Thistledown Fool on the Hill Grenache 2021

Masterfully crafted Grenache with fruit from the Eden Valley. A big hug in a glass.

The Fool on the Hill Grenache really shows that Thistledown aren't afraid to do things the hard way, if the ends justify the means of course.

The fruit from this wine comes from a tiny vineyard in the Eden Valley. The vines here struggle to thrive, but that just means the small amount of fruit they produce is absolutely stellar stuff, filled with concentrated, intense flavour. Thistledown themselves say that the conditions of the vineyard would have led "all but the bravest to question the sense of the project", and it's a move that has really paid off.

Expect the signature bright Thistledown aromatics, but with a bit of extra texture, spice and warmth than its McLaren Vale counterparts.

The Fool on the Hill is sourced from two tiny plots of essentially dry grown bush-vine Grenache, planted by Joel Mattschoss, high in the Eden Valley on soils that require a vine to struggle. It’s a spectacular plot with an unusually bright future, though the impenetrable soils, lack of adequate water and exposure would have led all but the bravest to question the sense of the project.

One of the highest Grenache vineyards in South Australia at 550m, the meagre soils are strewn with pink quartz and ironstone. 3 clonal selections of Grenache have been planted in bush-vine form with only a little water to establish them. Still young by our standards, these small vines yield fruit with high intensity.

One of the highest Grenache vineyards in South Australia at 550m, the meagre soils are strewn with pink quartz and ironstone. 3 clonal selections of Grenache have been planted in bush-vine form with only a little water to establish them. Still young by our standards, these small vines yield fruit with high intensity.

The fruit is hand-picked early in the morning before swift transport to the winery where 20% whole bunches is retained. A gentle ferment in concrete egg is followed by pressing to 500 litre 2nd and 3rd year French oak.

The signature Thistledown lifted aromatics are present but the palate offers more sinew and spice than those from McLaren Vale. Textural, almost chewy but polished dark cherry, mineral and warm spices carry through to a finish of incredible length.

Salted Beef Brisket, Slow Roasted Pork Belly

The crew at Thistledown are Grenache-obsessed - they know how fantastic the McLaren Vale region is at producing stellar Grenache, and they sure love to show it off. An excellent example of a well made, boutique wine.