Established in 1978, Tapanappa is the 21st century chapter of an adventure that pioneered the modern era of the Adelaide Hills wine region. Tapanappa is the name that Brian Croser has given to his ongoing family-owned, fine-wine enterprise based in the Piccadilly Valley where it began more than 40 years ago as Petaluma. The name “Tapanappa” is inspired by the 550-million-year-old geological formation that underlies the Fleurieu Peninsula where the Croser family have a coastal property and their newest vineyard, Foggy Hill.

Weather: In 2019 Tapanappa celebrated the 40th birthday of the wonderful Old Tiers Vineyard. The defining moments of the 2019 vintage were at fruit set at the end of November. Cold, windy and wet weather disrupted the flowering process and resulted in a tiny crop, the smallest since 2014. In 2019 vintage, the yield from Tiers Vineyard was 60% of average, a mere 4 tonnes/hectare. 2019, although warmer than average, was a return to more moderate vintage conditions than 2016 or 2018. In summary 2019 is a very high quality, warm and dry vintage. Tiers 1.5M Chardonnay was hand harvested on the 18th of March.

Technical Information:
Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Country of origin: Australia
Region: Piccadilly Valley in the Adelaide Hills of Southern Australia
Alcohol: 13.8 %
pH: 2.98
Acid: 7.9g/l
Closure: Screwcap
Production: 2700 bottles

Tasting Note: Pale green in colour, the aroma is of white peach, canteloupe and the faint cinnamon and vanilla of French oak. Significant texture and is a riper and more advanced expression of the vineyard because of the earlier ripening Dijon clones. Mellow and ripe the wine still has the finishing acid of the very cool climate Tiers Vineyard Again a light grape fruit bitterness lends a suitable end to the sweet fruit core of the wine.

Tapanappa is the 21st century chapter of an adventure that pioneered the modern era of the Adelaide Hills wine region.

Tapanappa is the name that Brian Croser has given to his ongoing family-owned, fine-wine enterprise based in the Piccadilly Valley where it began more than 40 years ago as Petaluma.

After a storied history as the first and one of the finest of the Adelaide Hills wine producers, Petaluma was taken over dramatically by corporate giant Lion Nathan in 2001, although the Crosers retained ownership of their family home and their beloved Tiers Chardonnay vineyard at the foundation winery site.

Today Tapanappa has evolved into a complete family fine wine company from vineyard to market. It is managed by Brian’s daughter Lucy and husband Xavier Bizot, while another Croser son-in-law, Sam Barlow, looks after the winery. Tapanappa’s portfolio of wines is distributed in Australia by Terroir Selections, founded and operated by Xavier and Lucy.

The name “Tapanappa” is inspired by the 550-million-year-old geological formation that underlies the Fleurieu Peninsula where the Croser family have a coastal property and their newest vineyard, Foggy Hill.

The word Tapanappa is derived from the local aboriginal language, implying “sticking to the path”. This is exactly the philosophy Brian Croser has employed in selecting his Distinguished Sites matching the climate, soil and geology of a location to the right varieties and fastidiously managing the vineyard to make unique Australian “terroir” driven wines.