One of the great Chardonnay makers worldwide, Tapanappa manages to craft something delicious from the greatest sites in Adelaide Hills year after year. Toasty aromatics entice, while the palate indulges with initial notes of caramel and pencil shaving, then comes some peach, followed by intense and lingering citrus freshness, with lime juice and lemon zest bringing a cleansing finish to what is a Chardonnay leaning towards a taut style but, thankfully, far from too skinny.
GOLD MEDAL
A very refined nose, with crisp lemon and bright grapefruit zest, overlaid with oak spice. The palate has a bracing tension and textural interest, with freshness and balance, plus focused fruit with elegance and length. Well-integrated, beautifully balanced and deliciously long.
GOLD MEDAL
Campfire, rosemary and black cherry aromas lead into a fine and flavoursome core that glides nicely across the palate. The tannins are fine and slinky, though by no means a pushover. Its flavours are more on the savoury side, offering a lovely play on earth, smoke, spice and tangy red berries.
92 Points
With its pristine aromatics and dry, lightly textured, savoury finish, the Tapanappa Eden Valley Riesling makes for great drinking now or over the medium term. Pale in the glass with a flash of green and aromas of fresh lime juice, grapefruit and green apple. Hints of Christmas lily, jasmine, crushed quartz, lime zest and lemongrass. Linear and long, showing a finely honed tension between limey fruit and mineral acid cadence, it’s superb, focused drinking, showing just a swell of umami and a real sense of sapidity as it sails true and sustained.
95 Points
A riot of rosemary, tomato leaf, freshly turned earth, black and red cherry compote on the nose leads into an intense and suave core. A scaffolding of fine tannins provides structure for the pitch perfect black and red berries and savoury tones. Its assured framework and depth of flavour ensure this will age nicely, although its youthful nervosity charms right now. Reviewed 10 Nov 2025.
93 Points
The 2021 Tapanappa Cabernet Merlot Franc blend is an unusual expression from the vineyard, due to the low-yielding vintage. There is a seamless display of opulent Cabernet Sauvignon aromas with layers of black olive, graphite and spice from the other varieties that are beautifully integrated. Excellent volume of flavour to follow, sharpened by firm acidity before delivering a lengthy, gravel and anise-flavoured finish. There is an attractive approachability to this vintage as well as significant ageing potential. Drink 2030–2050.
96 Points
I feel like I should curtsey before drinking this wine. What a treat. Such elegance. Such restraint. Green papaya, yellow grapefruit and Geraldton wax. It’s timeless – the only thing unsophisticated about this wine is me drinking it. The palate is pure, detailed and tensioned. Decant before drinking, or tuck some away for when you grow up. Lime sorbet, mandarin oil and pink salt. This is what it’s all about. Not big – just smart and articulate. The finish grips with terracotta phenolics, the acid and fruit sustained. I’ll taste it in my dreams. A great wine, and an honour to drink. Drink now–2040.
95 Points
A wine that might make you impulsively hug your sommelier – this Chardonnay has no worries in the world. It breezes through life with pomelo, spiced key lime pie and candle wax. It carries an arsenal of concentration and power – restrained but undeniable, like a superhero trying not to bend the cutlery. The palate is generous, the acid long and teasing. Grilled stone fruit, pottery dust, buffalo mozzarella and struck match. A wine to die for, with a finish that refuses to. Drink now–2035.
96 Points
Yum. It makes me sit back and smile. Sticky oranges, beeswax and lime sherbet. It’s elegant and playful; detailed and effortless. The fruit is pure and concentrated, never overpowered by winery antics. Clever. The acid is fresh and framing, bringing lightness to the wine’s density. The mid-palate is intense, textured and layered. It finishes long, with cashew cream and a deepening fruit intensity. Again – yum. Drink now–2034.
95 Points
Classic Pinot colour – mid-crimson to ruby scarlet, with touchstone varietal aromas, poached cherry with woody spices, a quintessential Pinot sensory attraction. That bushy spice feel finds an extra cedar-like gear in the palate, urged on by deftly weighted cherry and red plum fruit flavours, tightened in the finish with neatly integrated tannins. Everything fits together for an engaging expression of the variety and its southern coastal site. Drink now–2034.
95 Points
An elite Pinot release from Brian Croser’s Foggy Hill Vineyard, here from a cooler year which defines the structure and flavour within. Its colour is all about cherry skin, aroma exuding the same fruit notes with an enticing floral note, fragrant spring blossoms. In the palate there’s a more grounded kitchen herbal thread of flavours – savoury thyme and oregano, saltbush, even – which still allow fruit notes to poke through, before a fairly firm tannin hug ties everything in, pushing a structural finish, yet still the fruit persists till the very end. Impressive. Drink now–2036.
96 Points
After twenty-two years, Tapanappa’s Foggy Hill Vineyard might be in peak form.
This is a site that Brian Croser has passionately believed in for crafting great South Australian Pinot Noir, even if it’s a part of the world (the Fleurieu Peninsula) that is anything but a heralded region for Pinot. The progression of the wines is there too, from the occasionally dry reddish early vintages, to the 2023, which felt like it had hit full stride.
Then we have this Tapanappa Foggy Hill Pinot Noir 2024, which cuts differently again. It could be from a different place altogether.
Particularly, I can’t not see the 12.7% alcohol. It’s a light, lithe, lucid red of dried herbs, leafy redcurrant and crunch, the structure and mode flirting with underripeness like a mod Yarra or Adelaide Hills Pinot, and such an alternate style to the sometimes muscular Foggy Pinots before it.
I like it, and an enjoyable drink, but I do wonder if it was picked a bit too early.
It’s circa 17.5/20, 91/100 if we’re scoring and worth a few glasses.
For a counterpoint, I put the Tapanappa Foggy Hill Definitus Pinot Noir 2022 ($90) on the bench next to it, and it’s a different beast again. This flagship red comes off a few rows on the Foggy Hill Vineyard and has the swagger to match. If anything, I might have preferred this wine a little earlier, as there is this meaty forwardness as the secondary, dried leaf, autumnal character creeps in, with a fruit profile that leans more cherry than raspberry. Still, what impresses here is the intensity – there’s a punch here that is every bit a bold, top dog Pinot, with palate muscles and proper tannins. The longer I looked, the more I appreciated this (score: 18/20, 93/100).
Speaking of muscles, the Crosers included a bottle of Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard Merlot Cabernet Franc 2015 ($115) in the sample box, with this wine part of a re-release program of older Whalebone wines. Ten years on, and it’s still a beast, with coffee and brick dust development, and liquified dark berry liqueur fruit. It feels boozy and warm, something halfway between an OTT Napa Cab and right bank Bordeaux. Powerful, drying and porty I can admire the sheer wall of flavour and relative youthfulness here, but it’s not my bag at all, the warmth and 14.8% alcohol flavour wallop all a bit much. (score: 17.5/20, 91/100).
