Why this wine matters
More than a famous label.
Thistledown sources the fruit from Blewitt Springs, a cooler sandy sector of McLaren Vale known for aromatic Shiraz.
Thistledown · McLaren Vale, South Australia
Cunning Plan Shiraz
McLaren Vale Shiraz · blackberry · pepper · spice · juicy · fresh
Cunning Plan is a bright, modern McLaren Vale Shiraz with a name that makes it unusually memorable.
Country
Australia
Region
McLaren Vale, South Australia
Appellation
McLaren Vale
Grapes
Shiraz
Style
Red
Realistic spend
£23–£30
Budget band: £20–£35
Best moments
birthdayfathers daybarbecuecasualgift
A memorable McLaren Vale Shiraz for barbecue season, Father’s Day and birthdays.
How it is made
The decisions behind the style.
The house style favours freshness and restrained extraction rather than the heaviest possible version of McLaren Vale Shiraz.
What does it taste like?
The shape of the wine.
Blackberry and plum meet pepper, herbs and spice, with juicy fruit, moderate tannin and a fresh finish.
Body4/5
Acidity4/5
Tannin3/5
Sweetness0/5
Oak influence2/5
Freshness4/5
Aroma4/5
Serve it well
Serve around 15–17°C.
If this wine were human…
The big-hearted joker
If Cunning Plan Shiraz were human, it would be generous, a little mischievous and usually the person still feeding everyone after dessert.
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Does any of this sound suspiciously familiar?
Generous, a little mischievous and usually the person still feeding everyone after dessert. You appreciate tradition, but only when it has earned the right to stay.
At dinner, you know when the table needs another bottle and when it needs coffee instead. Secretly, you enjoy being underestimated until the second half of the evening.
In short: generous, a little mischievous and usually the person still feeding everyone after dessert. mclaren vale shiraz energy, translated into a person.
Purely for fun — this is the wine’s fictional personality, not a psychological reading of yours.
What to eat with it
And the cheese?
No dead ends.
Start with this wine and move straight into cheese, or build a whole tasting around it.
Keep exploring
There are 365 more wines where this came from.
Research sources
This profile is researched against producer or similarly authoritative material. Vintage-specific details are kept separate from the permanent wine identity.