Thistledown Thorny Devil Grenache 2025

Sourced from a range of sites with old bush-trained vines, Thorny Devil Grenache showcases classic McLaren Vale perfume, spice, and a layered, beguiling texture.

Bottle Image

Tasting Notes

Thistledown Thorny Devil Grenache 2025

"Built from a mix of sites, with the theme being old bush vines; seasoned oak for about eight months. This has gone up a few dollars, yet it remains one of the country’s best value wines, when you consider provenance, quality and pure joy-giving potential. This is expressly fruitful and open at this early stage. Ripe redcurrant, maraschino cherries, rosehip tea, kirsch, rosewater and dried rose petals in spice, a stroll through a Persian souk – perhaps an indulgent analogy, but it has that evocation of ancient luxury, when spice and perfume were marvels. The elegant headiness is delightful, but it’s the natural tensioning that elevates this, with detailed, quietly complex tannins yielding integrated savouriness." 95 Points, Special Value, Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion

"Lifted and youthful aromas of blueberry, pot-pourri, dried herbs, ferrous earth and limestone. Firm, fleshy and mid-weighted, with a core of red and blue fruits, spice and textured, shapely tannins. Long, layered and with plenty of zip and ping." 92 Points, Aaron Brasher, The Real Review

"Juicy raspberry, some rosy perfume and biscuit spices, dried herbs too. It offers plenty of flavour, a grainy grip to tannin, a little saline, some warmth showing, but all up a fleshy and generous style that drinks pretty well. Finish is a little too drying, yet it still feels wholesome and honest." 91 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/

Producer logo: Logo