Recognition

It feels Grinchish, but I’d rather drink the 1.5m Chardonnay now. That’s because, as this vertical showed, Tiers needs a good five years to show its best, not one. Especially from a vintage that was cool (1093C vs the average of 1135C measuring the Heat Degree Days scale) and a harvest that was late.

 » Read more about: “Greatness of elements, pulling together”- 94 points | Andrew Graham | OZ Wine Review – Tapanappa Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay 2023  »

The close-planted 1.5m block on the Tiers vineyard is now twenty years old and is clearly hitting its straps. In the early days, an element was missing in the spotty-labelled 1.5m Chardonnay wines that reminds us what vine age does to concentration and complexity. But now? Things are different.

Green gold colours are unmistakeably ‘Tiers’ in character.

 » Read more about: “Refined, never hard, just the right amount of modern whipped butter winemaking”- 95 points | Andrew Graham | OZ Wine Review – Tapanappa Tiers 1.5M Vineyard Chardonnay 2023  »

There is a big jump in RRP for this entree to the Tapanappa Chardonnay range, but when crops are low and demand is high, it makes a lot of sense. This Piccadilly Chardonnay comes from ‘Pat and Ted’s Vineyard on Mount Bonython’, which I don’t know much about as a vineyard source, but it clearly works.

 » Read more about: “A classy wine.”- 93 points | Andrew Graham | OZ Wine Review – Tapanappa Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay 2023  »

Pale crimson in the glass, the swill itself deft, dignified. This poise, together with tight bright fruit, leads the trajectory for this remarkable wine from the cool and late ripening ’23 vintage. The wine is well-lit and the bouquet carries noteworthy lift. Red cherry, plum and Christmas berries scatter throughout. Umami undertones, too, leaf litter,

 » Read more about: “If quiet elegance were a wine, this would be the embodiment.”- 95 points | Katrina Butlet | Halliday Wine Companion – Tapanappa Foggy Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023  »

At the highest point of the Fleurieu Peninsula, half-way between Victor Harbour and Cape Jervis, lies the Foggy Hill Vineyard. Its Pinot Noir is quite exceptional from year to year. Even in very cool years like 2023, the vineyard produces a Pinot of note. The ‘23 reflects the vintage in both its lifted florals, its delicacy and sinewy tannin structure.

 » Read more about: “Reflects the vintage in both its lifted florals, its delicacy and sinewy tannin structure.”- 92 points | Jeni Port | Wine Pilot – Tapanappa Foggy Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023  »

2023 was a cooler vintage than some on the Fleurieu Peninsula, indeed the coolest of four such years for the Foggy Hill vineyard. The cooler year led the team to forego any whole bunches in the ferment. The wine spent eight months maturing in barriques, one third new, before bottling. Winemaker Brian Croser has described this as a typical expression of the unique Foggy Hill terroir.

 » Read more about: “Good intensity, though it remains, at all times, immaculately balanced”- 95 points | Ken Gargett | Wine Pilot – Tapanappa Foggy Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023  »

This was an exceptionally cool vintage. Despite that, the colour is light but with a glowing intensity and vibrancy. The nose reveals that distinctive spicy character with savoury and slightly limestone-like characters. The palate is still tightly coiled with fine tannins and a chalky controlling acidity defining through to the long finish. Light-bodied, yes, but there is power and poise here that will support cellaring.

 » Read more about: “Light-bodied, yes, but there is power and poise”- 95 points | Ray Jordan | Wine Pilot – Tapanappa Foggy Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023  »

Sometimes, the early sell out of a wine is actually good news for drinkers. Take the Definitis ’21 Pinot Noir which quickly sold out leaving the door open for Tapanappa owner/ winemaker, Brian Croser, to dig deep into the cellar and re-release the 2018 Definitus. You’ve got to be happy with that. What a wine!