The Foggy Hill vineyard was planted in 2003 to a pair of Dijon clones, 115 and 777. The centre slope here is known as the Definitus Block and is harvested separately as experience has shown that these grapes have greater fruit intensity. The fruit was destemmed and no whole bunches were included for this vintage. The wine spent eight months in barriques for maturation. 2022 is the fifth release of this Pinot. A soft brick red/garnet colour, the nose gives us notes of smoked meats, dry herbs, leaf litter, truffles, gunflint, freshly unearthed beetroot and coffee grinds. There is already complexity evident here in this finely crafted Pinot which is immaculately balanced and exhibiting superb length. The lingering finish has satiny tannins. Enjoy this for at least the next ten years.
96 Points
2024 was a difficult vintage for Brian Croser and his team at the Foggy Hill vineyard. The conditions meant it would be one of the very smallest crops he has encountered in his long and illustrious career. Limited might be but the quality of the fruit certainly helped make up for the meagre yield. For this vintage, no whole fruit was included in the fermentation. Maturation was for eight months in barriques. Just 450 cases made. A gleaming pale crimson hue, there is a gorgeous nose here, slightly sappy and savoury but already exhibiting early complexity. We have notes of raspberries, truffles, leaf litter, maraschino cherries and spices. A silky texture through to the very fine tannins, the length is seriously impressive and there is excellent balance throughout. Expect this to drink beautifully for eight years plus. A cracking Pinot Noir.
95 Points
The 2024 Pinot Noir Foggy Hill Vineyard leads with a dusty nose of dried flowers, pan-roasted spices, mahogany cupboard and aged leather. Cherry seeds also abound. In the mouth, the wine is lean and spicy, with a waxy splay of fine tannin through the finish. The wine is uncomplicated and red-fruited, with savory spices to close. 12.7% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
90 Points
The Foggy Hill vineyard is located at 350 metres above sea level at Parawa on the Fleurieu Peninsula dead south of Adelaide. A tough vintage (2.5 tonnes per hectare), with only the 777 clone providing fruit for the release from 1/3 of the vineyard. 450 dozen made. 8 months in French oak barriques (1/3rd new).
Deep and unique. Pomegranate, strawberry, rosewater, hibiscus tea, cherry flesh, plum flesh, 5 spice, cranberry, shiny black olive, baked salted bread, rhubarb, thyme, anise and gunflint. Intensity and drive, with hyper fine, tensile and exquisite tannins. Body that belies the ABV with fruit strength. Tannins, curl in and over, like a rip. Acidity cleans things up as well. The fruit is tart and precise, there’s some high citrus pinot cleanliness, with a malt echo and earthy forest floor, autumnal leafy base.
95 Points
The Foggy Hill vineyard is located at 350 metres above sea level at Parawa on the Fleurieu Peninsula dead south of Adelaide. French oak barriques (1/3rd new). From a central block in the Foggy Hill north-western slope, planted over 20 years ago to clones 115 and 777.
Garnet and vibrant. Lifted strawberry, cracking gunflint, fresh thyme, kidskin leather glove, rose petal, glace cherry, savoury black olive tapenade, 5 Spice, French toast and soaked hibiscus flower. A spiced and savoury release with an exquisite, firm frame of tannin. There’s some heft and muscularity, but well managed to retain finesse and elegance with a focus on fruit. Length, depth and presence.
95 Points
If Foggy Hill Vineyard is the essence of what Brian Croser calls a “Distinguished Site,” then Definitus drills down further to a “Distinguished Block.” Definitus – Latin for defined or precise – captures Adelaide Hills Pinot in lovely clarity. A cool, low crop vintage, 2022 has delivered lifted scents of wild strawberry, cherry, cranberry with leaf, truffle and earth. As a three-year-old, Definitus is still very much forming and, with air, opens up beautifully with concentrated flavour and intensity. Classic lacy, fine flavours flourish, but there is an understated power lying at its core driven by fine, sinewy and lasting tannins. It has further aging very much on its mind.
94 Points
Perfumed and savoury, with aromas of plums, blackberries, bitter chocolate, mahogany, liquorice, violets and potpourri. The palate is mid-weighted with fine-grained tannins, a textural mouthfeel and complex dark fruit, spices, earth and dried herbs. A blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc and 14% Shiraz. Drink or hold. Reviewed August 2025.
94 Points
Refined and pure, with floral and minerally aromas of wild raspberries, dried strawberries, hibiscus, rose petals and crushed river stones. The palate is delicate and refined, with fine tannins, bright acidity and a crunchy, saline finish. Elegant and perfumed. Drink or hold—screw cap. Reviewed August 2024.
94 Points
Refined and delicate, with aromas of sliced lemons, flint, grapefruit and yeast. The palate is mid-weighted with a rounded mouthfeel and bright acidity. A well-balanced yet restrained release from a low-yielding vintage. Drink or hold. Screw cap. Reviewed August 2025.
94 Points
There’s so much tension and purity, with restrained aromas of grilled lemons, gunpowder, flint and white orchard fruit. The palate is mid-weighted with a great core of fruit, lovely underlying freshness and bright acidity, with a minerally and fruit-driven finish. A delightful, classy Chardonnay. Drink or hold. Screw cap. Reviewed August 2025.
96 Points
This is excellent, with so much clarity and precision. Aromas of minerals, struck match, grapefruit, flint, crushed stones, white orchard fruit and talc. The palate is tightly wound, with vivid acidity, generous underlying power and saline and yeasty notes. Delicious now, but the core of the fruit will evolve for years to come and only grow in complexity. Made from own-rooted gin gin clone planted in 1981. Exceptional. Drink or hold. Screw cap. Reviewed August 2025
98 Points
A beautiful release here; 15% whole bunch, nine months in French oak, 30% of which was new. Elements of struggle, the cooler-than-usual vintage and minute yields have contributed to a concise and certain wine. Prismatic red fruits cast light over the depth of spice and umami complexities, a little truffle, a little master stock, and just-ripe red plum. Pure harmony. Definitus has a reputation for assertive tannins, and again, they are complex, layered and riveting. More spice richness follows as black cherry and Cointreau notes endure through a captivating and persistent finish. Reviewed September 2024.
96 Points
Class, elegance and dangerously silky, what a superb and precise Pinot Noir from Tapanappa.
A wine that is measured with a terrific line of detail from a cool and low-yielding vintage, the longer it sits in the glass, the more it reveals its secrets. It opens with scents of orange peel, dark cherries and dried strawberries that flow onto an expressive palate. Dark chocolate, mushroom compost, porcine mushroom, twigs, pine needles and tea tree continue to add effortless layers of interest. Woodsy and exotic spices reach out on an elongated finish. The balance, weight and presence deserve nothing but applause.
95 Points
Aromas of rose petal, forest floor, and dark cherry combine on a seductive bouquet. Length of palate is a strong point, as are the fine tannins and almost subliminal oak. Reviewed September 2025.
