2018 Tapanappa “Whalebone” Merlot Cabernet Franc, Adelaide Hills, Australia

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. Brian is one of the most knowledgeable, and fun persons to meet from the wine industry. I remember getting late to service at Vue de monde, after chatting with him for 4hours straight during a wine tasting. Tapanappa acquired the then 30-year-old Whalebone Vineyard in 2002 and completely renovated it onto a new trellis supporting a shoot-thinned vertical canopy. There are just 1.2 hectares of Merlot and 0.8 hectares of Cabernet Franc planted in 1974 in the Whalebone Vineyard, possibly the first plantings of those varieties in South Australia. Why do we like it? Mature in 70% new French Oak for almost 2 years, the Whalebone is a generous wine with vanilla and spicy notes from oak are the first to jump out on the nose, but then it opens up to a much more defined black-fruit core. This is a lavish, full-bodied, oaky red, no doubt. It delivers an opulent almost sweet structure through its sweet oak notes and ripe fruit with a refined and classy edge to it Grape            Merlot, Cabernet Franc Country        Australia                                  Region          Adelaide Hills                          Vintage         2018