*Available on Indent

Thistledown Fool on the Hill Grenache 2024

Tyson Stelzer's Grenache of the Year, sourced from old, dry grown bush-vines, Fool on the Hill is a dark fruited, mineral and textural Grenache with distinct Eden character.

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Tasting Notes

Thistledown Fool on the Hill Grenache 2024

"The 2024 Fool on the Hill Grenache is from Eden Valley, and the wine is abundantly aromatic and eloquent of its place. The tiered vineyard site is up near Pewsey Vale and overlooks the Barossa from its vantage point of 500 meters above sea level. The wine is aromatically soft, textural and plump in the mouth, with rose petals and blood orange, red apples and redcurrants. With a hint of pomegranate molasses, the quartz comes through, and there's an integrated base of savory flavor that balances the exuberance of it. It's a highly attractive, gorgeous wine that speaks of the Eden in its splay of rocky tannin. It is chewy and powdery and fills the mouth with floral perfume. It fermented in concrete, which was a "layer cake of whole bunch and whole berry," says founder and winemaker Giles Cooke MW. The ferment received no pumping over, i.e., a very gentle extraction. Post ferment, it matured for 10 months in three- to five-year-old French puncheons. When I think of the three Grenache wines, I, perhaps controversially, given the others are from McLaren Vale, admire the tannin structure of this one the most. They all are magnificent wines." 97+ Points, Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate

"An outlier in the Thistledown offering, venturing to the Eden Valley and a vineyard restored by grape grower Joel Mattschoss. A slightly fleshier, curvier expression than the willowy wines from the Vale; a swirl of dark cherry, rosehip, soft earth, and a little bush garrigue. 14% alcohol" 94 points, Nick Ryan, The Australian Weekend Magazine

"From the Trial Hill vineyard in the Eden Valley.
Cherry, blackcurrant, sage, spice, white pepper and dusty things It’s juicy and full of blackberry pastille, tannin is good, with something of a stony character, fine ‘minerally’ acidity, raspberry frog with spicy finish. It’s maybe a little too sweet and minty, though it’s a distinctive wine of high quality. Very Eden." 93 Points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front

Thistledown is the vision of Master of Wine, Giles Cooke. Choosing to focus on the Grenache grape shows the belief he has in the variety. A certified member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia, they have secured numerous rare old vines and unique vineyards for the future. Working with growers across McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Riverland, they craft elegant, fine, aromatic reds, many destined to showcase Grenache's charm as a single variety. Thistledown wines are made in small quantities in the Adelaide Hills.

Producer website: https://www.thistledownwines.com/

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