Recognition

2008 Whalebone Vineyard Cabernet Shiraz

I opened this alongside the 2009 version, just to have another look to see if I had changed my mind about vintage preferences. I haven’t, as this still looks the less defined (and delicious) wine

Impressive from the get-go. Layers of dark fruits, earth, ferrous savouriness, eucalypt and sage. A formidable wall of fruit is tempered by ropes of dusty tannins, but all set in a medium body, cedary frame. Hold for a spell.

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The 60/40% blend was cold-soaked for four days prior to fermentation commencing, hand-plunged with a peak of 32?C, then macerated for seven days post fermentation; thereafter 20 months in French oak (30% new) before being bottled unfiltered. The colour is …

The late Len Evans would doubtless have taken great delight in pointing out the quality of this 70/30% blend, used in the first Petaluma Coonawarra, but not thereafter. This has been made in the same way as the Merlot Cabernet …

Made from 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, this is an expressive, mouthcoating ‘Cheval Blanc’ blend of resonant subtlety and drinkability, grown on the limestones of Wrattonbully. The site is less wine-prone than Coonawarra – a factor in the wine’s …

A rich, generous, complex red wine brimming with dark fruit, spice, some floral notes and full-flavoured tannins. Perfect to warm you up in the dark, cold depths of winter. Enjoy with hearty dishes.…

There are many reasons this wine could add something to your meal. Tapanappa is winemaker Brian Croser’s venture in which he aims to make very special wines by matching all the component parts exceptionally well – climate, soil, geology, varieties …

Tapanappa Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay 2010 Piccadilly Valley 

17 points 
Drink 2015-2022

“Smoky nose. […] Still quite youthful but you can see where it is headed. Pretty chewy for the moment but nice savour. Really succulent.”

Tapanappa Foggy Hill Vineyard Pinot

The 60%/40% blend was cold-soaked for four days prior to fermentation commencing, hand-plunged with a peak of 32°C, then macerated for seven days post fermentation; thereafter 20 months in French oak (30% new) before being bottled unfiltered. The colour is …

John Fordham’s fancies

Tapanappa became legendary vigneron Brian Croser’s new home at Wrattonbully following the sale of his Petaluma empire. This is an outstanding example of Australia’s original signature red blend, dominated by 40-year-old cabernet sauvignon fruit with a powerful

The 2008 Whalebone Vineyard Merlot Cabernet Franc remains under cork but it’s a beautiful specimen: long and firm. The wine is a deep, blood red with an intriguing bouquet of plum cake, sweet aromatic spices and a touch of mint. …

Impressive from the get-go. Layers of dark fruits, earth, ferrous savouriness, eucalyp and sage. A formidable wall of fruit is tempered by ropes of dusty tannins, but all set in a medium bodied, cedary frame. Hold for a spell too.…

Another day, another dogma challenging wine. Here though, the question is not about climate challenging varieties (as it was with yesterday’s Domaine A Cabernet), but about regionally challenging blends, featuring two grapes that have been traditionally delegated to mere second

Wrattonbully appears to have a genuine future as a Merlot producing region. The addition of 40% Cabernet Franc adds a good deal of interest as well. The Whalebone Vineyard was planted in 1974 and it’s producing some exciting wines already.

Brian Croser has captured distinctive vineyard and vintage characters while embracing an almost atypically tight and light structure. Displays elegance and style with a slickness you only get from the very finest. Perfume notes emerge, with the new French oak

Brian Croser’s Tapanappa venture has been of interest to me since its inception in 2002 and tasting this makes me very pleased that I have some of the 2004 tucked away in the cellar. 70% Cabernet, 30% Shiraz and a

You don’t see many Australian red blends with Merlot as the dominant grape in the blend that cost this much, but it takes the chutzpah of a Brian Croser to make a wine like this.  It’s from Wrattonbully which is …

The Whalebone Vineyard – great name – in the Wrattonbully region includes 0.8 hectares of cabernet franc and 1 hectare of merlot. These vines were planted in 1974. “After a 30 year struggle the vines have penetrated the deeper limestone …

The traditional Australian red blend, beautifully executed. 70 percent cabernet sauvignon, 30 percent shiraz. All French oak.

Has a bit of a swagger to it, this wine. It’s rich, chocolatey, grainy and substantial. Flavours are mostly in the blackberry/plum area …

Grand red with a mint/eucalyptus background – often typical of the Wrattonbully region – pure forest fruits and beautifully managed, cedar, leather, oak-derived layers adding mid-range richness.…

This is as classy as you would expect from a Brian Croser, Bollinger and Cazes family joint project. Barrel-fermented and oak-aged for 10 months, it is elegantly structured, tropical yet restrained, generous yet intense.…

Tapanappa, Tiers Chardonnay 2008 Piccadilly Valley 18 Drink 2010-2014

Current release. Open, vegy nose. Big and bold and an attempt at a Burgundy grand cru rather than even a premier cru wine! Very toothsome indeed. Well done! Long. Some honey …

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What I needed for my £20 was a wine with lowish tannins, a nice bit of acidity and intriguing flavours that come and go in the glass.

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And third, to the cool Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia, where …

2008 Tapanappa Tiers Chardonnay

Brian Croser lives alongside the superb Tiers vineyard in the Adelaide Hills and coaxes one of the country’s finest chardonnays from its 30-year-old vines. This has restraint and fruit purity, wonderful texture and bright, refreshing acidity.…