Saturday 2nd November “Shakespeare In The Vines - Merry Wives of the Merchant of Windsor (or Venice) tickets via eventbrite.
The greatness of Tiers shines, even in vines just 10 years of age. I love its lemon blossom fragrance, white peach concentration, tense magic acidity and seamless French oak, but most of all I love its fine, mineral, flinty texture.
95 points.
“This vineyard is really starting to express its character, and the warmest vintage yet is loaded with personality. It holds itself with persistence and poise, at once fragrant and fruity and simultaneously savoury and structured, with fine, drying tannins reflective of a warm season in a cool site.
94 points”
Brian Croser certainly doesn't need any introduction to those who worship Bacchus, as his name is synonymous with Australian fine wine. Tapanappa began its life in 2002 with a partnership between Brian and Ann Croser and Bollinger of Champagne and the Cazes family of Lynch Bages in Pauillac, Bordeaux; no denying the pedigree involved here.
The Tiers vineyard was planted in 1979, the first vineyard planted in the Adelaide Hills region in the 20th century. It's certainly a special site, producing wines that consistently rank among the finest examples of the variety in this country. 2014 was a cool vintage in the Adelaide Hills and it is immediately apparent after the first sip that this is a wine of great restraint and elegance.
A 66/34% blend, matured for 21 months in French oak (70%new). Still has excellent crimson-purple colour; spent close on 3 years making its way into bottle, an especially long time for a blend such as this, but it clearly needed it; there is a complex interplay between rich blackcurrant, cedar, cigar box, dried herbs and a persistent tattoo of fine-grained tannins on the very long palate.
96 points.
Low grape yield led to a concentrated, powerful wine with sappy, spicy complexities plus cherry, vanilla and chocolate nuances. Soft, rich and ripe. Superb wine.
95 points
“This excellent red has little of the minty signature of the region, but is more a matter of violets, earth, forest-floor and dried flowers. There's a trace of Vegemite, possibly from oak and/or lees contact.
In the mouth, it's full-bodied and dense, generously flavoured and rich in fleshy extract with a lavish quota of ripe, supple tannins. The back palate and finish are soft and harmonious. A superb red to drink from now to around 2037.”
Post-Petaluma, Brian Croser bought a sheep grazing property planted pinot noir and a distinguished site was born.
The 2013 Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay has just taken out a Master award at The Drinks Business 2015 International Chardonnay Masters.
You can read the full competition report here: https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2016/03/chardonnay-masters-2016-the-re...
About the competition:
The Global Masters is a series of blind tasting competitions, drawing in entries from across the world. One of the key elements to its success is the quality and the dedication of the judges involved.
THE good news is this is a top- quality chardonnay; the bad news is it there was only a small batch produced. My advice is to get online and grab a bottle or two of these today.
96/100
NO WASHED-out, cordial-like colour for this robust pinot noir. Still revealing that lighter red drinking style typical of pinots, but offering bigger fruit flavours with nice spice. Loved it.
94/100
