The Tapanappa 2022 Chardonnay Tiers Vineyard is one of Australia's great Chardonnays, and that has never been more apparent than in this 2022 vintage. A superstar wine of grand proportions, the fruit has startling intensity in the mouth. The juicy acidity that weaves all elements of the wine together shows the pedigree of the site up in Piccadilly Valley (planted 1979). The phenolics are finely milled, lithe and ductile. What a wine. It's streamlined, seamless, toasty, so persistent and long, sapid and just so classy. With raw power and open-weave at the back of the palate, drink it now (so many will, and so many will love it). But equally, time will allow this wine to grow and open, and I believe it will be better, even in just a few years. 13.8% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

This 2021 Chardonnay Tiers Vineyard is a sensational wine. Let me tell you about the vineyard, and then we'll come back to the glass. The Tiers vineyard was planted in the Picadilly Valley in the Adelaide Hills by the Croser family in 1979. The vineyard lays at an elevation of around 450 meters (1,477 feet) above sea level at its highest point, and the wine was made by Brian Croser, an important name in Australian wine. The 2021 vintage was a goodie in South Australia. The start to the season (spring and around) was the recipient of a good level of rainfall and no ill-timed events, meaning fruit set and yields were decent, and the growing season itself was without heat events or challenges, meaning the picking windows were chosen based on the fruit, with no forced hands. So, to the wine. This is powerful, concentrated and shapely, with a core of pure citrus acidity (it's zesty and pithy). The fruit speaks of yellow peach and preserved lemon and a hint of white tea. The wine undulates across the tongue and shows line and poise that elevate it to the very top of the Chardonnay tree in Australia. One of the greats. I daresay it'll be even better in 2025.

Pale straw-colored, the 2019 Chardonnay Tiers Vineyard comes from the original plantings made in 1979 at 450 meters above sea level. Entirely barrel-fermented in one-third new French oak with the balance in second- and third-use barrels, it boasts subtle scents of pencil shavings accenting ripe melon and citrus. Medium-bodied, generous and silky in feel, with more pineapple flavors evident on the palate, it finishes long, with mouthwatering citrus and delicate oak nuances.

The 2010 Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay opens to a pronounced nose of warm apricots, passion fruit and mangoes with underlying butterscotch, preserved ginger, cashew and toast hints that lead to a medium-bodied palate filled with tropical flavors complemented by buttered toast nuances and a refreshing acid line. It finishes long. Drink it now to 2016+. Imported by Palm Bay Imports, Port Washington, NY; tel. 800-872-5622