Tapanappa Cabernet Shiraz 2008 (Wrattonbully, SA)
14.5%, Cork, $55
Source: Cellar
www.tapanappawines.com.au

I opened this alongside the 2009 version, just to have another look to see if I had changed my mind about vintage preferences. I haven’t, as this still looks the less defined (and delicious) wine of the pair. A personal preference though (and viva la vintage variation).

Firstly though, context – this red comes off Brian Croser’s Whalebone Vineyard, located in Wrattonbully (not far from the Naracoorte caves). Planted in the mid 70s, the Whalebone Vineyard it is one of the oldest vineyards in this oft-overlooked wine region, the soils sharing a similar red clay-loam over limestone profile to that of Coonawarra to the south, though Wrattonbully has a slightly cooler, drier climate (it’s more inland).

Like Coonawarra, the Whalebone vineyard – and much of Wrattonbully for that matter – is planted on an ancient coastline, with the limestone soils particularly maritime fossil-rich (it was a fossilised whale bone found on the Tapanappa property that gave the vineyard its name).

While I’ve always thought that the Merlot Cabernet Franc is this vineyards true calling (as the 08 shows) it’s always intriguing to come back to this more ‘Australian’ Tapanappa blend too.