Thistledown Sands of Time Grenache 2025

97 POINTS

Marcus Ellis - Halliday Wine Companion

From the 1952-planted Trott vineyard, which was sold in '26, although the source will likely be a constant for Thistledown. Like the Smart vineyard bottling, this has a distinct imprint of site, and with a super gentle touch, where ferments (30% whole bunch layered in concrete) are not worked, just managed; the transparency of making is a magnifying glass on place. Darker red fruits, as usual, more earthy, with some black spice notes and bergamot tea. Red and black cherry, rosehip, quite floral, if subdued, reds and blues. This seems more refined each year, even in what was a warm and dry year. It’s a fine trajectory, and another superb release.

96 POINTS

Erin Larkin - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2025 Sands of Time Old Vine Single Vineyard Grenache is aromatic and dark; the concentration of fruit and acidity in the mouth is pronounced, as it seems to be in all of these 2025s. The vineyard, in the heart of Blewitt Springs, is owned by Sue Trott and was planted in 1952 with own-rooted bush vines on steep, southeast-facing, maslin sand. It fermented in concrete, using the layer cake method, with a layer of whole bunches placed at the base, then crushed, then a layer of whole bunches and then crushed and so on until the concrete tank is full. It was wild fermented, and the concept here is around even fermentation, with a focus on ferment kinetics; it is thought that this process conveys the transparency of the site, with winemaking distractions. The wine is populated by sweet fruit and shaped by fine tannins and acidity, which lends a crunch and intensity to the wine. There are notes of star anise, garden rose, raspberry, licorice, crushed shell and red apple. This is very pretty. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Bottled February 2026.

Mike Bennie - The Wine Front

The 2025 vintage will be/is a different character for grenache from McLaren Vale. MB: Dark fruited, cherry and forest berry compote, mocha notes, including a bit of coffee ground tannin profile, choc-mint, some lemon-orange acidity making waves and a bit of salted liquorice and a touch of ferrous, iron filing character. Licks of nuttiness set underneath. There’s a sense of freshness here, perking things up, but also leading the wine into a slightly shrill zone in terms of balance of fruit and spice, a sour note to acidity. It’s curious in that there’s prime drinkability, but also a slightly peaky, acid adjunct note being distracting. It feels a bit discombobulated and not quite harmonious now. 87 points GW: Cherry, mint, chocolate, dried herbs and orange zest. It’s fuller in body, sour cherry and blackberry, quite some zip to acidity, shows some warmth, praline, with a tangy finish of modest length. This is quite rugged and somewhat awkward, tannin is sandy and not quite ripe, and it feels warm and diffuse. A hard and dry year shows its hand. 87 points.