5 Stars
This is quite a structured and intense pinot noir from this cool vintage. The colour is quite pale but that can be deceptive as the aroma explodes with a mix of florals and strawberry before you delve into a palate that, while medium weight, has a driving intensity and power. The oak and tannin regime holds it tight and firm, but there is a depth of fleshy fruit held within. It’s a wine of great poise, texture, and palate extension that reflects this distinctive vineyard terroir.
Score: 96/100 Cellar: 15 years
Planted in 2003 to clones 115 and 777. The block is called Definitus, which is certainly a more lively name than, say, Block 28. It’s screwcap sealed.
Strawberry, dried herb and flowers, mint, cedar and spice. It’s medium-bodied, lightly poached red fruits, a bit of a porcini umami thing, a firmness to some chamois-like tannin, a little blood orange tang, crisp acidity, with a steely ‘mineral’ sort of finish offering very good length. Excellent. Better again with a couple of years under its belt. Reviewed August 2025.
94 Points
⚖️ – Fairly priced for such a unique and well made Aussie Pinot
🕰️ – Drinks beautifully now, but its complexities emerged with 12hrs of airtime. No issues holding this for 5yrs +
Clear ruby with a gentle orange hue and a complex nose of dried rose, violets and wattle with salted plum, strawberry, blackberry, dried orange, roasted peach, swede, hints of root beer, Chinese five spice and pepper, oolong tea, turned ferrous earth and duck-like meatiness.
In the mouth it’s silky, pure and effortless with a core of fresh, but savoury leaning red and black fruits, sweet beetroot, dried black olive, black tea, orange and complex, anise-rich spices that drive with intensity and ghostly transparency. A veil of fine tannins hold throughout, while deep and gently saline ferrous notes draw you in and speak of the terroir that this unique Pinot was born in. Beautifully balanced and elegant, it glides through its arc to a long tail that ends on florals, strawberry and tea. Excellent. Reviewed August 2025.
4 Stars – A one of a kind gem
Wonderfully autumnal, this is a Tapanappa Foggy Hill Pinot Noir with soul, depth and a comforting embrace. It’s an excellent wine, hands down. From a vineyard planted 350 metres above sea level to the 777 clone, it saw eight months in French oak (33% new).
Winemaker Brian Croser says the 2024 vintage will go down as one of the smallest crops in his 56 vintages, less than the 1983 bushfires. Despite its tiny quantity, its power, shape and structure build a compelling case all at 12.7% alcohol.
There is more red fruit present here than the ‘DEFINITUS’ 2022 that it was tasted alongside, but that is barely a fair comparison – two different wines, two different vintages, but both superb. The intensity of the Foggy Hill cannot be understated. Voluminous but fabulously cool-climate, be allured by an abundance of red cherries, strawberries, rhubarb, blood orange, tea leaves, tilled earth, dried leaves and pine needles. Woodsy spices and five spice reach out and just hang – beautiful. Above all, the complexity unfolds in seamless fashion and draws you closer with quiet ease. The brilliance of the winemaker is in full cry and shining like a beacon despite the challenging year. Reviewed September 2025.
95 Points.
Made in a year so cold that only the clone 777 fruit ripened sufficiently, this wine is a marvel of delicacy as opposed to lightness. The nose shows delightfully perfumed cherry with a positive herbal edge. The finely structured palate is both silky and long. It’s delicious now, but it will be interesting to track its development. Reviewed September 2025.
4 Stars
This was a very cool growing season that produced very low crops, and yet the wine has triumphed. It’s a subtle medium-bodied pinot with bright, vibrant colours of red and purple. On the nose is a mix of strawberry conserve and spices. While the palate delivers a sweet, succulent core of fruit that finishes with a dry savoury, slightly mushroomy character. The chalky tannins hold a fine line and the neatly inte-grated oak is perfectly weighted. It’s a wine of refreshing purity and vibrance with cellaring potential of up to 10 years. Reviewed August 2025.
94 Points
I have a weather station in my back yard. Last August there was 33.55 mm of rain for the whole month with an average temperature of 16.4c. In 2025, less than halfway through we are sitting at 294.38 mm of precipitation, with an average temperature of 13c. I just wanted to give you a little Brian Croser style data for the terroir of the Inner West of Sydney. Meanwhile, Pinot! This is all Bernard clone 777, which was the only clone to flower in this very low yielding vintage.
The thing about Foggy Hill is that it always tastes like it comes from a specific place, which is, I guess, kind of the point with Pinot Noir, and indeed, perhaps all good wines of a certain price and intent. Dark cherry, bramble, some ozone and iron, pencil and cedar, dried rose and roast red capsicum. It’s a firm and kind of steely wine, acidity has a crisp feel, perhaps it’s a little herbal and tangy, but in a pleasing and assertive way. The finish is bright and long. It’s a tight wine, and quite reticent, though I think it will do very well with a few more years in bottle. Reviewed August 2025.
93 Points
Citrus tang, quince, touch of leesy curds in the background. Palate is chock full of stonefruit, grapefruit acidity, quince.
There’s a lovely unison between integrated oak – giving some foundation for the wine – and acid tension, giving flow and length.
It feels incredibly at ease with itself, a delight to drink now, yet also provides graceful nods towards what might lay ahead. Now to 2034
93 Points
There’s a slot in the Australian Wine and Drinks Review fridge where I always like to keep a classic white wine. Something for drinking, not tasting, that I’m going to enjoy drinking at any moment if I feel like it. Not a ‘break in case of emergency’ wine, but more ‘I’m thirsty and don’t want to fuck around’.
Either of these two Chardonnay releases can sit in that slot, no worries.
Besides wanting to drink the Ghostgum Vineyard Chardonnay 2023 & Tapanappa Tiers 1.5m Chardonnay 2024, the really interesting part is how these two identically priced, high-quality white wines go about things.
Let’s have a look at the wines first:
Let’s climb the mountain of high-end Mornington wine again, hey? Everything so far from the Southern Light Vineyards project has been a winner, with the 2023 Pinot Noir spot on, which was a step up on the super 2022 releases. What is most impressive about this Chardonnay is the power – it’s a wall of a wine, bound up in and phenolic density, yet topped off with lively acidity. That push-pull power and tang contrast is what helps Corton and other wildly expensive white Burgundy to seduce strangers, and it’s in abundance here. Pear, fig, a little caramel and peach (though you wouldn’t call this ripe and full) on first whiff suggest opulence, but it’s otherwise a grapefruit and pear-driven wine, with contained concentration the order of the day. Refreshing, robust but not heavy, and properly intense, it’s a white wine of unbridled ambition looking the goods.
Best drinking: drinkable now, likely better with another year or two in bottle. 18.7/20, 95/100. 13%, $90. Would I buy it? Sure would. Even the packaging looks like a $90 Chardonnay. Yes, yes please.
