Tapanappa Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay 2022

Drink it now or cellar for up to 10 years. No need to decant but best to open it half an hour before service.

Founded in the early 2000s, Tapanappa is an Australian winery created by a partnership between the Australian Croser family of winemakers, and the French companies Cazes and Bollinger. They aim is to produce fine wines that express the best of Australian terroirs. One of their most important parcels is the Whalebone Vineyard, so named after the discovery, during replanting operations, of a whale skeleton in a cave beneath the vineyard.

The Chardonnay grapes are sourced from the Tiers vineyard, located in the Piccadilly Valley and planted in 1979. The Chardonnay clone is unknown but is thought to be related to the first introduction of this grape variety to Australia in the 19th century. After fermentation in vats and French oak barrels, the wine rests for a few months on the lees.

This delicious Chardonnay is elegant and complex, with a clear, bright lemon-yellow color and some greenish highlights. On the nose, it is expressive and opens with fresh citrus aromas of lemon and grapefruit, followed by stone fruit and ginger and some hints of sweet spice. On the palate, it is lively and mineral, fruity, and shows a great acid streak. The finish is long and balanced with light almond notes. Pair it with roast chicken or all-white meats.