrant with bright red and blue fruit, violets and liquorice all leaping from the glass. Slippery and gliding as it flows across the tongue with ample plump purple fruits and subtle dark spices along the journey. Tannins are silky and just caress the edges to a good length finish. A delicious drink now style."

88/100 Cameron Douglas MS, August 2024 (2022 Vintage)
"A very fruity bouquet and palate with flavours of black currant and coffee bean, cacao and vanilla with a raspberry highlight. A dry with a with a core of ripe almost sweet red berry fruit flavours. Fine very easy tannins and medium acid line. Balanced, well made and ready to drink from day of purchase through 2028."