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Thistledown Thorny Devil Grenache is a beautifully expressive Australian red, offering vibrant wild strawberry, raspberry and cherry flavours alongside fragrant floral notes and gentle spice. Sourced from old bush vines in McLaren Vale, it combines impressive fruit concentration with freshness, elegance and a wonderfully silky texture.
Wild fermentation, gentle extraction and maturation in seasoned French oak preserve the wine's natural perfume and character without adding unnecessary weight.
An excellent choice for customers who enjoy fragrant, characterful reds but prefer finesse to power. With its lively fruit, subtle savoury complexity and fine tannins, Thorny Devil offers a distinctive alternative to heavier Australian reds.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Fragrant wild strawberry, raspberry and red cherry aromas, complemented by rose petals, dried herbs and delicate peppery spice.
Palate: Vibrant and beautifully textured, with juicy red berry fruit, hints of pomegranate and subtle savoury spice. Fine, gently grippy tannins provide structure, while refreshing acidity keeps the wine lively and elegant. Silky and layered rather than heavy or overtly oaked.
Finish: Long, fresh and gently savoury, with lingering red fruit, floral notes and a delicate peppery lift.
About
Thistledown Thorny Devil Grenache is a distinctive red wine from McLaren Vale in South Australia, produced from carefully selected old-vine Grenache vineyards.
Thistledown was founded by Master of Wine Giles Cooke with a commitment to producing Australian wines that emphasise purity, elegance and the character of their vineyards. The winery has become particularly recognised for its work with old-vine Grenache, helping demonstrate the grape's potential for fragrant, finely structured and expressive wines.
Thorny Devil brings together fruit from several established McLaren Vale vineyards, creating a wine that combines the region's ripe red fruit and characteristic spice with freshness, delicate perfume and an appealingly silky texture.
Rather than pursuing maximum concentration or pronounced oak flavours, the emphasis is on preserving the natural character of Grenache. The result is a wine with impressive depth and complexity but a lighter touch than many customers might expect from Australian red wine.
Winemaking: The Grenache grapes undergo wild fermentation, with varying proportions of whole bunches included to encourage aromatic complexity and texture. Extraction is deliberately gentle, favouring infusion rather than aggressive handling of the skins. Following pressing, the wine matures for approximately eight months in predominantly seasoned French oak barrels of 300 and 500 litres. This restrained approach allows the fruit, floral aromas and fine tannins to remain at the forefront.
Vineyards: The grapes are sourced from old, dry-grown, bush-trained Grenache vines across several sub-regions of McLaren Vale. Many of these vineyards feature sandy, mineral-strewn soils, while the mature vines produce fruit with concentrated flavour and distinctive character. Careful selection of picking dates helps preserve freshness, aromatic expression and balance.
Food Pairing
Excellent with roast lamb, duck, game birds and grilled pork, particularly dishes featuring Mediterranean herbs and gentle spice. Its fragrant fruit and savoury character also complement North African lamb dishes, charcuterie, mushroom-based recipes and roasted vegetables. The wine's freshness and fine tannins make it especially versatile with food.
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