2024 Thistledown Sands of Time Grenache, Blewitt Springs McLaren Vale

Thistledown Sands of Time Grenache from Blewitt Springs in McLaren Vale is a profound, deeply expressive red wine that stands as one of Australia’s most compelling interpretations of old vine Grenache. Sourced from ancient bush vines planted in 1946 on the deep sandy soils of Blewitt Springs, this wine is a masterclass in elegance, perfume, and site transparency.

Thistledown has become a leader in the Grenache revival, and Sands of Time is their flagship expression. Winemakers Giles Cooke MW and Fergal Tynan MW take a highly detailed approach—farming is meticulous, and the winemaking is low-intervention but precise. Fruit is handpicked at perfect phenolic ripeness, often with whole bunch inclusion to bring structure and aromatic lift. Fermentation is wild, extraction is gentle, and the wine is aged in large French oak for texture and polish without oak dominance.

The Blewitt Springs subregion is critical to the wine’s character. High elevation, cooling breezes from the nearby Gulf, and iron-rich sandy soils give the wine finesse, lifted aromatics, and mineral tension—far from the dense, overly ripe styles that once defined the region.

In the glass, it opens with wild strawberry, raspberry, rose petal, baking spices, and hints of blood orange and tea leaf. The palate is medium bodied with velvety tannins, bright acidity, and a savoury, sandstone-like mineral finish that lingers with grace and purpose. It’s soulful, structured, and built to age.

Sands of Time is a benchmark for contemporary Australian Grenache and a stunning pairing with duck, grilled lamb, or slow-cooked vegetables.