The Piccadilly Valley welcomed the Croser family back into the Tapanappa Winery with a typical cool weather vintage of exemplary quality. Stone fruit, honeydew and lemon zest, with spicy cedar oak in support. Medium bodied, tangy lemony acidity, almond and spice, firm and flinty finish. Its a wine of structure and coiled up power. Good now, but ideally needs a couple of years in the winerack.

Foggy Hill is a deep and brooding young wine although the intensity of Pinot Noir fruit character is already very evident. Ripe Pinot Noir aromas of black berry-fruits, exotic spice, anise and delicate florals have added complexity of earthy terroir derived characters. What you smell is what you taste in this wine but with a core of sweet fruit on the middle palate and very definite and refined tannin finish.

The colour is medium density and purple edged, the aroma is of cedar and spicy cassis Cabernet and the earthy terroir character of the Whalebone Vineyard. The Shiraz plays a role in filling out the middle palate. The core of the wine is sweet but the finish is of gentle savoury tannin.The fruit flavours are sweet at the core but the wine retains the elegance, savory balance and refined but determined tannins, which are hallmarks of the Whalebone terroir.

2017 Foggy Hill Pinot Noir is an exquisite expression of this unique very cool maritime terroir. The colour has a lovely intense purple hue. The aromatics are delicate and floral with spice but the profound underlying terroir expression is of complex ripe strawberry puree and a hint of earth. It has moderate alcohol and finely textured structure. The flavours float on water not alcohol. The best expression of Foggy Hill terroir yet.

The aroma is of blackberry and cassis with no leafiness and an earthy, Moroccan leather bouquet typical of the Whalebone terroir. The flavours are rich and strong with an underlying fresh varietal complexity including the spiciness of Cabernet and the fresh leather and anise of Shiraz. The tannins are at once grainy and substantial providing a savoury and long finish. This is an excellent example of Australias own red blend and a pure expression of these unique terroirs.

As featured on "Battle of the Vines": About the Tapanappa, Liinaa effuses, Its got power, a lot of stone fruit characters you often find with a Burgundy wine, but also it has ripping acidity, its razor sharp, pristine. Its got a very beautiful expression of wet stones and textures, its layered, with a bit of spice as well.