Thistledown Wine Company
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SANDS OF TIME GRENACHE

Sands of Time Grenache

Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale
Varietal Award Winner Halliday Wine Companion
The Best Grenache in Australia, Halliday Wine Companion (2019 vintage)

Early on in our Grenache journey, we were introduced to Sue Trott’s Home Block in the Blewitt Springs sub-region of McLaren Vale. It’s beautiful aspect, raised elevation and free-draining deep sandy soils are the perfect spot for dry-grown bush-vine Grenache and we were so lucky to be offered the opportunity to purchase a little fruit. Some years on and we have learned a little about the site and refined our picking decisions and vinification to the extent that from 2017 we were content that we could do the site justice by bottling separately.
Sands of Time Old Vine Single Vineyard Grenache
$95 btl. | VIEW IN STORE $240 magnum | VIEW IN STORE
Tasting 
A faithful expression of the site – beautiful, haunting aromatics, fine sandy tannins and wonderful, memorable length on the palate.

Only 3060 Bottles & 55 Magnums produced

Suitable for vegetarians & vegans.
Points & Awards


  • 97 points - Robert Parker Wine Advocate
  • 95 points - JamesSuckling.com
  • 94 points - The Wine Front

  • GOLD McLaren Vale Wine Show
  • 96+ points - Robert Parker Wine Advocate
  • 96 points - Halliday Wine Companion
  • 96 points - Decanter
  • 96 points - JamesSuckling.com
  • 96 points - The Wine Front
  • 95 points - The Real Review

  • #58 TOP 100 Australian Wines James Suckling
  • 97+ points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 
  • 97 points - Halliday Wine Companion 
  • TOP TEN Grenache (70 Great Wines) - Halliday Wine Companion
  • 96 points - The Vintage Journal (Andrew Caillard MW)
  • 95 points - The Wine Front
  • 95 points & TOP RANK - The Real Review
  • 94 points - JamesSuckling.com

  • #14 TOP 100 Australian Wines James Suckling
  • TROPHY Global Fine Wine Challenge 2021
  • 97 points (Editor's Choice) - Wine Enthusiast
  • 96 points - Wine Companion
  • 96 points - The Real Review
  • 95+ points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  • 95+ points - The WineFront 
  • 94 points - Vinous
  • 17.5/20 points - JancisRobinson.com

  • BEST GRENACHE IN AUSTRALIA (97 points) Halliday Wine Companion
  • 96 points - Tyson Stelzer, Wine Business Magazine
  • 96 Points - Huon Hooke, The Real Review
  • 95+ Points - Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
  • 95 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  • 95 Points - Nick Stock, JamesSuckling.com
  • 95 Points - Gourmet Traveller Wine
  • 95 Points - Vinous
  • 17pts - Jancis Robinson
  • 24 Vinous Highlights of 2020 - Sarah Ahmed

  • Winner - James Halliday Grenache Challenge, 2019
  • Top Gold - James Halliday Grenache Challenge, 2019
  • 97 points - James Halliday Grenache Challenge, 2019
  • Gold Medal - McLaren Vale Wine Show, 2019
  • 96 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  • 96 points - Sarah Ahmed
  • 94 points - Huon Hooke
  • 95 points - James Halliday
  • 95+ points - Gary Walsh
  • 94 points - James Suckling
  • 93 points - The Wine Advocate

  • Top 100 Australian Wines 2019 - Matthew Jukes
  • Silver Medal - McLaren Vale Wine Show, 2018
  • Silver Medal - James Halliday Grenache Challenge 2018
  • 96 points - James Halliday
  • 96 points - Gary Walsh 
  • 94 points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  • 93 points - Huon Hooke 

Viticulture & Winemaking
Sourced from one vineyard, planted in 1952, with bush trained vines on pure sand yielding a wine of immense purity and power that is both light and intense at the same time.

Hand-picked, on the way up, we vinify naturally in concrete and place whole bunches alternately with de-stemmed fruit to create a layer cake. A very gentle, slow fermentation is followed by maturation in oak and concrete before a careful selection is done, which is then bottled unfined and unfiltered 10 months later.
All Vintages 
Click below to download tasting notes in PDF format.
2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017
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