Recognition

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  »

This pure-fruited wine needs time to show its best. It tastes of pear, flint, peach and riverstones, with hay, lemon and cedarwood about the edges. It shows both power and control, but for the moment, it seems backward and a little surly. It will flourish in time.

94 Points

 » Read more about: “It will flourish in time.”  – 94 Points | Campbell Mattinson | Halliday Wine Companion – Tapanappa Piccadilly Valley Chardonnay 2023  »

From the Tiers Vineyard planted in 1979. A third of the barrels used are new French oak. The cooler year renders a wine of tension and torsion, precision and finesse. It’s heavily perfumed, an invitation to drink lustily, with green apple, lime, ginger, cinnamon and faint alpine herb characters lightly dusted with clove-cedar oak. Just so.

 » Read more about: “An immensely satisfying and serious wine”  – 96 Points | Mike Bennie| Halliday Wine Companion – Tapanappa Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay 2023  »

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: “This is a quite stunning release.”- 94 points | Stuart Robinson | The Vinsomniac – Tapanappa Tiers Vineyard 1.5m Chardonnay 2023  »

This expressive and lively 2021 Mount Barker Shiraz is delightfully savoury with its reservedd layers of new leather and dark earth over a core of mulberry and blackberry, punctuated by fine French oak. Good precision and tension and, while a little reserved, retains composure over an extended finish with support by firm yet firm al-dente tannins.

 » Read more about: “Expressive and lively” 92 Points – Angus Hughson | Wine Pilot  – Tapanappa B&V Vineyard Syrah 2021  »

An Australian Syrah that actually lives up to the name, with a heart of bright spice, bursting in aromatic red and black berries and boasting a lightness of touch. How is this possible in a wine that is 14.9% alcohol? Well, for that answer look no further than the experienced hand of winemaker, Brian Croser,

 » Read more about: “An Australian Syrah that actually lives up to the name” 96 Points – Jeni Port | Wine Pilot  – Tapanappa B&V Vineyard Syrah 2021  »

A warm and dry vintage for the region in 2019, which helped ensure that the Whalebone Vineyard, planted 45 years ago, had a very small yield. The wine is a blend of 85% Cabernet and 15% Shiraz. The Shiraz comes from the Crayères Vineyard. After destemming, the two varieties were fermented separately, after cold soaking.

 » Read more about: “An attractive style for drinking over the best part of the next decade.” 94 Points | Ken Gargett | Wine Pilot– Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard Cabernet Shiraz 2019  »

Everything about this wine suggests it is one for the long haul. Both the Merlot and Cabernet Franc come from the Whalebone Vineyard. The blend is 55% Merlot and 45% Cab Franc with blending only just before a seventeen month maturation period in barriques. After destemming and a short cold soak, an eleven day ferment and then seven days on skins.

 » Read more about: “Definitely one for the cellar.” 90 Points | Ken Gargett | Wine Pilot– Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard Merlot Cabernet Franc 2019  »

Complex and stylish, the gorgeously expressed bouquet shows dark berry, charcuterie, porcini
and toasted nut aromas, leading to a concentrated palate offering plush texture backed by layers
of fine, grainy tannins. Multi-layered and firmly structured, this is sensually satisfying with a
persistent, engaging finish.

At its best: now to 2030.

 » Read more about: “Complex and stylish” 95 Points | Sam Kim | Wine Orbit – Brian Croser Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 2017  »

This is a stunning Australian nod to the wines of St Emilion on Bordeaux’s right bank, a compelling blend of two red grape varieties that often take a back seat but shine here with waves of flavours gently cascading onto your tongue in a very stylish way. This is a masterclass in balance with the 55% merlot and 45% cabernet franc from Wrattonbully in South Australia spending almost 18 months in French oak (50% new) adding to the palate interest but never intruding.

 » Read more about: “A masterclass in balance” 95 Points | Winsor Dobbin – Tapanappa Whalebone Vineyard Merlot Cabernet Franc 2019  »

Tapanappa Adelaide Hills B&V Vineyard Syrah 2021, $60.

Confusingly, this new, limited-edition model from the Croser stable is from Mount Barker SA, not the more common Mt Barker WA. Regardless it’s amazingly fragrant and exceptionally easy to drink despite its nearly 15 per cent.

9.5/10

 » Read more about: “Amazingly fragrant and exceptionally easy to drink”  – 9.5/10 | Max Crus Wine Commentator – Tapanappa B&V Vineyard Syrah 2021  »