Tapanappa Tiers Vineyard 2022 Chardonnay MAGNUM

The Tiers Vineyard was planted in 1979, the first vineyard in the Piccadilly Valley since the 19th century.

The vineyard is close spaced and vertical canopy, the first of this quality focussed design in Australia. The clone of Chardonnay in “old” Tiers is of unknown origins but probably relates to the first introduction of Chardonnay vines to Australia in the 19th century.

Like the 2021 vintage before it, the 2022 vintage in the Piccadilly Valley as “near perfect”.

The 2022 vintage was marginally warmer, 1176C-days, versus the long-term average of 1098C-days We have now had three successive cooler vintages, (indeed 4 as I observe the evolving 2023 vintage), after the near unrelenting warmth of the previous decade of vintages.

The Chardonnay crop was very modest in the Tiers old block at 5 tonnes/hectare.

The Chardonnay grapes in the 43-year-old Tiers Vineyard ripened in still and cool air, sunny conditions, ideal autumnal weather.

Tiers Vineyard old block yielded up its exceptional quality fruit on the 6th and 7th of April, two weeks later than average.