{"title":"Thistledown","description":"\u003cp\u003eGiles Cooke MW and Fergal Tynan MW, with the helping hand of Peter Leske, hand-make small-batch wines that illustrate the benefits of great sites and intelligent winemaking.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 2 Masters of Wine, Giles and Fergal met in a bar the night before they began the first year of the Master of Wine course in 1998. Both subsequently passed the exam and eventually came to work together, founding Thistledown in 2010.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBoth share a degree in history, a love of Australian wine and the cause of the underdog. Both also shared a frustration that, in many markets, Australian wine was stereotyped as big, alcoholic, and unsuited to premium restaurants. Both knew that this didn’t have to be the case and set upon a journey to create wines of elegance, detail and balance.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"cloud-cuckoo-land-nero-davola-montepulciano-2022-6-pack","title":"Cloud Cuckoo Land Nero D'Avola Montepulciano 2022 - 6 pack","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eAn unusual blend of varieties but this wine has the characteristic energy you’d expect from Italian reds. Deliciously succulent with smoky, dark cherry fruit, subtle spice and a mouth-watering finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBlend: 47% Nero D’Avola, 22% Montepulciano, 17% Aglianico, 14% Grenache\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Thistledown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41801152528593,"sku":"ALLCCLNERO22","price":123.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0550\/6662\/4209\/files\/regions_Cloudcuckoolandneromonty6pack.png?v=1699159434"},{"product_id":"thistledown-the-cunning-plan-shiraz-2023","title":"Thistledown The Cunning Plan Shiraz 2023","description":"\u003cp\u003eGreat depth of ripe plum and blackberry fruit flavours. A full bodied wine with a succulent palate, lively spices and fine velvety tannins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fruit comes from the Moray Park vineyard in the McLaren Flat subregion. Picked on the way up to retain\u003cbr\u003evibrancy and energy. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWinemaking is simple with The Cunning Plan. Take perfectly balanced fruit, pick, gently crush to preserve whole berries and allow to soak for 4 days prior to a wild fermentation. Wild fermented and then pressed to French oak only, with 10% new.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe third in a series of La Niña influenced vintages, 2023 was perhaps the most extreme. In an erratic season, the consistent theme was of cooler than average temperatures and wet weather periods during the ripening period. Yields varied massively from site to site and this meant for massive variations in ripening periods and more detailed vineyard work than ever before. The lack of intense heat resulted in one of the latest seasons on record and the wines made display elegance, brilliant aromatics and supreme balance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlc\/Vol: 14.5%\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Thistledown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42452199604433,"sku":"9351897000095","price":33.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0550\/6662\/4209\/files\/regions_thistledown_cunningplan2023.png?v=1736044377"},{"product_id":"thistledown-the-cunning-plan-202-6-pack","title":"Thistledown The Cunning Plan 2023 - 6 Pack","description":"\u003cp\u003eEver since their historic Scots, James Busby and John MacArthur, founded the Australian wine industry in the early 19th century, the relationship between Scotland and Australia has endured. Guardians of a long history, Thistle down Wine Co. continues the tradition of Scottish ingenuity and great Australian wine. From their small-batch winery in the idyllic Adelaide Hills, they work with pristine fruits sourced from iconic vineyards.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCultivating the beautiful region of McLaren Vale, bounded by the Gulf to the West and various ranges to the East and North, Thistle down Wine Co. has long been the home to some of Australia's finest expressions of Shiraz. The fruit comes from the Moray Park vineyard in the McLaren Flats sub-region.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWith low yielding and ultra-intense vines, they handle the fruit gently to capture the delicious berry character, overlaid with subtle wood-spice. Winemaking is simple with The Cunning Plan: perfectly balanced fruit is picked, gently crushed to preserve whole berries, and allowed to soak for four days prior to wild fermentation at 300-litre French hogsheads, of which 15% are new. The wine ages for 10 months before being fined and unfiltered.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eTasting Note:\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGreat depth of ripe plum and blackberry fruit flavors. A full-bodied wine with a succulent palate, lively spices, and fine velvety tannins. The wine is fresh, offering chocolaty dipped plums, meaty character, fleshy but supple tannins, and fairly long salted plum aftertaste. A nice wine with classic hearty regional stuff\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlc\/Vol: 14.5%\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Thistledown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42674151882961,"sku":"ALLTHISCPSHIRAZ23","price":155.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0550\/6662\/4209\/files\/regions_thistledown_charmingman22_6pack_clipped_rev_1.png?v=1707181331"},{"product_id":"thistledown-gorgeous-grenache-blanc-2025","title":"Thistledown Gorgeous Grenache Blanc 2025","description":"\u003cp\u003eGrenache is Australia’s signature grape variety and we’re slightly obsessed with it. The white version is still rare in Australia but capable of beautifully textured, citrus laced wines of great drinkability.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn explosion of flavour meets suave, seductive personality! Bright, tangy citrus laced fruit with hints of honeysuckle and lemon balm. Taut, yet textured and complex, this is a beautifully crafted white that breaks the mould.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuitable for vegetarians and vegans.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan face=\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan face=\"Verdana, sans-serif\"\u003eAlc\/Vol: 13.5%\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Thistledown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43164009496785,"sku":"9351897000583","price":23.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0550\/6662\/4209\/files\/regions_thistledown_grenacheblanc2022_4372c12f-657b-4e60-8168-a4e9677c74d4.png?v=1782266496"},{"product_id":"thistledown-sands-of-time-blewitt-springs-grenache-2025","title":"Thistledown Sands of Time Blewitt Springs Grenache 2025","description":"\u003cp\u003eSourced from one single vineyard, planted 1952, the bush trained vines on pure sand yield up a wine of immense purity and power that is both light and intense at the same time. Highly aromatic with notes of sandalwood, dried orange, violets and wood spice on the nose, it follows through to a palate that is paradoxically elegant and vibrant but concentrated and persistent. Silky smooth with a glossy, hightly attractive palate of wild strawberry, violets and the merest hint of cinnamon and woodsmoke. Achingly beautiful but deliciously drinkable all at once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlc\/Vol: 14.5%\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Thistledown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43164164096209,"sku":"15926","price":100.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0550\/6662\/4209\/files\/regions_thistledown_sandsoftimeNV.png?v=1782301537"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0550\/6662\/4209\/collections\/57e9e5a7e3fb59a135cfba480f59877f.jpg?v=1668909764","url":"https:\/\/regionscellars.com.au\/collections\/thistledown\/2025.oembed","provider":"Regions Cellars","version":"1.0","type":"link"}