The Adelaide Hills is home to some of the world’s best Chardonnay thanks to its perfectly temperate cool conditions and to celebrate, Chardonnay May was born.
An ode to the region and the delicious drop it produces, the month-long event is celebrated through a collection of events across the local cellar doors.
And this year, Tapanappa Wines want to celebrate their vintage with you.
Chardonnay May gives Tapanappa an opportunity to open the creaking door of their museum cellar, fight through the cobwebs and select some precious remnants of previous Tiers vintages to share with their guests.
The Tiers Vineyard is the oldest vineyard in the Adelaide Hills and was planted in 1979 by Brian and Ann Croser. After 43 years it is easily the most lauded Chardonnay vineyard in the Adelaide Hills.
Situated in the heart of the Piccadilly Valley (the coolest and wettest subregion of the Adelaide Hills wine region) and occupying a central, tree surrounded “clos” like location, the Tiers Vineyard provides a perfect terroir for Chardonnay.
If this reads like hyperbole, Brian will assure you that even after 43 years, The Tiers still surprises him with the excellence and consistency of its terroir expression.
Brian admits that at times he has struggled to optimise the conversion of The Tiers wonderful Chardonnay fruit to equally wonderful wine but as the decades have passed but has discovered over the years that less is more.
“Simplifying the winemaking has revealed the exquisite purity of Tapanappa Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay’s expression,” Brian said.
Freshness, intensity, complexity, texture, balance are just some of the many attributes that define great Chardonnay but the greatest test of all is longevity.
Brian has chosen four diverse vintages of Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay and Tiers Vineyard 1.5M Chardonnay for this Chardonnay May event, to demonstrate that despite widely varying temperatures during the growing season, the Tiers unique expression of Chardonnay holds its form and is always recognisably Tiers Chardonnay.
The vertical tasting of maturing Tiers Vineyard Chardonnays includes 2013 Tiers- a warm dry vintage 2015 Tiers and Tiers 1.5M (the first) a cooler vintage, 2017 Tiers and Tiers 1.5M – A cool, late vintage, 2019 Tiers 1.5M – A warm dry vintage.
Despite a 22% difference in season heat between the coolest of these four vintages (2015) and the warmest (2019), the description of Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay’s essential qualities remains consistent with nectarine to yellow peach, quince, and grapefruit to the fore, the emerging brulee of bottle age and the exquisite and unique Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay significant texture apparent.
“I do hope you can join us in celebrating this great vineyard during this Chardonnay May” Brian says, “It has been a joy and privilege discovering then nurturing The Tiers Vineyard for 43 years and we look forward to sharing that joy with you!”
Tickets are priced at $140 per person and the hosted tasting experience includes a grazing board of local produce. Guests can make booking here.
Tapanappa Vertical Tiers Experience will run from 11am to 12:30pm on the 21st & 28th May 22.
Tapanappa Cellar Door is located at 15 Spring Gully Rd. Piccadilly SA.
You can keep up to date with Tapanappa on Facebook and Instagram.
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