McLaren Vale's proximity to the sea always seems to give the wines a breezy, well
defined fruit profile with lots of lifted aromatics and bright fruit.

The cooling sea breezes which dominate the ripening season, combined with higher altitude sites, allows for the later ripening of varieties such as Grenache and it is there, amongst the low, ancient sandy hills of Blewitt Springs and Clarendon, that we find some of the most exciting Grenache fruit in all of Australia.

For us, McLaren is less about power and more about fruit purity, balance and perfume. We realise it is world class for Grenache and, along with a few other hardy souls, we continue to champion this variety in this region.

More than any other region in Australia, the winemakers of McLaren Vale have banded together to profile what makes the region so unique. Decades of research have led to the publication of a geology map that charts all of the significant soil types of the region.

The results, for the soil geeks amongst us, are stimulating. The soils of the McLaren Vale are some of the oldest of any winemaking region with most dating back 10s of millions of years, if not hundreds. Considering that wine has only been made here for less than 200 years, we reckon there is still a whole lot to learn.

HISTORY

It's a real melting pot of a region with many nationalities having been involved in its settlement ever since Colonel Light founded the region in 1837.

The region is situated 30km south of Adelaide and lies within two triangular basins which have had layers of sediment deposited there over the last 45 million years by the rise and fall of the sea.

Latterly, residential development has encroached on the region but nothing can take away from the beautiful, rolling countryside, the views to the sea, the bustling villages, the well tended vineyards and the stunning old vine resources.

It is not hard to produce wine that is high in colour, high in alcohol and high in tannin in the Barossa. We were seeing progressively higher alcohols as fashion favoured longer hang times for the fruit in a bid to achieve true flavour ripeness.

The result was wines that, in some instances, are caricatures of Barossa Shiraz. Not for us. We aim to capture the true flavour of Barossa in a more moderate framework - still robust, fully flavoured but brighter, more balanced and full of life.

There are basically two main soil types in the Barossa and both are thought to be relatively low in fertility: brown, loamy sandy to clay loam and sandy light-brownish grey to dark grey brown soils. Many of the most famous vineyards have a deep red tinge to the soil colour and this chimes with the intensity and deep colouration of many of the wines.

Old Vines are important to the region too with Barossa being one of the few regions left to have a significant vineyard with over 100 years of age. These gnarly old vines don't necessarily make better wine but vineyards that make great wine do tend to be left to grow old!

Where we can gain access, these old vines capture the essence of the region, bringing with them the ghosts of the past and the tastes of the future and as such are Thistledown's most prized sources.

HISTORY

For many wine-lovers, Barossa is synonymous with Shiraz and Australian Shiraz synonymous with Barossa. Thistledown is no different in that we have an unfailing belief in this region though the way we go about producing may differ a little from the norm.

The region was established after George Fife Angas assisted the settlement of an entire European settlement made up of predominantly Prussian provinces, including German speaking people from Silesia. They set about clearing the land for farming, built houses and churches while establishing vine "gardens". 

To this day, the German speaking heritage of the region is clear to see in the road names, winemaker's surnames and the delicious fatty foods sold in the numerous bakeries that dot the region.

The region is known for its cool climate styles and, since the resurgence of winemaking in the region since the 1970's, has become synonymous with the production of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. 

More recently, cool climate Syrah, aromatic varietals such as Grüner Veltliner, Gewürtztraminer and Pinot Gris have come to the fore but for us, it's hard to beat a classic and we're delighted to champion Chardonnay as the star performer in this region.

The Adelaide Hills region is one of the largest and most topographically diverse in South Australia.

The region is situated in the Mount Lofty Ranges, east of the city of Adelaide. Stretching in a narrow arc approximately 70km long which borders the Barossa to the north and McLaren Vale to the south. With vineyards at heights of over 650m in areas such as Picadilly, Summertown and Carey Gully, the Adelaide Hills has some of the most challenging viticulture in all of South Australia. the vineyards reach heights of 650m in areas such as Piccadilly, Summertown and Carey Gully.

In such a large region, it is difficult to generalise at any level. This most beautiful of regions has a myriad of microclimates, soil types and aspects which make it both the most beautiful to visit and one of the most exciting in which to make wine.

HISTORY

Mount Lofty, the highest point in the Adelaide Hills, was named by Matthew Flinders in 1802 when he circumnavigated the coastline of Australia. The Adelaide Hills region was later settled by predominantly British people who established the familiar sounding villages of Stirling, Crafers and Bridgewater.

The British were joined by German and Silesian settlers in the 1840’s who established the European styled villages of Hahndorf and Lobethal.

Vineyards were first established in in 1840 and they thrived until 1900 when Imperial preference meant that their wines were no longer favoured by the British. After decades of fruit and dairy production, the region was re-discovered in the 1970s for cool climate viticulture.

Today, the Adelaide Hills region is at the centre of the new Australian wine revolution. A melting pot of ideas, it is home to some of the most iconoclastic, exciting and innovative winemakers in Australia.