Recognition

Tapanappa News, Articles & Reviews

“Clarity and singularity” – 94 Points | Erin Larkin | Wine Advocate

Author: Erin Larkin
Source: Wine Advocate
Date: Jul 2026

This is the first time I have tasted the 2023 Definitus Pinot Noir Foggy Hill, and it leads with the clarity and singularity of the 2023 Pinot Noir Foggy Hill Vineyard. Here, the wine has more depth and layers to it, but it has the same freshness and character. This is excellent. 13.6% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

 » Read more about: “Clarity and singularity” – 94 Points | Erin Larkin | Wine Advocate  »

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“It’s al dente and good” – 93 Points | Erin Larkin | Wine Advocate

Author: Erin Larkin
Source: Wine Advocate
Date: Jul 2026

The 2025 Pinot Noir Foggy Hill Vineyard is floral and fresh, spicy and textural. I like the middle palate here; although the fruit has ripeness, the encasement of tannin provides freshness and space here, and the fruit feels quite verdant. It’s al dente and good. 14.2% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. The grapes were harvested on February 27,

 » Read more about: “It’s al dente and good” – 93 Points | Erin Larkin | Wine Advocate  »

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“Spiced strawberry and orange peel finish of good length” – 93+ Points | Gary Walsh | Wine Front

Author: Gary Walsh
Source: Wine Front
Date: Jul 2026

Strawberry, raspberry, a spicy cinnamon and nutty top note, cedar and mint, porcini mushroom. It’s medium-bodied, quite sappy and earthy, a fine ‘mineral’ feel to acidity, sweet red fruit, a light dusty grip to tannin carries on a spiced strawberry and orange peel finish of good length.

93+ points.

 » Read more about: “Spiced strawberry and orange peel finish of good length” – 93+ Points | Gary Walsh | Wine Front  »

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“Kudos for making a vin de garde style” 93+ Points | Mike Bennie | Wine Front

Author: Mike Bennie
Source: Wine Front
Date: Jul 2026

Very trim and taut, racy in a way, lean in its fruit personality, grippy in tannin and shy in perfume. Red cherry, tart cranberry drink, truffle, toasted almonds, some bitter herbs and a crunch of likewise bitter, peppery caraway seeds that finish the wine. Minerality, a general mix of stony qualities and quartz-y things, sits under,

 » Read more about: “Kudos for making a vin de garde style” 93+ Points | Mike Bennie | Wine Front  »

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“This is structured and very serious Pinot Noir” 93+ Points | Mike Bennie | Wine Front

Author: Mike Bennie
Source: Wine Front
Date: Jul 2026

This is structured and Very Serious Pinot Noir. Tannin quality is paramount, granitic, mineral-charred, firm and fruit hangs in sheets off it – blueberry, violet florals, dark cherry, red currants. There’s mint and sage leaf, salt bush and caraway seed also in play here and lending complexity to the wine. It’s compact, energetic, trim. There’s a sense that the wine is reluctant right now,

 » Read more about: “This is structured and very serious Pinot Noir” 93+ Points | Mike Bennie | Wine Front  »

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“It is impeccably balanced and very, very long, finishing with silky tannins and a flicker of good acidity” 97 Points | Ken Gargett | Wine Pilot

Author: Ken Gargett
Source: Wine Pilot
Date: Jul 2026

If one may begin with the bottom line, this is the best Definitus Pinot Noir I have seen. Indeed, I’m not sure I can recall seeing a better Pinot made by Brian Croser. Given what he has achieved over what has already become a legendary career, that would certainly be saying something. Loved the 2022,

 » Read more about: “It is impeccably balanced and very, very long, finishing with silky tannins and a flicker of good acidity” 97 Points | Ken Gargett | Wine Pilot  »

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“A lovely lingering finish and the wine should continue to provide pleasure for the next six to ten years” 94 Points | Ken Gargett | Wine Pilot

Author: Ken Gargett
Source: Wine Pilot
Date: Jul 2026

2025 was a warmer vintage on the Fleurieu Peninsula, though for Pinot Noir, that is something which is not always to the advantage of the variety. Fortunately, it seems to have overcome that potential handicap. A vintage, perhaps, where generosity trumps elegance. 2,300 dozen made. Winemaker, Brian Croser, notes this vintage as “the driest, warmest and earliest” of his 56-year winemaking career.

 » Read more about: “A lovely lingering finish and the wine should continue to provide pleasure for the next six to ten years” 94 Points | Ken Gargett | Wine Pilot  »

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“A wine of structure, poise and considerable cellaring potential” 96 Points | Ray Jordan | Wine Pilot

Author: Ray Jordan
Source: Wine Pilot
Date: Jul 2026

Love the brilliant colour of this wine from a very cool vintage. Aromas reveal dark cherry, a touch of liqueur chocolate and an intriguing black olive nuance. The palate is deeply textured with tremendous power and length. Chalky tannins offset the plush fruit beautifully, carrying the medium-bodied palate through to a long, sustained finish. A wine of structure,

 » Read more about: “A wine of structure, poise and considerable cellaring potential” 96 Points | Ray Jordan | Wine Pilot  »

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“A wine of shape, focus and impressive refinement” 95 Points | Ray Jordan | Wine Pilot

Author: Ray Jordan
Source: Wine Pilot
Date: Jul 2026

The 2025 vintage was notably warm, yet this wine displays remarkable elegance and restraint, more in keeping with a cooler season. Bright crimson with subtle purple hues, it opens with musky red berries, delicate floral notes and a hint of mushroom complexity. The palate is bright, finely textured and quietly powerful, with precise acidity carrying effortlessly through to a long finish.