 » Read more about: “Complexity, texture and a touch of savouriness” 96 Points – Jeni Port | Wine Pilot – Tapanappa Foggy Hill ‘Definitus’ Pinot Noir 2018  »

The 2021 vintage of Definitus sold out so quickly that the team decided to release a little of their museum stocks of the 2018 alongside the 2023 Foggy Hill. Given only 430 dozen were made in the first place, you can understand how limited this is. This provides pinotphiles with a wonderful opportunity to compare and contrast the two wines – 2023 a cool year while 2018 was a warm one;

 » Read more about: “A savoury style with fine, sleek tannins, excellent balance, good intensity and serious length.” 96 Points – Ken Gargett | Wine Pilot – Tapanappa Foggy Hill ‘Definitus’ Pinot Noir 2018  »

This is a re-release of this wine from the excellent 2018 vintage. This was the second release of this wine which comes from a special and defined part of the vineyard. It’s an immensely powerful no-holds-barred Pinot loaded with blue and black fruits and coated with a fine dusting of spices. The palate has the faintest hint of leathery development but it’s offset by the still primary fruit characters.

 » Read more about: “An immensely powerful no-holds-barred Pinot” 97 Points – Ray Jordan | Wine Pilot – Tapanappa Foggy Hill ‘Definitus’ Pinot Noir 2018  »

This multi-layered 2018 Pinot Noir is in excellent condition at 6 years of age as it radiates with cherry pit, and dark earth are topped by gamey, spicy aged tones. Vibrant and energetic with ample gravel /iron stone with a strong Burgundian feel and a touch of green herbs and well matched by significant tannins support a long and sustained,

 » Read more about: “A standout vintage for this label” 94 Points – Angus Hughson | Wine Pilot – Tapanappa Foggy Hill ‘Definitus’ Pinot Noir 2018  »

One whiff and this Tapanappa Foggy Hill showcases its pinosity. From a cooler, low cropping year, give it some time to show its best.

Let it breathe to witness red berries, briar, black tea, tilled earth, compost and cola gradually unfurl. More savoury than fruit-driven, I felt it seemed reluctant to go a little deeper,

 » Read more about: “Should continue to develop in the years to come.”- 93 points | Steve Leszczynski | Q Wine Reviews – Tapanappa Foggy Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023  »

Youthful purple in the glass, vivid and bright. Evocative and lifted aromas of blueberry, dried herbs, sarsaparilla, nutmeg, violets and Asian spice. Fleshy, blue fruit driven, textured and mouth-filling. There’s a very pure drive of fragrant, opulent and bright fruit along with granular tannins and bright acidity. There’s real vibrancy and life to this syrah. 

 » Read more about: “Very pure drive of fragrant, opulent and bright fruit along with granular tannins and bright acidity” 95 Points – Aaron Brasher | The Real Review  – Tapanappa B&V Vineyard Syrah 2021  »

The fourth consecutive cool vintage, and the coolest of the last four too. I have a weather station in my back yard, and I like to look at the data, and in this way, I feel a sort of kinship with Brian Croser, who loves weather statistics as much as I do. You can look at the the weather at my house for the month of August HERE.

 » Read more about: “Medium-bodied, with something of a leafy autumnal character”- 94 points | Gary Walsh | The Wine Front – Tapanappa Foggy Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023  »

Merlot (55%) and Cabernet Franc (45%) blend with fruit grown on the 37 million year old soils of the 45 year old Tapanappa Whalebone vineyard. Bottled under cork. 2019 was warm and dry and only recevied 72% of ‘normal’ growing season rainfall. Cool weather late saw hand harvesting at the usual time of late march for the Merlot and April 1st for the Cab Franc.

 » Read more about: “Something to savour and ponder over now, or put it away for decades.”  – 95 points | Regan Drew | Vino Notebook – Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard Merlot Cabernet Franc 2019  »

Cabernet Sauvignon (85%), Shiraz (15%) fruit grown on the 37 million year old soils of the Tapanappa Whalebone vineyard. Bottled under cork. 2019 was warm and dry, and ‘meagre’ harvest of 2.5 tonnes per hectare due to poor fruit set in late spring. Winemaker is the esteemed Brian Croser.

