Thistledown Gorgeous Handmade Small Batch Grenache Blanc 2023

The dynamic duo behind Thistledown, Giles Cook and Fergal Tynan, are truly obsessed with Grenache: first with red Grenache and now with Grenache’s fairer twin. The 2023 Thistledown Gorgeous Handmade Small Batch Grenache Blanc (93 Points & Special Value Star – James Halliday Wine Companion) is as compelling as its red sibling thanks to a long and cooler than normal growing season. The suave 2023 Thistledown Gorgeous Grenache Blanc (94% Grenache, 6% Chardonnay) sports a brilliant glint and offers a seductive aroma of citrus blossoms and lemon zest kissed with hints of honeysuckle. Taut and precise on the palate, this racy, young Grenache delivers subtle complexity and laser-like precision before exiting with the crisp, mouthwatering freshness of a mountain stream. This is no ordinary Grenache Blanc. Afford the pure, meticulously crafted 2023 Thistledown Gorgeous Handmade Small Batch Grenache Blanc a few minutes of aeration before serving it moderately chilled (38°-45° F) to revel in all that it has to offer. Anticipated maturity: 2024-2027. Enjoy!

Thistledown has crafted a classy, food friendly wine in their 2023 Thistledown Gorgeous Handmade Small Batch Grenache Blanc. This exceptional Grenache offers charm, elegance, and crisp, racy flavors. It also provides a fine companion to seafood, shellfish, and a host of Mediterranean specialties. Grouper, snapper, baked clams, sautéed oysters, and especially Moules Marinière with crispy frites make especially tasty companions. Bouillabaisse Coconut Shrimp, Tuna Tartar Wraps, and Spicy Chicken and Cheese Flatbreads provide other delicious accompaniments. Greek Chicken Souvlaki, Chicken Provencal basted with plenty of olive oil and herbs, and classic Mediterranean bean and sausage dishes pair nicely, too. For others, a clean glass is all that is needed to enjoy the 2023 Thistledown Gorgeous Grenache Blanc, though pairing it with a selection of Chèvre, Port Salut, St. Paulin, or other exquisite cheeses will surely double the pleasure. Bon Appétit!

Thistledown crushes Grenache, in every which way, all of if gorgeous. They specialize in old vine Grenache, but not just any Grenache. Think Gigondas, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and the very best Australia has to offer, and then you will be talking about Thistledown’s Gorgeous Grenache wines. In short, Thistledown fashions an incredible portfolio of Gorgeous Grenache wines, both red and white. Yes, Grenache is the rare grape variety that comes in a red and white cultivar.

Two certified Masters of Wine, Giles Cooke and Fergal Tynan, are the driving force behind Thistledown and their winery’s elite portfolio of wines. With the help of renowned winemaker Peter Leske, they launched Thistledown in 2010. They hand-make small batches of wines from old vines that illustrate the unique benefits of great sites and intelligent winemaking. Specializing in fashioning tiny lots of wine from prized vineyards has earned Thistledown tremendous critical acclaim and high 90 point ratings from Wine Advocate, Decanter, James Halliday, James Suckling, and others. Although Thistledown’s old vine red Grenache has garnered the most attention, Thistledown is equally adept at fashioning incredible Gorgeous Handmade Small Batch Grenache Blanc, as this month’s feature can attest.

Thistledown’s approach to Grenache makes it quite unique in Australia. Although Grenache is one of Australia’s most widely planted grape varieties and it figures significantly in Australia’s signature wine, GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre), it has played second fiddle to the country’s Shiraz/Syrah as a single variety despite the proliferation of old bush-trained Grenache vines. That may all be about to change as Thistledown continues its crusade to fashion elegant, gorgeous red and white wines from South Australia’s venerable Grenache vines. Thistledown is fastidious when it comes to expressing the character and purity of Grenache. Moreover, Thistledown’s Gorgeous Grenache wines are vegetarian and vegan friendly, and downright delicious, as are Thistledown’s limited Chardonnay and Shiraz wines.

Grenache, whose origin is thought to be Aragon in northern Spain, is the most widely cultivated red varietal throughout the world. The wine’s propensity for vigor, drought resistance, early ripening, and an inherent ability to yield powerful, spicy, complex wines has made it a favorite in warm climates the world over. When judiciously pruned, it yields wines of extraordinary quality, especially in Spain’s Priorat, where it is known as Garnacha, in neighboring France, including the Languedoc and the Rhône Valley where it shines in all the greatest wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, and nearby Côtes de Rhône villages, as well as in Australia, where the country’s very old bush vines, many in excess of 100 years of age, furnish some of South Australia’s finest reds. Moreover, Grenache is the rare grape variety that comes in both a red and white version. Both cultivars figure significantly in red and white Châteauneuf-du-Pape in addition to many of Australia’s premium white wines. Grenache also forms the basis for Australia’s signature GSM blend, perhaps the world’s most recognizable blend. California, too, enjoys a long history with Grenache where it plays an increasingly supporting role in the state’s finest Syrah offerings.