 » Read more about: “A wine of shape, focus and impressive refinement” 95 Points | Ray Jordan | Wine Pilot  »

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“Burgeoning savoury tannins that steer and deliver the bright red fruit” 96 Points | Katrina Butler | Halliday Wine Companion

Author: Katrina Butler
Source: Halliday Wine Companion
Date: Jul 2026

A release defined by its very cool vintage and its subsequent minuscule yields. It’s light on its feet, with burgeoning savoury tannins that steer and deliver the bright red fruit – cranberry, wild strawberry, underripe red plum and raspberry – through the long finish. A purity here, a cleansing quality, in part thanks to the beautiful acids,

 » Read more about: “Burgeoning savoury tannins that steer and deliver the bright red fruit” 96 Points | Katrina Butler | Halliday Wine Companion  »

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“Lively yet perfectly balanced acidity with a long, flinty-edged finish” 96 Points | Nick’s Wine Merchants

Author:
Source: Nick's Wine Merchants
Date: Jul 2026

In 2003, the Croser family removed 1.3 hectares of the original Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay that was planted in 1979 in the Piccadilly Valley as the first Adelaide Hills vineyard. The area was replanted with the French Bernard clones 76 and 95 on rootstocks, on very close 1.5 metre row spacing with the fruiting wire at only 0.5 metres above the ground.

 » Read more about: “Lively yet perfectly balanced acidity with a long, flinty-edged finish” 96 Points | Nick’s Wine Merchants  »

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“The palate is finely detailed with pear and nectarine fruits” 96 Points | Nick’s Wine Merchants

Author:
Source: Nick's Wine Merchants
Date: Jul 2026

Located in the Piccadilly Valley within the Adelaide Hills region, Brian Croser’s Tiers vineyard was planted in 1979, making it the first in the region. It is perfectly suited to Chardonnay, being a closely matched homo-clime of Burgundy, especially the southern end of the Cotes de Beaune, where the great wines of Montrachet and Meursault are grown.

 » Read more about: “The palate is finely detailed with pear and nectarine fruits” 96 Points | Nick’s Wine Merchants  »

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“The complexity and depth here echoes through the long finish” 97 Points | Erin Larkin | Wine Advocate

Author: Erin Larkin
Source: Wine Advocate
Date: Jul 2026

The 2025 Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay, like the 1.5 Tiers before it, is savoury, spicy, a little reductive and very open already. The complexity and depth here echoes through the long finish, and the warmth of the season appears to have made all of the layers and facets of this wine available for assessment early. I love the savoury direction,

 » Read more about: “The complexity and depth here echoes through the long finish” 97 Points | Erin Larkin | Wine Advocate  »

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“Recognisable still and true to its Tiers DNA, but certainly more savoury” 96+ Points | Erin Larkin | Wine Advocate

Author: Erin Larkin
Source: Wine Advocate
Date: Jul 2026

The 2025 Chardonnay Tiers Vineyard 1.5m leads with toasty spices and a hint of freshly picked curry leaf. The fruit here leads with concentrated and phenolic grip, both attributes that I appreciate. This is a more savoury expression of this vineyard—recognisable still and true to its Tiers DNA, but certainly more savoury. I like it very,

 » Read more about: “Recognisable still and true to its Tiers DNA, but certainly more savoury” 96+ Points | Erin Larkin | Wine Advocate  »

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“The fruit is open-weave and bright” 94 Points | Erin Larkin | Wine Advocate

Author: Erin Larkin
Source: Wine Advocate
Date: Jul 2026

The 2025 Chardonnay hails from Pat and Ted’s vineyard (Brian Croser’s parents), and interestingly, this vineyard houses the OF clone, the clone that Brian originally planted in the Tiers vineyard. Aromatically, the wine is fleshy and open, fresh and fulsome. The fruit is open-weave and bright, the acidity saline, and the overall impact is one of texture,

 » Read more about: “The fruit is open-weave and bright” 94 Points | Erin Larkin | Wine Advocate  »

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“The fruit flavours feel ripe, there’s complexity aplenty” 96 Points | Campbell Mattison | Wine Front

Author: Campbell Mattinson
Source: Wine Front
Date: Jun 2026

The fruit flavours feel ripe, there’s complexity aplenty, flint notes make the nose feel especially lively and the push of fruit through the finish has plenty of extras. This is an excellent chardonnay at the least; if not outstanding. It tastes of nectarine, grapefruit, sweet citrus, flint and nougat and from start to finish it really sings.

