The Thistledown Online Tasting is our first in the Winemaker Series with an Irish twist and we are thrilled. Fergal Tynan is a Trinity college graduate who went on to study the Master of Wine exams. He won the Sopexa prize for the highest marks in the theory exam and the Sherry Institute scholarship. Following on from many roles in the wine trade, he settled in Edinburgh where he operates one of the UK’s largest wholesale wine businesses, Alliance wine. The night before they began their first year studying for the Master of Wine, Fergal met Giles Cooke. They both went on to pass the exam and become Masters of wine. Bear in mind – only some 400 people have ever passed the exam and got the qualification.
In 2010 Fergal and Giles set out to change peoples perception of Australian wine. After a trip there, they realised the world saw Australian wine as big, bold and powerful. They felt the lands of McLaren Vale and the surrounds of Adelaide had the potential similar to that of Burgundy. They felt championing single vineyard, single site wines would be rewarded. ‘At a time when everyone was growing Shiraz, we went the other way and grew lots of grenache’ says Fergal. Now that Australia has realised the potential of Grenache they are all doing the same thing. However, Fergal just picked up the award for Australia’s best grenache amongst a James Halliday 5* winery award. His Cunning Plan shiraz, which is part of this tasting, was given 96 points and listed as one of the top 100 wines in Australia. It is a remarkable journey, and Fergal will join us on Friday May 14th to talk us through his wines, and the journey he has been on. He is a remarkable Irish gentleman, and he wears his knowledge lightly. Just look below at the line up and some of the awards and accolades these wines have won.
Wineonline.ie and delighted to import all of these wines into Ireland and in doing so, we are celebrating that with a tasting with Fergal himself, and hopefully you, all from the comfort of your own home. We will offer all attendees on the night a 20% discount code off any of the wines on a subsequent purchase. You are in for a treat, please sit back, relax and enjoy this Thorny Thistledown line up! Help us celebrate Fergal, and yet another indelible Irish mark made on wine across the globe
The tasting will last approximately one hour and 30 minutes.
How it Works?
Once you purchase a Thistledown Tasting Case, we will automatically send you a full case of 6 x 75cl wines and one bottle of 18.7cl Sands of Time, the best Grenache in Australia. The tasting will take place on Friday 14th May at 7pm
We will ship your tasting case to you up 3 – 4 days ahead of the tasting.
You will be welcome to buy a case and share the wines amongst a couple of households. To do this, you should share the link sent to you, with multiple households in order that you can all taste the wines, getting the most out of each Great Italian Tasting Case. We have an amount of Decanting Jar sets available so you can share one tasting case with multiple households, sop that up to 4 households can participate, with just one Tasting case. This keeps your costs down with each house having more than enough for 2 – 3 people to taste the wines on the evening. Decanting Jar Sets can be found here and added to your order.
Wild & Wilder Cloud Cukoo Fiano |Greco | Zibibbo
Riverland, Australia
1 x 75cl
A vibrant, textural white with hints of almond blossom, quince and ripe pear. Tangy, almost exotic but pithy and delicious
Wild & Wilder Cloud Cukoo Nero d’Avola | Montepulciano
Riverland, Australia
1 x 75cl
An unusual blend of varieties but this wine has the characteristic energy you’d expect from Italian reds. Deliciously succulent with smoky, dark cherry fruit, subtle spice and a mouth-watering finish.
The Cunning Plan Shiraz
McLaren Vale, Australia
1 x 75cl
96 points Drink to 2039, screwcap, 14.5% alc
‘A full-bodied shiraz that reflects cunning winemaking. Whole berry fermentation has put a rich gloss on the palate without overloading the tannin structure. The predominantly black berry fruit is shot through with licorice, spice and an airbrush of dark chocolate’ James Halliday Australian Wine Critic
The Vagabond Grenache
McLaren Vale, Australia
1 x 75cl
Silver Medal, McLaren Vale WineShow 2020
- 95 points - James Halliday Wine Companion
- 96 points - JamesSuckling.com
- 94 points - Nick Butler, The Real Review
- 94 points - Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
- 93 points - Wines & Spirits Magazine
- 93 points - Wine Spectator
- 91 points - The Wine Advocate
The Opportunist Shiraz
Langhorne Creek, Australia
1 x 75cl
An aromatic bouquet of ripe fruits, cherries and blackcurrants, with notes of freshly ground coffee, dark chocolate, peppermint, liquorice and subtle pepper. Thick and smooth with good balanced fruit weight.
BEST BUY & 90 points Wines & Spirits Magazine
- 91 points The Real Review
'Deep, bright purple/red colour. The aroma is spicy, talcy, young and nascent, the palate medium to full-bodied and fleshy, with layers of soft, fine tannins. The fruit is intense, concentrated and dense, with lovely fleshy texture and long, long carry.'
The Greats Escape Chardonnay
Adelaide Hills, Australia
1 x 75cl
The Great Escape is the benchmark, cool climate Chardonnay produced from fruit grown in elevated vineyard sites which allow for a long ripening period which helps to maintain the natural sugar and acid balance of the grape. With moderate alcohol, focussed, crisp citrus fruit and a mouth-watering finish, this is an accomplished, truly modern style of this noble variety.
Sands of Time. Grenache
McLaren Vale, Australia
1 x 18.7cl
This single vineyard Grenache from the Blewitt Springs’ stood out for its complexity, tension and lift, with perfumed rose water and spicy star anise to its animated red cherry, raspberry water melon and lick of blueberry fruit. With a dynamic interplay between juice and sandy, pithy tannins, the finish is long, fine, focused and thoroughly engaging’ Sarah Ahmed, Master of Wine
Total RRP: €149.00
Mixed Case RRP: €130.00
Save: €19.00 on this Case & live tasting!
