Ever since historic Scots, James Busby and John MacArthur founded the Australian wine industry in the early 19th century, the relationship between Scotland and Australia has been an enduring one.

Guardians of a long history, Thistledown Wine Co. continues the tradition of Scottish ingenuity and great Australian wine. From their small-batch winery in the idyllic Adelaide Hills, they work with pristine fruit sourced from iconic vineyard sites. Giles Cooke MW and Fergal Tynan MW, with the helping hand of Peter Leske, craft lithe, energetic wines that illustrate the benefits of great sites and intelligent, low-intervention winemaking. Giles and Fergal share a particular passion for Grenache and, in ever more detail, Thistledown continue to unpick the rich patchwork of South Australian Grenache – reassembling it in their own inimitable style. This unique blend of superb fruit sources and experience in both the New and the Old Worlds helps craft wine of subtlety, texture and detail – wines perfectly suited to complement rather than overwhelm fine food.

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 time 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.