Thistledown Shes Electric Grenache

Single-vineyard Grenache from Thistledown's dry-grown, 70-year-old bush vines in the Seaview district of McLaren Vale, on red-brown sandy loam over quartz and ironstone. The fruit is hand-picked early morning and fermented wild with 50% whole bunches after a gentle foot pressing, then aged eight months in used oak — 500-litre puncheons and 300-litre French hogsheads — before bottling unfined and unfiltered. It comes out pale but aromatic and layered: wild strawberry, violets and cinnamon spice over a crisp, textural palate. Certified organic and biodynamic.

The vineyard sits at the Chapel Hill Road end of McLaren Vale, and the fire is the reason so little of it is left. In 2025 Thistledown made just 1,320 bottles. Since the fire the block has been farmed to protect what survived, with a minimal spray regime, cover crops and biodiversity encouraged between the rows. Younger Grenache now grows beside the old bush vines to fill the gaps.

Thistledown started out to save South Australia's old vines, and this block is that mission in one bottle. The business is Sustainable Winegrowing Australia certified.

Critics rate it near the top of the McLaren Vale Grenache pile. The 2025 pulled 96 points from James Suckling and 95 from Halliday. One reviewer found wild cherries, pomegranate, damson plum and a Campari bitterness with white pepper. Serve it cool, as you would a Pinot Noir.