Thistledown, The Great Escape Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia, 2023

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 Great Escape is Thistledown's benchmark, cooler climate Chardonnay produced from fruit grown in elevated vineyard sites which allow for a long ripening period which helps to maintain the natural sugar and acid balance of the grape. With moderate alcohol, focussed, crisp citrus fruit and a mouth-watering finish, this is an accomplished, truly modern style of this noble variety. Dry grown, old bush vines, grown on red-brown sandy loams with quartz and ironstone. Low intervention viticulture with minimal spray regime, cover crops and promotion of biodiversity.

Winemaking

Fruit went directly to press after picking. The free run juice was run off to tank to settle. We retain a relatively high level of solids in the ferment, all of which is wild fermented in used French oak or concrete egg. We do not encourage malolactic as they want to preserve the crisp, citrus fruit profile.

Oak Ageing

Time: 10 Months
Type: 300 litre French Oak
% wine oaked: 50
% new oak: 10

Tasting Note

Citrussy, subtle oak influence and a bright yet creamy palate. With moderate alcohol, focussed, crisp citrus fruit and a mouth-watering finish, this is an accomplished, truly modern style of this noble variety.

Food Matching

Shellfish, oysters and aromatic Asian dishes.