Even as the ink was drying on the Petaluma purchase in 2001, Brian Croser's friends at Champagne Bollinger were forming a pact with the Croser family to begin again
Then along came the Cazes family from Chateau Lynch Bages in Pauillac. On a trip to Australia in 2002, Jean-Michel and his son Jean-Charles met with Croser and joined the partnership. The driving ambition was to own and make wine from the more than 30-year old Koppamurra Vineyard just north of Coonawarra. Tapanappa was born and Koppamurra Vineyard was acquired in late 2002. The property has since been renamed Whalebone Vineyard. The partnership was founded in a strong, mutually held belief that some pieces of ground are much better than others for the production of fine wine. Of course this superiority is highly specific to varieties and wine style. The Whalebone Vineyard and Cabernet Sauvignon in particular have a unique synergy. Croser learned of the wonderful quality of Cabernet from the Whalebone Vineyard 25 years ago when in 1980, he assisted Geoff Weaver to make his very first wine from this vineyard under the Ashbourne label. Tapanappa»
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