In recent years, the 1.5m Chardonnay from Tapanappa has stepped out from the ‘original’ Tiers Vineyard wine (this one) and might have even overtaken it. The 1.5m bit is a reference to the space between the rows, with one point five metres in between rows positively squishy in Australia, where big, wide, tractor-friendly spacings are the name of the game. The (2003-planted) 1.5m block is only metres from the 1981-planted ‘Old Block’ (incidentally the first plantings in the Adelaide Hills modern era), and with the vines now approaching 25 years old, it’s unsurprising that we’re hitting prime days. Oh yes, this is excellent wine. In a world of lean 12.5% Chardonnay, this leaps above the pack with 13.7% alcohol to take a huge speccy. It’s bold, with a punch of vanilla oak to welcome you to proceedings, and a palate that takes some time to unfurl. It’s a babe. But a bold and outsized babe, that feels punchy, with layers of grapefruit and white nectarine fruit simmering below the surface, the acidity a last grip alongside some oak tannins to remind you of the absolute youth. This has such a presence – a big time, big game wine that will still win premierships in a decade’s time.
Best drinking: great now, likely even better in five years. 18.7/20, 95/100. 13.7%, $90. Would I buy it? It’s a very safe bet to buy some now, and some for later.
Here’s where things get fun. It’s so instructive (for me at least) to lay out a pair of similar, high-class wines and work backwards to understand how they tick. On a pure quality basis, there isn’t much difference between these wines either, making it more of an interesting comparison exercise (and a subjective choice) rather than a case of picking a winner. It’s even more interesting when you see just how similar the production process is for both wines (even if we’re just working on an overview of the process from the winery tasting notes).
So, shall we get our winemaking hats on?
For starters, both of these wines use grapes that are picked and then left in the cool room overnight before pressing. There’s plenty of evidence that overnight chilling preserves aromatics and minimises oxidation. It’s hugely space and energy-intensive, though, because you need a cool room big enough to hold pick bins and the cooling system to back it.
The next similarity is that both of these wines were whole-bunch pressed, which means hand-picked grapes go into the press stems and all, with the turbid, typically brown juice then transferred to barrel for fermentation and maturation without clarification. It’s a technique known as keeping wine ‘on solids’ that is often associated with better mouthfeel in finished wines (and, interestingly enough, more fruit sweetness and more alcohol thanks to extra glycerol). Full solids can be tricky, however, as you can get more potential for ‘stuck’ ferments (when yeast start to struggle converting grape sugars into alcohol), more potential for oxidation, increased hydrogen sulphide production (which in small doses delivers the reductive funk, while in high doses create rotten eggs) and less esters (which are important aromatic compounds).
You can see the influence of the full solids fermentation in barrel on the texture of these Chardies- there are layers of nutty, waxy layers of complexity and interest here, but neither is what you’d think of as aromatic wines. Indeed, they’re more yeasty, leesy and textural than fragrant or even wildly varietal.
What’s also interesting is that neither the Ghostgum nor the Tiers 1.5m spends a long time in barrel. I believe it’s ten months maturation for the Mornington wine, and seven months for the 1.5m, which is a shorter stint than was the Chardonnay norm even ten years ago. Just one third of the oak barrels are new as well, and the reduced time in oak and more older barrels means you’re going to get less obvious vanilla bean young wood flavours, and I wouldn’t say that either wine is obviously oak-forward (though oak is part of the recipe for complexity). There’s a distinctive oak profile to all of Brian Croser’s Tapanappa Chardonnay wines (that I quite like), which feels like it’s a known flavour and I’d probably more likely gravitate to a Tapanappa Chardonnay in a blind lineup unconsciously as a result. We can mark that down as classic familiarity bias in action.
While I don’t have the stats on hand, I’d also guess that most of the Tapanappa didn’t go through full malolactic fermentation (MLF), and a portion of the Ghostgum definitely didn’t. By stopping this natural secondary bacterial fermentation (which sees lactic acid bacteria consume malic acid and turn it into lactic acid), you tend to retain more lemon citrus and grapefruit flavours, and less ‘buttery’ creamy richness. I’d hazard a guess and say more of the Ghostgum went through MLF, as you can see just a little more creamy roundness to the acid profile, though there isn’t much in it.
The final piece of the puzzle here is chemistry. The Tiers 1.5m has a pH of 3.0 and total acidity (known as TA and expressed in Australia in grams per litre of tartaric acid) of 7.58 with an alcohol of 13.7%. The Ghostgum has a pH of 3.2 and a TA of 7.8 with an alcohol of 13%. Side by side, those are very similar numbers, with the higher acidity and higher pH of the Mornington wine balancing out the lower acidity but lower pH of the Adelaide Hills wine. The alcohol could play a part, though – I see just a bit more warmth on the finish of the 1.5m, and alcohol also adds a perception of sweetness too (although both wines are clearly technically dry).
Which of these wines should you buy then? Get at least a bottle of each and compare the pair, just like I did. It’s a wine exercise you won’t forget.
London is to see a selection of Australia’s top Chardonnays go on pour next week, as the country continues its State by State series, showcasing its finest wines according to source.
Hoping to show the UK trade “how far Australian Chardonnay producers have progressed in the last decade”, according to organiser Amelia Jukes, the lineup will feature “beautifully balanced wines with freshness, elegance, and exquisite class, imbued with complexity, depth, and outstanding ageing potential.”
Explaining the reason for the tasting’s format, she continued, “By grouping the wines by state and further by region across Australia, this tasting will clearly define the characteristics and nuances of renowned areas such as Margaret River, Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills, Mornington Peninsula, and Tasmania and pinpoint exactly why these world-class wines are worth a place in every serious wine collector’s cellar.”
Among the Chardonnays on pour are wines rarely seen in the UK, said Jukes, while, as with previous tastings, she will be showing the current releases alongside mature examples. Among the Chardonnays available to taste with be Giaconda, Penfolds Yattarna and Bin A, Leeuwin Estate Art Series, Cullen Kevin John, Castagna, Ten Minutes by Tractor Wallis, Larry Cherubino, Tolpuddle, Pierro, Vasse Felix Heytesbury, Giant Steps Bastard Hill, Mount Mary, Yarra Yering, Yering Station Star Gazer, Moorooduc, Ocean Eight, Ashton Hill, Tapanappa, and Tyrrells Vat 47.
In total, 37 wineries from across Australia are taking part with 85 wines on pour at the event, which is being held on Wednesday 11 June at 67 Pall Mall.
Australian Riesling might make up just 0.5% of the nation’s wine exports, but it’s managing to carve out its own distinctive niche due to its freshness, moderate alcohol content and fruit purity, writes Kathleen Willcox.
Aussie Shiraz will likely never have to worry about Riesling stealing its crown when it comes to volume. But, while production levels of Riesling in Australia are still relatively low (compare, for example, Shiraz’s 39,893 hectares to Riesling’s modest 3,157ha), the quality and unique character that is emerging is drawing attention from both serious collectors and casual enthusiasts alike.
Riesling is having a moment among the type of people who obsess over terroir, old vines, cool-climate and acid-driven wines, after a long era of oversight.
