Tapanappa B&V Vineyard Syrah 2021
- 96
- $60
- Drink by: 2024-2031
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An Australian Syrah that actually lives up to the name, with a heart of bright spice, bursting in aromatic red and black berries and boasting a lightness of touch. How is this possible in a wine that is 14.9% alcohol? Well, for that answer look no further than the experienced hand of winemaker, Brian Croser, and his co-winemaker, Michael Symons. In 1992, the Symons family planted Syrah at Mount Barker because of its similarity to the soils of the Northern Rhône. For decades, the fruit was sold to Petaluma, but more recently small parcels were made available to Tapanappa. This is, according to Croser, a Distinguished Site, that is, it is super special. Arousing lifted scents of briar, bramble, wild black fruits, blueberry, earth, anise and spice. So on point in capturing a cool climate, aromatic, medium-bodied Syrah (aka Shiraz) that moves with energy and life bringing fruit and spice to the fore. Sage, pepper, allspice, anise and a light floral injection sit comfortably amid the blackberry, red plums and supple texture afforded by maturation in seasoned barriques. Warm in generosity off a terrific vintage year, flows easily, flows long. More please!
Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.
