2024 Thistledown Walking With Kings Roussanne Grenache Blanc

95 pts
Textural white blend bringing together the best of Roussanne and Grenache Blanc.

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Description

The crew at Thistledown are most famous for their all-conquering Grenache wines, but this white blend shows they are just as smart with their alternative whites. It is inspired by the sun-drenched, textured blends of the Southern Rhone, mixing Roussanne and Grenache Blanc from some gritty, ironstone-rich soils in McLaren Vale.

A hot, parched growing season could have easily resulted in a heavy, fat white, but they managed the harvest times beautifully. Hands-off winemaking as usual, letting the juice ferment with wild yeasts in old, large French puncheons and hogsheads. Eight months on lees without any fining or filtration adds further textural and depth.

The wine has a great, waxy weight, a mile away from the clean, boring stainless-steel archetype. It's a full-bodied white, packed with a pulpy orchard fruit depth and a nutty, wild-herb complexity. A proper, grippy finish and good natural acid keeps the whole drink taut and savoury.

A fantastic, unforced food wine that has plenty of personality.

95 points
"Lifted orchard florals and fruits, with pear, golden and pink apples, brown spices and ginger, the nose aromatically complex, fragrant but not overt. The palate has a similar quiet complexity, with succulent acidity paired with a citrus pith tension and neatly judged textural flex. A very fine expression."
- Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)

94 points
"Aromatic, honeysuckle, pear, ginger and spice – a fine smelling wine. It’s bright and juicy, powdery texture, fine mouth-perfume, balanced acidity with a finish of excellent length. Distinctive."
- Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

94 points
" It has notes of white flowers and scratched citrus, green apples, white pepper and all things waxy and crunchy too. This is mineral and really impressive—a great wine. It's texturally complex and layered, closing with a saline tang."
- Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)

95 points - "52/48% roussanne/grenache blanc. Both varieties were barrel fermented, with the grenache oxidatively handled prior, and both wild fermented; 11 months in barrel. Lifted orchard florals and fruits, with pear, golden and pink apples, brown spices and ginger, the nose aromatically complex, fragrant but not overt. The palate has a similar quiet complexity, with succulent acidity paired with a citrus pith tension and neatly judged textural flex. A very fine expression." - Marcus Ellis (Halliday Wine Companion)

94 points - "Aromatic, honeysuckle, pear, ginger and spice – a fine smelling wine. It’s bright and juicy, powdery texture, fine mouth-perfume, balanced acidity with a finish of excellent length. Distinctive. It does this blend proud, and I reckon that it’s way harder to get a Rhône blend balanced and correct, than it is for, say, Chardonnay. Yes, is the upshot." - Gary Walsh (The Wine Front)

94 points - "The 2024 Walking With Kings Roussanne Grenache Blanc is a blend of handpicked, barrel-fermented Roussanne, while the Grenache Blanc component likely contains the first harvest off the new planting from Sue Trott, at the McLaren Flat site. The vines were grafted over onto established root systems and started vigorously, meaning the initial green harvest was both necessary and significant. I tasted this component from tank in November 2024 and was blown away by its minerality and energy. It has notes of white flowers and scratched citrus, green apples, white pepper and all things waxy and crunchy too. This is mineral and really impressive—a great wine. It's texturally complex and layered, closing with a saline tang. The wine is quite leesy and woody through the finish, but the fruit weight and acidity are magnificent; I'm certain this would come together nicely in a glass over an hour or so. Recommended. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap." - Erin Larkin (The Wine Advocate)

94 points - "A lively, flavorful and succulent blend, showing aromas of green apples, dried lemons, wild herbs and hints of almonds. Medium-bodied with fresh acidity. Silky and very juicy on the palate. Tactile and citrusy, this has plenty of verve and energy with a precise, delicious and long finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap." - Kevin Davy (James Suckling)

91 points - "Spiced nectarine and honeysuckle aromas lead into a cushioned yet lively palate of tangy lemon curd and honeyed flavours. It's youthful and a touch nervy in its delivery, but time will help calm it. There's a lovely energy and purity to the wine; subtle waxy notes appear, too. It will age nicely, but it's also exciting in its youth." - Gabrielle Poy (The Real Review)

A Rhône inspired white which takes the richly textured Roussanne and blends with the crisp, green apple and citrus of Grenache Blanc to create a wine of real balance and complexity. Walking with Kings is a wine that we have always wanted to make, one that is true to our original goals and is not driven by commercial compromise.

Tasting
A richly textured white wine with creamy, aromatic and exotic notes from Roussanne and more vibrant, green apple from Grenache. The end result is a wine so versatile, complex yet so moreish.

Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Winemaking
Hand-picked Roussanne from Sellicks Hills, biodynamic Grenache Blanc from Kangarilla.
Both varieties are hand picked and fermented separately. Roussanne is whole bunch pressed, lightly settled and wild fermented in French oak. Grenache is oxidatively handled prior to wild ferment in barrel. The two components blend prior to bottling.

Price Bracket $51 to $100
Type White
Body Full Bodied
Variety Roussanne
Country Australia
Region McLaren Vale
Australian State SA
Reviewed By The Wine Front
Halliday Wine Companion
The Real Review
James Suckling
The Wine Advocate
Critic Score 95
Alcohol 12.5%
Size 750ml
Vintage 2023
Closure Screw Cap

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