 » Read more about: “The fruit flavours feel ripe, there’s complexity aplenty” 96 Points | Campbell Mattison | Wine Front  »

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“Serious white wine territory” 95 points | Mike Bennie | Halliday Wine Companion

Author: Mike Bennie
Source: Halliday Wine Companion
Date: May 2026

Quite the potency to this chardonnay, so too a distinct saline minerality. Scents and flavours of toffee apple, lemongrass, preserved lemon and green apple juice with dashes of sugared almond and flinty, stony notes. Lots going on here and, while concentrated and somewhat power-packed, this has a levity and finesse that helps the wine glide along confidently.

 » Read more about: “Serious white wine territory” 95 points | Mike Bennie | Halliday Wine Companion  »

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“A lot going on in this larger-than-life wine” 96 points | Mike Bennie | Halliday Wine Companion

Author: Mike Bennie
Source: Halliday Wine Companion
Date: May 2026

This is upper-class stuff. This has a silky, rich texture but sits at medium weight, a sheen of saline minerality, a light pucker of chalk and pumice stone, green apple, light brioche notes, faint candied citrus characters and a very lengthy trail of sweet spice and a dash of coconut bun happening, too. Through all of this,

 » Read more about: “A lot going on in this larger-than-life wine” 96 points | Mike Bennie | Halliday Wine Companion  »

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“Benchmark Aussie Chardonnay” 96 points | Aaron Brasher | The Real Review

Author: Aaron Brasher
Source: The Real Review
Date: May 2026

Lifted and highly aromatic aromas of grapefruit pith, struck match, white flower, melon skin, grilled nuts, a whiff of nougat and just-ripe white stone fruit. Fabulously complex and evocative stuff. Fine, focused and layered, with a drive of pithy citrus, texured phenolics, stone fruit, some classy, integrated oak and real precision, line and length. Benchmark Aussie chardonnay.

 » Read more about: “Benchmark Aussie Chardonnay” 96 points | Aaron Brasher | The Real Review  »

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“Length is impressive and it’s built for the long haul” 96 points | Aaron Brasher | The Real Review

Author: Aaron Brasher
Source: The Real Review
Date: May 2026

Fabulously complex aromas of grapefruit pith, melon rind, just-ripe white stone fruit, cashew nut, nougat and white flowers. Fine, focused and tightly coiled, it has restrained concentration and power, but with precise oak, grip and acid cut. Length is impressive and it’s built for the long haul. 96 Points

 » Read more about: “Length is impressive and it’s built for the long haul” 96 points | Aaron Brasher | The Real Review  »

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“Showing exquisite class” 95 points | Regan Drew | Vino Notebook

Author: Regan Drew
Source: Vino Notebook
Date: May 2026

“In 2003 the Croser family removed 1.3 hectares of the original Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay (planted in 1979 in the Piccadilly Valley as the first Adelaide Hills vineyard). The area was replanted with the French Bernard clones 76 and 95 on rootstocks on very close 1.5 metre row spacing with the fruiting wire at only 0.5 metres above the ground.

 » Read more about: “Showing exquisite class” 95 points | Regan Drew | Vino Notebook  »

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“Length and balance signatures. Classy.” 94 points | Regan Drew | Vino Notebook

Author: Regan Drew
Source: Vino Notebook
Date: May 2026

The original Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay planted in 1979 in the Piccadilly Valley as one of the first in the region. French oak barrique (1/3 new) fermentation before barrel ageing until November.

Pale lemon hue. Sharp and insistent. Cashew cream, nougat, nectarine, sage, lemon verbena, macadamia, gunflint, brioche and tea bun. Depth, tenacity, power and presence.

 » Read more about: “Length and balance signatures. Classy.” 94 points | Regan Drew | Vino Notebook  »

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Vintage 2026 – A Vintage of Contradictions – Brian Croser

Author: Brian Croser
Source: Tapanappa
Date: May 2026

 

“Warm and very late” seems a contradictory description of a grape harvest, but that indeed describes the 2026 vintage from Tapanappa’s three distinguished site vineyards, a harvest that finished on the 30th of April. After the hottest, driest and earliest vintage in 2025, the 2026 harvest stands in stark contrast.

 » Read more about: Vintage 2026 – A Vintage of Contradictions – Brian Croser  »

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“Subtle lemon curd and brioche with a spicy complexity” 96 points | Ray Jordan | Wine Pilot

Author: Ray Jordan
Source: Wine Pilot
Date: Apr 2026

This was a product of a very hot, dry vintage, which tested all of Brian Croser’s immense experience. Yet the wine captures very much about what this particular vineyard in the Piccadilly Valley is all about. On the nose, there are notes of very subtle lemon curd and brioche with a spicy complexity. On the palate,

 » Read more about: “Subtle lemon curd and brioche with a spicy complexity” 96 points | Ray Jordan | Wine Pilot  »

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