“Riesling was once the most valuable wine in the world,” says David Parker, CEO of Benchmark Wine Group (read db’s Big Interview with him here), a leading source of fine and rare wine for retailers, restaurants and collectors in the US. “Overproduction in the ’60s and ’70s greatly diminished its standing in many collectors’ eyes, but that’s finally changing. Its broad food friendliness and the revived appeal of white wines is helping Riesling gain friends among top wine aficionados.”
White wines broadly, but especially white wines like Riesling that pair well with food and are naturally low in alcohol, are experiencing growth amid the general downturn in wine sales. The Silicon Valley Bank State of the US Wine Industry Report 2025 predicted that white wine more generally would be one of the few categories to move the needle in sales during this year.
“Serious wine lovers do now know how good and versatile Australian Riesling can be,” says Christina Pickard, reviewer of Australian wines for Wine Enthusiast. “Producers like Grosset and Riesling Freak in the Clare Valley, Pewsey Vale in Eden Valley, Pooley in Tasmania and Castelli in Great Southern – to name just a few – have helped carve a world-class reputation for the variety, opening the doors for small-batch producers to creatively champion a variety that has been happily growing on Aussie soils since the early 1800s.”
Currently, Riesling’s 3,157ha of vineyard across Australia accounts for only 2.3% of the total area, and 6.5% of the total whites planted. There is clearly room to grow. But by how much, and where?
The origins of Riesling in Australia are a bit of a mystery. While there are reports that the grape arrived with the first European settlers aboard the First Fleet in 1788, and that it was planted in 1791 by Phillip Schaeffer near the Parramatta River, others point to John Macarthur and James Busby as being the first to plant and truly champion the grape, in 1817 and 1833 respectively. Early on, Clare Valley and Eden Valley established themselves as the best terroirs for Riesling in the country. Today, they still dominate Riesling acreage, with Clare Valley capturing 34% of the country’s Riesling plantings, and Eden Valley possessing 12%.
“Riesling became a standout success early on in Australia because it has the acid and low pH that helped it resist the oxidation and spoilage that other earlier varieties and plantains succumbed to,” says Brian Croser, co-founder of Tapanappa Wines in the Adelaide Hills.
“The vineyard growing our Eden Valley Riesling was planted in the 1960s by descendants of the Silesian immigrants who planted Riesling in the first half of the 19th century.”
The style Croser makes today at Tapanappa mirrors the “late pick, dry style made anaerobically to capture maximum fresh fruit flavour” that those first vintners made.
Today, there are still “no two better regions in Australia than Eden Valley and Clare Valley for growing Riesling, because they express fruit purity and natural, fresh acidity”, says Brett Schutz, senior winemaker at Peter Lehmann Wines, who credits high elevation and “shallow soils with sub-surfaces of ironstone, quartz gravel, limestone and slate” for Australia’s trademark zingy, lively Rieslings.
But others say it’s time to look beyond the country’s traditional icon terroirs.
“The best regions in Australia for Riesling are those where the climate provides cold nights, so the aromatic flavours and acids can be preserved,” says Louisa Rose, winemaker and head of sustainability at Hill-Smith Family Estates, a global winemaking and distribution business. She notes that, in addition to mainstays Eden Valley and Clare Valley, Canberra’s continental climate, and über-cool Tasmania are on the rise.
Matt Deller MW, CEO of Wirra Wirra and Ashton Hills wineries, concurs that Clare and Eden valleys will “always be benchmarks”. At the same time, Deller argues that vineyards in Tasmania, and the site in the Adelaide Hills where Wirra Wirra sources grapes for its The Lost Watch Riesling, deliver “Rieslings with finesse, natural acid and precision that’s redefining the category”.
Ashton Hills, he notes, is producing a completely different expression of Riesling, but just as compelling. The grapes are sourced from Piccadilly, the coolest sub-region in the Adelaide Hills, and Deller says the south-facing, high-elevation site is protected from the afternoon heat, delivering “a more delicate, floral Riesling with finer acidity and a softer fruit profile, compared to The Lost Watch’s firmer, more citrus-driven structure and saline edge.”
The diversity of thoughtfully farmed and cellared cool-climate Riesling belies easy categorisation, argues Hill-Smith’s Rose. “I’m not sure you can talk about Australian Rieslings as a category, as each region is different,” Rose says. “What I would say is that Riesling is a variety like a mirror. It reflects where it is grown, and the great Riesling wines have perfect balance that also reflects this balance of its flavours, acidity, residual sugar, alcohol, phenolics and other components.”
In Australia, vintners often strike this balance by allowing the grapes to ripen fully, with very little residual sugar. Flavourful and fruit-forward when young, they become more complex and elegant with time.
Riesling’s ability to accurately reflect the areas in which it is grown means that work in the vineyard and cellar need to be careful, respectful and relatively hands-off. Plant the right site in the correct way, and stand back. The Riesling will do the rest.
“We know the character of Riesling is made in the vineyard, and not the winery,” says Michelle Geber, managing director of Château Tanunda, which has some of the oldest continually producing Riesling vines in the world, with its 100-year-old, 2.4-hectare parcel planted on Barossa’s eastern ridges.
Geber explains: “At Château Tanunda, our Grand Barossa Dry Riesling is a great example of what makes Australian Riesling so thrilling: precision winemaking married to ancient vines from a special site, producing a wine of a medium weight, abundant flavour, yet with finesse [and] crisp acidity. Compared to Germany’s floral delicacy or Alsace’s textural opulence, our style is bold, citrus and apple-driven, and effortlessly elegant, with fruit purity as its signature.”
The Riesling for this wine is gently whole-bunch-pressed, and fermented at low temperatures in stainless steel in an effort to preserve purity and aromatics. A small portion of the wine spends extended time on the lees, which is designed to add complexity and mid-palate texture, without compromising vibrancy.
Peter Lehmann’s Schutz concurs that decisions made in the vineyard with Riesling have an outsized effect on what happens in the bottle.
“Throughout the vintage period, our winemakers and viticulturist taste our vineyards daily in order to pinpoint the precise optimum date to harvest the fruit,” Schutz says. “From there, a swift time period between harvest and juice-skin separation is critical to the production of quality Riesling.”
The team assiduously protects the Riesling from oxidation, gently ferments the grapes with neutral yeast and bottles early, aiming to maximise varietal expression and precisely translate the flavour on the vine into the wine.
Rose, meanwhile, credits wild yeasts with Hill-Smith Riesling’s purity of flavour and fineness of construction. “The wild yeasts piggyback on grapes in our healthy and biodiverse vineyards, and conduct the ferments,” she says. “Their influence is subtle. A finer texture, slightly better longevity, but they are consistent and reliable from year to year, and such an important part of the terroir of the wine.”
Australian Riesling differs dramatically from Rieslings in other regions in subtle but important ways.
