Thistledown Gorgeous Shiraz 2021  £12.97

THISTLEDOWN GORGEOUS SHIRAZ 

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.

A fascinating and absolutely delicious Shiraz blended with 11% Zibbibo and 4% Fiano, 2 aromatic varieties which give a delicious lift to the wine and add a much sought after moreish quality.   The Shiraz was all picked from one old vineyard in the Riverland, a property that has been growing grapes since the early soldier settlements. 

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.

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.

Try with Roasted lamb, beef stews and strong hard cheeses.

90 Points Wine Companion

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 Points, NG (MW), 2023.