Thistledown This Charming Man Grenache 2024

On a beautiful hillside in the Clarendon sub-region of McLaren Vale, three generations of the Smart family have devoted their lives to Grenache. Decades have passed where precious few valued their crop and yet they endured. That this remarkable vineyard has sustained is down to one man, Bernard Smart and this wine pays homage to this charming man.

A remarkable site that has vines of 100 years old. The entire site, planted high in the picturesque Clarendon subregion, is dry grown bush vines and has been farmed by the same family for 3 generations. This wine is sourced from one particular block where the canopy is raised slightly higher above the ground, allowing for better air circulation and increased radiated sunlight.

The fruit was hand-picked on 25th March before being transported to the winery where 20% was retained as whole bunches to be placed on the base of a concrete pyramid fermenter. Wild fermented and gently hand plunged twice a day during active fermentation. Pressed off to 300 litre hogsheads, of which 20% were new.

2352 Bottles & 42 Magnums Produced