“Riesling has an innate inability to withstand the often hot and dry maturation period in Australia,” says Peter Lehmann’s Schutz. “The high elevation of key regions allows the Riesling to respirate and recover well in cooler overnight conditions.”
This means that natural acidity is preserved, while allowing flavour expression, fruit ripeness, and citrus and floral characteristics to develop, with firm acidity and low residual sugar.
Croser agrees that Australian Rieslings walk a fine line between a dry, piercingly linear white and a lush, full-bodied bruiser. “They are a unique haven between Chardonnay and the more delicate, bath powder and usually slightly sweet wines of Germany and elsewhere,”
Croser says. “There is a similarity between Australian Riesling and Alsatian Riesling, although the Australian wines are more anaerobically made and generally fresher.”
There is a feeling that everyone wants Australian Riesling once they try it – but the “once they try it” part can make for slow going.
“When tasting with customers and consumers in both Australia and overseas, I’m amazed and thrilled at how accepted and enjoyed this wine is, even in markets not traditionally known for consuming significant volumes of white wine,” says Schutz. “And there are enjoyable styles from AU$10 to AU$100.”
But, as Schutz explains, when the price increases, so does the quality. “More than other varieties, Riesling is a good example of ‘you get what you pay for,’” he argues. “At higher price points, you often get a higher intensity of natural varietal character.”
Right now, Riesling claims a tiny 0.5% share of Australian wine’s total export volume, and a 0.7% share of its value. If Shiraz is the popular football player who will always draw a crowd of admirers, Riesling is the cool but shy kid who wins over – if not everyone – then anyone who bothers to talk to them, thanks to their charm and wit.
“For freshness, moderate to low alcohol, and both drink now appeal and complex bottle age potential, I think Aussie Rieslings are perfectly situated to fill more glasses of international drinkers,” says Pickard of Wine Enthusiast.
Australian Riesling isn’t and won’t be a mainstream mega-seller any time soon, but the number of people who produce it well and truly appreciate it is growing steadily. How many other categories of wine can claim that?
Key data on Riesling in 2024 (source: Wine Australia)
• Hectares under vine: 3,157ha
• Percentage of total plantings: 2.3%
• Percentage of white plantings: 6.5%
• Crush: 22,128 tonnes
• Average value per litre: AU$7.09
• Top five export destinations: US (23%), UK (15%), Canada (10%), Singapore (9%), Japan (7%); others (35%)
Surrounded by unparalleled views of the London skyline, the great and the good of the wine world joined to toast Decanter’s 50th anniversary at a spectacular evening full of history, highlights and, naturally, a host of iconic bottles. Content Director Tina Gellie reports on a landmark occasion.
More than 200 of the wine world’s movers and shakers raised a collective glass on 9 May to toast Decanter‘s 50th anniversary.
From a magazine that began in a leaky shed near London’s Waterloo station in 1975 to being recognised today as the world’s leading wine media brand, there were many achievements and people to celebrate.
And befitting such a lofty, landmark occasion, the party went on well into the night at Landing 42, the capital’s highest event space, 150m above street level in the iconic Leadenhall Building, fondly known as the Cheesegrater.
In attendance were four Decanter Hall of Fame winners: Piero Antinori, the third recipient, in 1986, Miguel Torres (2002), Eduardo Chadwick Claro (2018) and last year’s winner Susana Balbo.
Representing other recipients were Adrianna Catena (for her father Nicolás Catena, winner in 2009), Cecilia de Lencquesaing-Gentry (granddaughter of May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, 1994) and Jessica Bell (for Robert Mondavi, 1989).
The international guest list was further bolstered thanks to the party being held during the main judging week of the 22nd annual Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA). Hailing from 35 countries, the majority of this year’s 254 judges took a well-earned evening off, joined by members of the UK wine trade and former and current Decanter staff, including Michael Denton, Decanter’s Account Director for France, who this year clocked up 45 years of service.
With the glorious backdrop of the London skyline behind her, Magazine Editor Amy Wislocki – who marks her own 25th anniversary at Decanter this year – welcomed guests, and highlighted just a few of the milestones the brand has reached in its five decades.
The brainchild of Colin Parnell and Tony Lord, the first magazine sold to a few London locals for 40p. Today, 556 issues later, Decanter engages readers in more than 100 countries – in print as well as digitally, through Decanter.com, which launched in 2000, DecanterChina.com (2012) and Decanter Premium (2017).
To chart the Decanter journey, giant timelines graced the venue’s walls, spotlighting historical covers, key events and memorable moments. And not forgetting the contribution the wine world’s great names have made to the brand, including Michael Broadbent, who wrote 433 columns between 1977 and 2013, and Steven Spurrier (320 columns, from 1993 to 2020), whose influence also helped shape the DWWA.
Broadbent and Spurrier were also honoured in a special Hall of Fame video reel, which scrolled through photos and magazine covers celebrating each of the 41 recipients to date, from Serge Hochar in 1986 to Susana Balbo in 2024.
Balbo was one of 16 Hall of Fame winners who also kindly donated their wine to a special Hall of Fame bar (see below) to add even more prestige to the 50th anniversary, alongside Bollinger’s rosé Champagne. Decanter’s long-standing partner Riedel and other drinks sponsors Cocchi, Amathus Drinks, Wilfred’s and Anspach & Hobday, ensured toasts continued all evening.
The timeline created for our 50th Anniversary party, as well as more photos, will be featured in our August issue. In the meantime, join us for our New York Fine Wine Encounter on 7 June, and look out for all the results from DWWA 2025, published online on 18 June.
Antinori, Guado al Tasso, Bolgheri Superiore, Tuscany, Italy 2022
(Piero Antinori, winner 1986)
Robert Mondavi, The Reserve To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley, California, USA 2019 (Robert Mondavi, 1989)
Glenelly, Lady May, Stellenbosch, South Africa 2019
(May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, 1994)
Ridge Vineyards, Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, USA 2008
(Paul Draper, 2000)
Roederer Estate, Quartet, Anderson Valley, Mendocino County, California, USA NV (Jean-Claude Rouzaud, 2001)
Familia Torres, Mas La Plana, Penedès, Spain 2018 (Miguel Torres, 2002)
Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac 5CC, Bordeaux, France 2021
(Jean-Michel Cazes, 2003)
Tapanappa Wines, Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, South Australia 2021 (Brian Croser, 2004)
E Guigal, La Doriane, Condrieu, Rhône, France 2021 (Marcel Guigal, 2006)
Château Bélair-Monange, Annonce de Bélair-Monange, St-Emilion GC, Bordeaux, France 2018 (Christian Moueix, 2008)
Catena Zapata, Nicolás Catena Zapata, Mendoza, Argentina 2004
(Nicolás Catena, 2009)
Graham’s, 20 Year Old Tawny Port, Douro Valley, Portugal (Paul Symington, 2012)
Seña, Aconcagua Valley, Chile 2009 (Eduardo Chadwick Claro, 2018)
Penfolds, St Henri Shiraz, South Australia 2010
(Peter Gago, 2021; Max Schubert, 1988)
Niepoort, Redoma Reserva Branco, Douro Valley, Portugal 2023 (Dirk Niepoort, 2023)
Susana Balbo, Signature White Blend, Paraje Altamira, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina 2022 (Susana Balbo, 2024)
As I enter the third decade of the 100 Best Australian Wines, and as every year passes, top-class Australian fine wines continue to improve and impress with their staggering diversity and deliciousness.