Fragrant violets and earth with cedar,

 » Read more about: “Medium fleshed with length and complex layering”  – 94 points | Regan Drew | Vino Notebook – Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard Cabernet Shiraz 2019  »

Medium depth of ruby to brick-red hue, the bouquet scented with pot-pourri and sandalwood, a hint of tapenade or olive paste, while the palate is full bodied and quite firm, with lashings of grippy tannins that would appreciate hearty protein at the dinner table. Interestingly, the bouquet and flavours are mellowing nicely while the tannins remain quite assertive.

 » Read more about: “The bouquet and flavours are mellowing nicely ” 92 Points | Huon Hooke | The Real Review– Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard Merlot Cabernet Franc 2019  »

Good depth and hue of colour, holding its age well, the bouquet suggesting camphor, green leaves, a hint of eucalyptus, and crushed peppercorns, while the palate is very firm and grippy, needing a hearty piece of steak to combat the firmness. A dab of fruit sweetness in the middle leavens the structure. Full bodied red worthwhile cellaring. 

 » Read more about: “Full bodied red worthwhile cellaring. ” 93 Points | Huon Hooke | The Real Review– Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard Cabernet Shiraz 2019  »

Foggy Hill is Brian Croser’s latest (albeit one twenty years in the making) passion project, down on the Southern tip of the Fleurieu.

Cool, maritime influenced, the site for this stunningly consistent Pinot. 

Leads with a floral, rose-raspberry mix over Sage. Spice – pepper and Chinese five spice – linger in the background,

 » Read more about: “Offers finesse, elegance, yet without sacrificing depth of flavour”- 94 points | Stuart Robinson | The Vinsomniac – Tapanappa Foggy Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022  »

Lovely figgy note gently wafting from the glass here. Add to that ripe stonefruit, pear – it’s like a summer salad in a glass. 
Bracing acidity running the full length of the wine. Citrus, stonefruit – a herbal/ floral note in the mix that I can’t quite put a finger on as to its specificity.

 » Read more about: “It’s like a summer salad in a glass”- 95 points | Stuart Robinson | The Vinsomniac – Tapanappa Tiers 1.5M Vineyard Chardonnay 2023  »

Melon, a harder edge of Stonefruit kernel, fig and spice. 

Initial entry is gentle and textural, leading to an expansive mid-palate through the finish. Burst of energetic tangy-lime acidity closes the wine out. 

It’s cool year credentials and moderate 12.5% acidity self-evident in an excellent package.

93 Points

 » Read more about: “An expansive mid-palate through the finish”- 93 points | Stuart Robinson | The Vinsomniac – Tapanappa Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay 2023  »

Impressively fresh, perfectly ripe blackcurrant and dark berry aromas are supported by high quality oak. The long palate offers fine, silky tannins. Enjoyable drinking, but will reward cellaring.  

4.5 stars

 » Read more about: “Enjoyable drinking, but will reward cellaring. ” 5 Stars | Lester Jesberg | Winewise– Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard Cabernet Shiraz 2019  »

The nose is complex and intriguing, more secondary than primary, showing hints of tobacco leaf. A very finely structured, lengthy, savoury palate sets the seal on the excellence of this wine. If you love the wines of Bordeaux, you’ll understand.  

5 stars

 » Read more about: “If you love the wines of Bordeaux, you’ll understand.  ” 5 Stars | Lester Jesberg | Winewise– Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard Merlot Cabernet Franc 2019  »

From a close-planted, lower-to-ground trellised plot in the Tiers Vineyard, Piccadilly, Adelaide Hills. An intense wine, concentrated and surprisingly rich given the season. Scents of salted cashew, ripe apple, ginger, clove, fennel and green mango, the palate an echo of the aromas set to medium weight with more woody spices apparent and a course of briny minerality slipping through.

 » Read more about: “Serious, contemplative and very good”  – 95 Points | Mike Bennie| Halliday Wine Companion – Tapanappa Tiers 1.5M Vineyard Chardonnay 2023  »