Thistledown, Cunning Plan Shiraz, McLaren Vale, South Australia, Australia, 2022

Producer Profile

Masters of Wine, Giles Cooke & Fergal Tynan, founded Thistledown Wines in 2010 after discovering iconic vineyard sites in the McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills.

They make hand-made, small batch wines that perfectly illustrate the benefits of great sites and intelligent, minimalist winemaking.

Viticulture

The beautiful region of McLaren Vale is bounded by the Gulf to the West and the various ranges to the East and North. Geologically one of the most diverse regions on earth, it 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 Flat sub-region. Picked on the way up to retain vibrancy and energy.

Winemaking

Winemaking 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 either no new oak or only a small percentage used depending on vintage.

Oak Ageing

Time: 10 Months
Type: French 300 Litre
% wine oaked: 100
% new oak: 10

Tasting Note

Great depth of ripe plum and blackberry fruit flavours. A full bodied wine with a succulent palate, lively spices and fine velvety tannins.

Food Matching

Heart stews, Asian hotpots, cold meat cuts.

Awards

McLaren Vale Wine Shot 2023 Double Trophy Winner
Double Trophy Winner: Best Shiraz and Best Young Shiraz, McLaren Vale Wine Show 2023
James Suckling 92 Points
A powerful, typically regional shiraz, exuding baking spice, clove, bing cherry and five-spice. Soft and plush, with the caveat of some tangy acidity marking the forceful back end. Drink or hold. Screw cap. 92 Points, JS, Nov 2023.
Robert Parker Wine Advocate 93 Points
The 2022 Cunning Plan Shiraz is exotic and grounded by a register of graphite spice: crushed rocks, peppercorns, raw cocoa and even tapenade. This is light on its feet yet intense and focused. It is supple but not plush, and while sybaritic in its splay of purple and black fruit, it isn't opulently styled. Again, this is a lovely release from the 2022 vintage here—restrained and ripe. 93 Points, EL.