Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard 2015 Merlot Cabernet Franc

Tapanappa acquired the then 30 year-old Whalebone Vineyard in 2002 and completely renovated it onto a new trellis supporting a shoot thinned vertical canopy. 

There are just 1.2 hectares of Merlot and 0.8 hectares of Cabernet Franc planted in 1974 in the Whalebone Vineyard, possibly the first plantings of those varieties in South Australia. 

The old Merlot and Cabernet Franc vines of the Whalebone Vineyard have responded magnificently. After a forty-year struggle the vine roots have penetrated the deeper limestone layers and are extracting a balance of moisture and nutrient to sustain a meagre crop of 2 tonnes/hectare. The vines have sufficient canopy and root system to fully ripen the harvest relying only on natural rainfall. 

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2015 was a very dry and slightly warmer than average vintage at Tapanappa’s Whalebone Vineyard in Wrattonbully. Only 40% of average rainfall was recorded from late winter (August) to December so flowering occured in warm dry sunny conditions, promoting early fruit set and a larger than average crop. 

A tropical downpour in January maintained vine health through to ripening and harvest in late March. 

2015 was a warmer than average vintage at Whalebone Vineyard at 1522ºC-days versus the average at 1486ºC-days. The warm dry vintage fully ripened the Merlot and Cabernet Franc at Whalebone Vineyard to a relatively high sugar level and rich ripe flavours.