As always, this is a body of work I have spent many months putting together ahead of a very different and unique kind of launch. Over the past two decades, I have showcased my 100 Best on 5th December at the Australian High Commission in London with several hundred wine trade invitees in attendance. This year, I was thrilled to launch this century of stunning wines at Stoke Lodge in the presence of His Excellency The Honourable Stephen Smith, Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom at his London residence. The launch was formed of two parts. The first session was attended by twenty-five of the finest palates and communicators in the country, spanning buyers, restaurateurs, importers and journalists.
The second session was hosted by the High Commissioner and attended by The Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Deputy Prime Minister, as well as former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, the Japanese Ambassador, the Vietnamese Ambassador, the Indian Ambassador and Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States of America among many VIPs. It was so encouraging that Stephen Smith took this opportunity to allow me to pour these wines and tell their stories to such an esteemed group of guests. I look forward to hosting a larger reception in Australia House in 2025 at the request of the High Commissioner.
I will publish the full 100 Best Australian Wines 2025 Report with all 267 noteworthy wines and relevant notes in the New Year and then take the very best bottles from this Report around the country on a series of 100 Best Festivals. I launched the Festival concept last year in London, Birmingham, Newcastle, and Edinburgh, and it was such a hit that I am very much looking forward to doing it all over again, bigger, better, and with even more attendees. Every person attending a 100 Best Festival event will be given a printed copy of the 100 Best Australian Wines Report 2025.
The Report will also be available to Members of matthewjukes.com as a digital download, and this special edition has click-throughs to all the UK retail stockists mentioned for every single wine. I launched this upgrade in communication many years ago, and the response from the wine trade, the retailers and, most importantly, the public has been overwhelming.
The wines mentioned in this Report are Australia’s spectacular vinous vanguard, and it is my great pleasure to showcase them nationally and internationally in a continued effort to inform wine lovers worldwide about the most outstanding wines made in this beautiful country.
Continued excellence – There are only 3 wineries that have appeared in every 100 Best Report since its inception in 2004, and they are – Penfolds, Tyrrell’s and Yalumba.
306 different wineries have appeared in the 100 Best since its inception. No fewer than 16 debut wineries appear in this year’s list, including – Alkoomi, Basket Range, Dappled, Dylan Grigg, Forest Hill, Harrison, Koomilya, Marco Lubiana, Moorak, Mulline, Nocturne, Paralian, Passel Estate, Port Philip, Sailor Seeks Horse and Wills Domaine.
For the full list, click here: https://www.matthewjukes.com/2025/04/100-best-australian-wines-2025-launch-5th-december-2024/
Exquisite close-planted Chardonnay. Chardonnay that melts your mouth – along with any resistance you might have to its charms – and provides sublime carriage of flavour. Stonefruit, frangipane, grapefruit acidity. Subtle hints of ginger spice – particularly in that long and ebbing length of flavour. Layers of texture, a slight nutty aspect, both a creamy cashew but also with bight of roasted hazelnut. Lots going on, much to like.
96 Points
Medium deep garnet to ruby rim still there. Still fresh with a core of berry fruit: black, boysen and blue. White pepper, powdered cocoa, cedar and vanilla still offering some winemaking influence. There’s a hint of development with nori sheet/beef stock umami, steel and earth underneath that prevailing primary profile. There’s rose petals, brewed tea and just rained on Aussie bush (eucalyptus). The palate also showing the elements of development: There’s regional choc mint freshness that gives a comforting wrapper around blackcurrant and buttered fruit cake spice. Fleshy, flowing and complex: the tannic interplay with the fruit reminds you that at 10 years of age, there’s a lot of life left. Reviewed July 2025.
95 Points
Deep garnet with a soft velvet rim. Aromas complex and calm: rose petals, drinking cocoa and cassis with blueberries and raspberries, blood plum, new leather, cedar, a small amount of rosemary (leaf and flower), a touch of vanilla, graphite and black tea. There’s an ancient quality to the wine, evoking the soils that have given it life. Sumptuous dark fruit, mid-weight elegance and with a beautiful mesh of hyper-fine grained tannins which will be scaffold for many years to come. Reviewed July 2025.
95 Points
Full and bright ruby colours in the glass. Blueberry, crushed sage and violets on the nose. Medium to full bodied, dark fruits sit in the core with Chinese five spice adding lift and detail to the flow. Fine-grained tannins carry good length and keep the finish in focus.
93 Points
Tapanappa Wrattonbully Whalebone Vineyard Cabernets Merlot Franc, 2021, $90. A more affordable variation to the wine above, if $90 can be considered affordable. It is still a delight, but $25 less so and which, at the risk of being labelled ageist, is pretty much an age thing. Hang on for ten years if you can.
9.5/10.
Tapanappa Wrattonbully Whalebone Vineyard Merlot Cabernet Franc 2015, $115. Didn’t women once wear whalebone in their corsets? Seems totally inappropriate for such a grand creature, which increases no end the credibility of this wine grown on the soil of long fossilised whales in Wrattonbully. Fabulous stuff, worth dressing up for.
9.7/10.
This wine has been held back for a prestigious re-release. It of course was reviewed some time ago on WineFront, with applause and praise given.
It’s in a beautiful spot. Almost a ‘pinosity’ to the wine, suppleness, medium weight, satiny tannin profile, but for the salt bush, green olive and dried herb, the plummy undertow, we could be in fine pinot territory. That being said, it does justice to the varieties here, gentle but generous flavour, spice of oak seasoning, relaxed textural feel and a luxurious stretch to the wine. Very good zone. Very worthwhile.
95 Points
It’s a heady mix of Merlot and Cabernet Franc (69/31%) from the cool 2015 vintage. Remnants of oak, cedar, redcurrant – all the more impressive for a wine at ten years to maintain a level of primary expression.
It was with deliberate intent to show both the cool expression of 2015, alongside the longevity of the wine, with the current release 2021 (not to follow).
There’s a Christmas Cake and blueberry compote aspect to the wine, look further beneath the layers to see expressions of the freshness against fine tannins. Fennel, blackcurrant and earthen remnants round out the lengthy finish – and even at ten I’d certainly suggest it’s time is not done yet.
96 Points
Bright red and youthful in the glass. Lifted and complex aromas of blackberry, Asian spice, nutmeggy oak, bramble, mulberry, dark cherry and pipe tobacco. Firm, structured, mouth-filling and generously flavoured. The tannins are firm and bring plenty of grip and structure and work well with the concentrated black fruits, spice, earthiness and oak. This is a very youthful wine which will undoubtly cellar well for many years to come. Reviewed 01 Jul 2025.
