Tapanappa would like to extend a warm congratulations to our founder and proprietor, Brian Croser, for his induction into the James Halliday Hall of Fame. This prestigious honour not only recognises Brian’s lifelong dedication to Australian wine but also celebrates the enduring friendship he shares with James Halliday.

“This is a special one, because James has been such a long-term friend,” Brian said.

“He’s been a friend for 48 years. Not too many people have ever done as much for the Australian wine industry as James and I’m very honoured.”

Brian was congratulated by senior staff at the Halliday Wine Companion for both his contributions to the Australian Wine Industry and his induction into the Hall of Fame.

“Brian believes real success comes from producing the very best wines possible. The pointy end of table wine in Australia would not be where it is today without him. We induct him as our third entrant into the James Halliday Hall of Fame, and the honour is all ours,” said Katrina Butler – Head of Tasting.

The award represents not only a lifetime commitment to an industry he helped to shape, but also his role in establishing the global reputation of Australian wine. The award recognises Brian’s unwavering commitment to, and pursuit of, creating some of Australia’s finest wines.

Alongside the many accolades he received over the years, Brian pointed to several personal and professional milestones as defining accomplishments throughout his career, including the establishment of the Riverina College of Advanced Education (now the Charles Sturt University Wine Science course) and establishing The Tiers Vineyard in the Piccadilly Valley.

“I think the most defining thing of all was making the decision to come to the Adelaide Hills and plant The Tiers Vineyard where we have,” Brian explained.

“The Tiers Vineyard was our initial goal in going out on our own — to grow our own Chardonnay, very specifically in the right place, managed in the right way, to make the best Chardonnay in the world. I think we’ve done that.”

Brian also recognised the work he had done in supporting the development of other grapegrowers, winemakers and wine scientists through the Riverina College of Advanced Education.

“Writing that course was a defining moment. We recently had the 50th anniversary of those first students and all have doneexceptionally well in the industry with major contributions down the years,” Brian said.

“Interesting thing is, most of them have retired well before me,” he added with a grin.

Brian also expressed his honour in following the two other inductees to the James Halliday Hall of Fame, Prue Henschke and Sue Hodder.

“It’s not just an honour to be inducted because James is a very old friend, but also a privilege to follow the two women who were inducted before me: Prue Henschke and Sue Hodder, both of whom I respect enormously,” he said.

“They’re both pioneers of the same philosophy, which is to fastidiously manage vineyards and produce great wine; Sue did that in Coonawarra, where she’s redefined viticulture for her company and manages her vineyards in the sort of studious way that allows her to produce wonderful wines.

“Prue, for exactly the same reasons, with the Hill of Grace and managing the vineyards that Henschke treasures.

Brian’s legacy continues at Tapanappa through his daughter, Lucy, and son-in-law, Xavier. The Tiers Vineyard remains in family hands, alongside two other distinguished sites: the Whalebone Vineyard in Wrattonbully and the Foggy Hill Vineyard on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

To celebrate Brian’s induction to the James Halliday Hall of Fame, Tapanappa will be releasing a special collection of backvintage wines from notable vintages throughout the winery’s history.

Atop this massive honour, Tapanappa once again received a Red 5 Star Rating in the 2026 Halliday Wine Companion, as well as a number of high scoring reviews. Please see some of the top-scoring wines listed below:

TAPANAPPA 2024 Tiers 1.5M Vineyard Chardonnay 96 POINTS
Fruit is picked from a close-planted block that was planted in ’03. This is wonderful Chardonnay – all finesse, tension, filigreed minerality, light, savoury undertones and pristine, bright green pear, nectarine and pink grapefruit freshness. Touches of nougat, sea spray and green almond in the mesh of characters here. A suggestion of flint and wet slate lend credence and complexity, too. Very precise and energetic, and extends long in flavour and persistence of minerality. Class act. – Mike Bennie.

TAPANAPPA 2024 Tiers Vineyard Chardonnay 95 POINTS
From the first Croser vineyard, planted ’79. A potent and rich Chardonnay of distinguished power and presence. It’s set at a riper pace but feels supremely balanced and delivers emphatic notions of quality. Rich pear notes, dried and fresh, honeyed cashew, cinnamon toast, a touch of flinty minerality and red apple juiciness and a bit of crunch from that, too. Quite palate staining with its swish of sweet, liquified brown spice. A generous wine done with aplomb. – Mike Bennie

TAPANAPPA 2023 Foggy Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 95 POINTS
Pale crimson in the glass, the swill itself deft, dignified. This poise, together with tight bright fruit, leads the trajectory for this lovely wine from the cool and late ripening ’23 vintage. The wine is well-lit and the bouquet carries noteworthy lift. Red cherry, plum and Christmas berries scatter throughout. Umami undertones, too, leaf litter, bresaola and turned earth. There is no negotiation between structure and fruit here, just supreme balance. The tannins are authoritative yet joyous, lending frame through an enduring, savoury-leaning finish with plenty of spice, Szechuan, clove and anise. If quiet elegance were a wine, this would be the embodiment. – Katrina Butler

TAPANAPPA 2022 ‘DEFINITUS’ Pinot Noir 96 POINTS – Top rated Pinot Noir
A beautiful release here; 15% whole bunch, nine months in French oak, 30% of which was new. Elements of struggle, the cooler-than-usual vintage and minute yields have contributed to a concise and certain wine. Prismatic red fruits cast light over the depth of spice and umami complexities, a little truffle, a little master stock, and just-ripe red plum. Pure harmony. Definitus has a reputation for assertive tannins, and again, they are complex, layered and riveting. More spice richness follows as black cherry and Cointreau notes endure through a captivating and persistent finish. – Katrina Butler

TAPANAPPA 2021 Whalebone Vineyard Cabernets Merlot Franc 96 POINTS – Top rated Cabernet & Blends
A blend of 53/16/16/15% Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Shiraz. Matured in 50% new French barriques for 18 months. A wine that is as vivid as the imagery of the whale skeleton found buried beneath the vineyard. Fresh figs, boysenberry and Chinese bayberry. Tea, rose bud, goji and pomegranate molasses. There is a heart of red fruit with surrounding coffee and mocha spice. The palate is a weaving thread of silky tannins; Xavier has such talent for texture and expansion of a wine’s length and dimension. A wine that reverberates throughout your whole body. – Shanteh Wale

TAPANAPPA 2024 Eden Valley Riesling 95 POINTS
With its pristine aromatics and dry, lightly textured, savoury finish, the Tapanappa Eden Valley Riesling makes for great drinking now or over the medium term. Pale in the glass with a flash of green and aromas of fresh lime juice, grapefruit and green apple. Hints of Christmas lily, jasmine, crushed quartz, lime zest and lemongrass. Linear and long, showing a finely honed tension between limey fruit and mineral acid cadence, it’s superb, focused drinking, showing just a swell of umami and a real sense of sapidity as it sails true and sustained. – Dave Brookes