One of South Australia’s leading wineries, Thistledown Wines, has recently changed ownership. Known for producing some of the region’s best Grenache, the winery has been fully acquired by Giles Cooke MW, Paddy Gilhooly, and Laura Samson. Previously, Thistledown was a part of the much larger UK-based Alliance Wine Group.
“Thistledown has been a subsidiary company of UK-based Alliance Wine Group – a business that I have been involved with for over 30 years,” Director and Master of Wine, Giles Cooke MW said. “After much soul searching, and with the blessing of Alliance Wine, we have decided that the time is right for Thistledown to flourish on its own.”
The trio now owns the Australian operation, along with their New Zealand brand, Earthsong. Laura Samson, who has played an important role in the winery’s marketing, will work alongside Giles and Paddy to manage the business. With years of experience and a shared love for wine, they are excited about what lies ahead while staying true to the values that have made Thistledown successful.
“Paddy and Laura have a long history in the business and live in South Australia,” Giles Cooke said. “We have worked together for some 15 years and our shared vision and passion for Thistledown drives us enthusiastically forward.
“While we are all very excited about this new chapter for Thistledown we promise, with this change, that some key things will not change! Our wines, our quality, our commitment to serve our customers, and our desire to enrich lives through wine.”
Paddy and Laura, both originally from Scotland, have a long history in the wine business. They first met while working for Alliance Wine Group in the UK over a decade ago. The pair’s decision to relocate to South Australia was fuelled by the growing success of their wine project and their desire to lay down roots in a country where they had recently secured citizenship, particularly with a young family in tow.
“I think for us, it’s a big change to move to a much smaller, independent business,” Paddy Gilhooly says. “The main thing we’re focused on not changing is the quality of the wines. We’re going to keep pushing quality up.”
Founded in 2010, Thistledown Wines has set out to create wines that are precise, elegant, and energetic, reflecting the unique qualities of their vineyards. Over time, the winery has become a leader in Grenache production in Australia.
Thistledown also produces high-quality Chardonnay from the Adelaide Hills and Eden Valley, and Shiraz from McLaren Vale, Eden Valley, and Barossa. Giles Cooke MW oversees winemaking and uses techniques such as whole bunch inclusion, wild ferments, and working with old vines to produce wines of remarkable purity and precision.
Thistledown’s dedication to Grenache has earned it multiple awards, including the Halliday Wine Companion Grenache of the Year award twice. The winery is currently a Halliday Wine Companion 5 Red Star Winery, a Top Winery of Australia according to The Real Review, and a certified member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia (SWA).
As the winery embarks on this new chapter under its new owners, fans can expect the same exceptional wines, with an even stronger focus on quality. The winery will continue to produce world-class wines that showcase the best of South Australia’s vineyards, continuing to raise the bar in the wine industry.
What: Thistledown Wines
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