Outside of France and Spain, Australia – and particularly Barossa and McLaren Vale – has built a strong reputation for Grenache, both in blends with its Rhône bedfellows Syrah and Mourvèdre, and as single varietal wines. Moving away from extraction and oak, a “new wave” of Grenache has emerged which really lets the old vines speak (Australia has some of the oldest Grenache vines in the world, many well over 130 years old). Fragrant, ethereal but nevertheless structured, these wines can be considered alongside the likes of Burgundy and Barolo. Two passionate advocates for this new wave are behind Thistledown, founded in 2010 by UK Masters of Wine Fergal Tynan and Giles Cooke. They source grapes from exceptional, old McLaren Vale vineyards and with their superlative Single Vineyard series are looking to establish themselves as “the authority on Australian Grenache”. The fruit for Sands of Time comes from a 75-year-old bush-vine block planted in pure sand in Blewitt Springs (arguably the best subregion in McLaren Vale for Grenache). It is wild fermented in concrete vessels and matured in a mix of oak and concrete.
