Description
Thorny Devil Grenache was originally sourced from a vineyard in the southern edges of the Barossa, around the town of Lyndoch – old vine and dry grown, this site produced delicious, crunchy Grenache with some typically Barossan “grunt”.
The grapes for Thorny Devil come from some of the best vineyards in Adelaide Hills. Where old bush trained vines are grown in sandy soils that impart a minerality to the wine.
From their small-batch winery in the idyllic Adelaide Hills, Thistledown Wine Co. continue the long line of Scottish winemakers in Australia.
But why ‘Thorny Devil’?
To quote Giles Cooke MW, founder of Thistledown Wines ‘on one visit we came across a lizard which was sitting patiently on one of the vines. Allowing us to get quite close, we saw that its body was covered in little spikes, or thorns. The name of this lizard was the Thorny Devil.”
However, the last thing we wanted to do was to create another Australian wine with a “critter” on it…..and so we got thinking.
And that’s when we came upon the story of how the thistle became the emblem of Scotland. Dating back to the Battle of Largs in 1267, the story goes that the Vikings were trying to capture one of the Western Isles of Scotland.
In order to surprise the Scots, the Vikings landed at night and took off their footwear in order to make as little noise as possible. Their plan backfired however because, between the beach and where the Scots were camped, was a field of thistles. Treading on the thistles with their bare feet, they screamed and shouted, alerting the Scots who repelled them.
The passive but heroic efforts of the thistle were subsequently rewarded by being made the country’s emblem. Given Thistledown’s inspiration, this version of the story seems so much more apt!’
A subdued nose of black fruits and dusty earth with characteristic McLaren Vale perfume and spice. The palate is heading into the full spectrum with plush black fruits and dark slate minerals and a beguiling texture and perfume that unfolds, layer by layer.. Firm and gripping tannins balance the weight and give good length.
A beautiful match for game meats, North African lamb and charcuterie.