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THISTLEDOWN WINES Sands Of Time Old Vine Single Vineyard Grenache, McLaren Vale

The Old Vine Syrah patch was planted in the 1930s and is on a slope of the property with a westerly aspect. These old gnarly vines are planted in heavily decomposed ironstone and quartz. The style of wine is completely individual and the winemaking team always comment on how light the style is and how exotic the spices are in this vineyard. The spices come across like incense mixed with deeply aromatic and smoky lapsang oolong tea. Exotic characters such as sandalwood, cocoa powder, sarsaparilla and cola elements top the roast meat and flinty, strawberry and cream palette of this wine. The lighter frame on this style is highly attractive and the intoxicating spices combine to create something highly exotic.

Z-Force is named in tribute to the Z Special Force, which was a special Australian Army unit created in World War Two to operate behind enemy lines. Z-Force’s members were from many countries and specialised in unique guerrilla warfare. Although disbanded after the war, Z-Force pioneered numerous operational techniques and tactics, many as daring as they were brilliant, that remain a model to this day. The surviving members of Z Special Unit last marched together on Anzac Day in Sydney 2010. The extraordinary bravery of their unit and its lost brothers are honoured in this wine, which is Zonte’s Footstep finest. Each bottle of this wine sold helps support the work of Legacy South Australia.

Full of cassis, plum, deep blackcurrant and cherry aromas. Use of premium oak provides lifted aromatics of luscious spice, cedar and mint with a smooth, silky finish. Supple tannis with generous fruit form a great wine to celebrate with your family adding a certain zest to your festive occasion. Perfectly paired to any pork of beef dishes.

Very dark, vibrant, purple with a dense crimson hue. Pepper/spice on the nose with macerated berries and a hint of pink grapefruit. Plum pudding and Christmas spices. Rich and soft entry with fragrant red fruits, some fresh tarragon and clear cedar characters complemented by dark cacao. Juicy macerated blackberries, tempered with the soft idiosyncratic milky McLaren Vale Shiraz sweetness and roundness and spike of red citrus and cranberry notes. Lush mouth filling after palate with rolling soft,

AROMA: Evoking notes of blackberry, ripe fig, and Arabic coffee. PALATE: It retains an unlikely softness given its serious long-term potential; its silky elegance is deceptive.