2025 Thistledown Gorgeous Grenache Rosé, Riverland

Thistledown Gorgeous Grenache Rosé is a bright, expressive, and delightfully dry rosé from South Australia’s Riverland, crafted to highlight Grenache’s natural perfume and lively fruit character. Thistledown Wines, founded by Giles Cooke MW and Fergal Tynan MW, has built a strong reputation for producing beautifully detailed, vineyard-driven wines from old-vine Grenache grown in some of Australia’s most overlooked regions. The Gorgeous Rosé sits in their playful yet precise range, offering freshness and personality in a style inspired by Provence but unmistakably Australian in its vibrancy.

The fruit is sourced from sustainably farmed vineyards in the Riverland, where old bush vines thrive in sandy soils under warm, dry conditions. While the Riverland is known for volume production, Thistledown focuses on selecting premium parcels from older vines with lower yields, which give fruit with real concentration and aromatic lift. Grapes are harvested early to capture natural acidity and pressed gently with minimal skin contact to achieve a delicate pale pink hue. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel, preserving Grenache’s fragrant red fruit and ensuring a clean, crisp style with no oak influence.

In the glass, Thistledown Gorgeous Grenache Rosé is a pale salmon colour, shimmering with freshness. Aromas of wild strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, and citrus blossom rise from the glass, supported by a hint of rose petals. The palate is crisp, dry, and finely textured, with juicy red berries and a subtle chalky edge giving shape to the refreshing finish. It’s lively, moreish, and perfectly suited to warm weather.

This rosé is excellent as an aperitif and pairs beautifully with grilled prawns, fresh salads with goat’s cheese, charcuterie, or light Mediterranean dishes like tomato and basil bruschetta. It’s also ideal with spicy seafood or simple antipasti. Best enjoyed young and well chilled to capture its bright, pure fruit character.