It’s time to go “Down Under” for a truly amazing old-vine Grenache that will change your impression of Australian wines forever. Some of the oldest plantings of Grenache can be found in the Barossa, Eden Valley, and in McLaren where the “Blewitt Springs” sub-region is producing some of the most resonating and pure Grenaches not just in Australia but in the world. This noble varietal gets all of the attention in the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Southern Rhône Valley as well as in Spain’s Priorat district. However, you’re not going to find a Grenache with such amazing pedigree and purity than Thistledown’s “Sands of Time” especially for the price point. The top old-vine 100% Grenache Châteauneuf-du-Papes and Priorato Grenache dominated blends will easily put you back over a $100 per bottle!

The “Sands of Time” has previously won the coveted Grenache of the Year accolades and consistently receives praise from the international press. Its consistency, and superior quality, firmly establishes Sands of Time as a benchmark wine for Blewitt Springs and importantly emphasizes their position among the very best producers in Australia. 

The fruit is sourced from the “Trott Vineyard” which was planted in 1952 in free-draining deep sandy soils, the perfect medium to grow bush-vine Grenache. The juice is fermented in concrete and then matured in older oak and more concrete for another 10 months. Ironically enough, this effort weighs in at less alcohol than most of the top Grenache cuvées of the Southern Rhône. It retains layers of concentration with surprising ultra-fine tannins which makes it a pleasure to enjoy right out of the gate with an hour of aeration. The wine has amazing balance from start to finish and is poised to cellar for another decade no problem.

This is a dark-saturated wonder that emits an array of spicebox seasoning with the right amount of tobacco, leather and licorice seasoning to accentuate the dark raspberry and black cherry fruit. The wine lingers on the palate for a few minutes with powdery tannins. We’re banking on this wine and you should too. Buying one bottle is not enough. Cheers Mate!