Thistledown Charming Man Clarendon Grenache 2024

Category:
 
Red Wines
Sub-Category:  
 
Red Wines
Producer:
 
Thistledown
Label Name:
 
Charming Man Clarendon Grenache
Vintage:
 
2024
Country:
 
Australia
Region:
 
Clarendon, McLaren Vale, South Australia
Volume:
 
750ml
ABV:
 
13.5%
Grape(s):
 
Grenache
Acidity:
 
4
Tannins:
 
3
Sweetness:
 
1
Body:
 
3
Length:
 
4
Aroma Intensity:
 
4
Best Temperature:
 
14-16°C

Awards/Ratings
Multiple high scores and awards: Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate 97pts; Decanter 97pts; James Suckling 97pts; The Wine Front 96+; Wine Front/Gary Walsh 95–96; Halliday Wine Companion: top honours (Wine of the Year / very high score); Gold McLaren Vale Wine Show; numerous Top 100 listings

Tasting Note
Silky dark raspberry and black cherry with blood orange, violet and warm North African spices; perfumed, mineral/ferrous undertones, elegant medium body and a long, stony, perfumed finish.

Food Pairing
Roasted lamb, beef casserole, coq au vin, charcuterie; Asian pairings: char siu pork, miso‑glazed aubergine, Korean BBQ, spiced duck and Sichuan‑style beef.

Production Method
Hand‑picked (March); 20% whole‑bunch layered in a concrete pyramid; wild fermentation with gentle hand plunging; pressed to 300L French hogsheads and matured ~12 months (20% new oak).

Vineyard Info
Thistledown, founded by Giles Cooke MW (2010), specialises in old‑vine Grenache. Fruit from the Smart family’s dry‑grown, century‑old Clarendon vineyard; small‑batch, terroir‑driven minimalist winemaking.