95 Points
What a stunning wine this is. It is made from fruit grown on the now 51-year-old Whalebone Vineyard on the Limestone Coast that was identified decades ago by wine industry veteran Brian Croser as “a distinguished site” capable of producing elegant and age-worth reds. It is a classic Bordeaux blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc given an Australian twist with the addition of shiraz. From a “model vintage”, this a wine of impressive balance and finesse. French oak barriques (50% new) play key support role in a wine led by cassis flavours and spice that will doubtless age gracefully, but it is already extremely appealing. Only 2,000 cases were made. A steak and kidney casserole proved a wonderful foil. $90.
Although the nose shows a hint of maturity, the plum/blackberry fruit is impressively fresh. This exceptional wine is certainly an Australian Pomerol, and the powdery tannins interact seamlessly with the intense flavour.
5 stars
The ripe blackcurrant and mulberry aromatics carry a hint of leaf and subtle oak. An impressively long palate carries the fine, savoury tannins with ease. Cellar ten years at least.
Pale and crystal bright lemon hue. Dried papaya, grapefruit pith and yellow floral aromatics. Good intensity of lime fruit, hints of tropical lift and a seaspray minerality. There’s a textural element that suggests sweetness but the ample acidity and astutely built phenolics balance it out well. Lovely length and stays intense to the finish.
94 Points
The punchy, youthful single-vineyard 2024 Chardonnay 1.5M is sure to impress with its combination of raw power and subtlety. Waves of peach skin and nectarine aromas are complemented by white flowers and a creamy cashew nut complexity. Compact and surprisingly dense and forceful, its strong oak presence provides definition to some more tropical nuances. Long, strong, serious and sure to age well. The 2024 wraps up with an incredibly long finish, although the oak does need time to settle.
95 Points
The more sophisticated and reserved 2024 Chardonnay Tiers is a little shy and tightly coiled right now, offering up pristine aromas of melon and pear topped by fine oatmeal tones and spicy oak, with just a touch of smoky reduction. This is superbly balanced, unforced and seamless, holding its power in reserve. The 2024 builds beautifully with layered complexity as it meanders through to a long, fine finish punctuated by chalky grip.
96 Points
What a sheer privilege it was to taste this Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard blend 2015 alongside the new 2021 release. Brian Croser is releasing a small quantity of the 2015s and its pure class is obvious. Better still, what a thrilling opportunity it is to check out where this wine has come from and where it has the potential to go.
The fruit parcels were fermented separately before seeing 20 months in French oak barriques (50% new, balance one year old). The final blend was 69/31 Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
An incredibly captivating wine, it continued to evolve fabulously the longer it was open. Scents of pine needles, wild mushrooms and sauteed mushrooms made an initial first impression with licorice and choc mint pattie. Blackberries come with the territory, its presence and shape are absolutely sublime. Dried herbs and the faint flicker of cola park themselves in the distance. It’s a wine that strides out and has a cool feel about its carry. Defined elegance and dangerously smooth, it slides about with ease in stealth mode. Silky, powdery and emery board like tannins leave a trail of consideration in their wake.
A wine of elevated sophistication, it will live for many years yet.
Drink to ten years+
96/100
This Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard Cabernets Merlot Franc 2021 is a slightly different blend to the 2015 that it was tasted alongside. What a treat it was to capture the past alongside the current release. This is an excellent wine – some may say it’s Australia’s answer to the right bank.
It is always great to see where a wine comes from and where it is headed, and the privilege of tasting the back vintage 2015 is not lost on me.
While the vineyard has evolved in that time, no doubt, so too have some slight tweaks in the winemaking.
A blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Shiraz (53.5/16/16/14.5), it opens with a clenched fist tension. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon material, gee, it found its groove over a few days of tasting. Longevity is certainly in its veins, something that is clearly apparent in the 2015. From a cooler year, I do love Brian Croser’s detailed vintage heat summation – the 2021 vintage delivered 1468C days which is down on the 1480C average. This is a silky, fleet-footed and delicately poised blend that saw French oak barriques for 18 months, 50% of which were new.
The addition of Shiraz adds to the structure and backbone – that was quite obvious in the comparison. Black fruits, dark cherries, dark chocolate, licorice and some mint tucks in behind a facade. Drying, black tea adds interest along with a flurry of dried herbs. The palate is drenched with flavour yet it is not heavy-handed nor weighty. The well-handled acidity will keep this true for many years yet.
A composed and fascinating wine, this Whalebone Vineyard is without doubt the best of Wrattonbully.
Drink to fifteen years+
A blend of 53/16/16/15% Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Shiraz. Matured in 50% new French barriques for 18 months. A wine that is as vivid as the imagery of the whale skeleton found buried beneath the vineyard. Fresh figs, boysenberry and Chinese bayberry. Tea, rose bud, goji and pomegranate molasses. There is a heart of red fruit with surrounding coffee and mocha spice. The palate is a weaving thread of silky tannins; Xavier has such talent for texture and expansion of a wine’s length and dimension. A wine that reverberates throughout your whole body.
96 Points
Brian Croser has made the decision to re-release this wine from what was a coolish vintage, not dissimilar to the 2021. It’s a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. And even after 10 years, it’s bright with energy and life coursing through its fine, balanced structure. Has a nice red fruit character, with touches of blackcurrant and cherry, along with a mulberry-like character that seems fairly typical. The tannins are fine, and the palate seamlessly integrated and balanced. This is a classy wine, that even after 10 years, has plenty more in the tank.
96 Points
As always, the opportunity to source a wine already matured by the producers is an opportunity which should not be ignored. This is a blend of 69% Merlot and 31% Cabernet Franc, each variety made separately before the final step of blending. Maturation was in French oak barriques, half of which were new, for twenty months. The result is rather exciting. Under cork. A crimson garnet colour, there is both good maturity and complexity here. The nose exhibits notes of red fruits, bay leaves, truffles, dried herbs, plum pudding, leather, smoked meats and mulberries. A sleek and supple texture, there is fine acidity, good balance and impeccable length. Quite a subtle style, but this in no way suggests it is lacking flavour. An exquisite red which still has a good decade ahead of it.
96 Points
2021 was a cracking vintage in the Wrattonbully region – the home of this famous vineyard. The blend is 53.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc and 14.5% Shiraz. Each variety was treated discreetly, seeing eighteen months maturation in French oak barriques, half of which were new, before blending. Under cork, 2,000 cases were made. A dark blood red colour, the nose offers a range of aromas with dried herbs, delicatessen meats, cherries and a character which is a little like raspberry jam on toast. The oak is beautifully integrated with just a flick still evident. There are fine tannins, plenty of them but they simply melt. Attractively balanced, there is very good length and pleasing freshness. A delicious red, certain to drink impressively for the next ten to fifteen years.
94 Points
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