Brian Croser led Australia’s chardonnay romance by planting the Tiers vineyard at Piccadilly in 1978, though his significant reassessment on how to best treat this grape variety is indicative of Australia’s renewed success with chardonnay. For his family’s Tapanappa label, Croser has produced a wine that emphasises vibrant fruit ripeness rather than rounded, developed characters – capturing a truly Australian essence rather than chasing Burgundian style. Free-run juice from the hand-harvested grapes were fermented in French oak barriques for 10 months, going through full malolactic fermentation without getting broad and buttery, then bottled without filtration in February and shipped immediately to market. As a result, it boasts fresh peach flavours and tangy minerality, enhanced by refreshing acidity for a clean, crisp finish. It’s marvellously balanced and complete in its youth, though its grace and beauty will persist with ageing.
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