Petaluma, Adelaide Hills, Australia
When I left Australia in 1986 to live in France, Petaluma was a wonderful example of a boutique winery.
Brian and Ann Croser began Petaluma in 1976 and set about exactingly matching varieties to regions and meticulously managing for 27 years the vines in Petaluma’s “Distinguished Site” vineyards in Clare, the Adelaide Hills and at Coonawarra. Petaluma went on to become a beacon for modern Australian wineries and wine brands.
But Petaluma and its vineyards were sold in 2001. And as with corporatisation, it continues to change hands. South Australian family business Torresan Estate has recently bought the old Petaluma winery and bottling facilities at Woodside in the Adelaide Hills from Accolade Wines.
When I visited Petaluma, I tasted some delightful wines, notably Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. But the service was rather perfunctory, with staff showing little interest in visitors — in contrast to the usual warm welcome of a boutique or family winery.
There are so many stories to be told about wine. But I didn’t hear any at Petaluma. It is a taste and buy operation. I did not buy any. The corporatisation of the wine industry can backfire.
If you love wine landscapes as I do, Petaluma is worth visiting, as it is perched up on a hill with magnificent views (see photos).
I was bursting with desire to get out and do some winewalking. But I was told that it is not permitted in South Australia. One person mentioned the fear of phylloxera, which can still be found in regions of Victoria and NSW.
Grape phylloxera is an insect pest of grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America. In the late 19th century the phylloxera epidemic destroyed most of the vineyards for wine grapes in Europe, most notably in France.
Phylloxera was introduced to Europe when avid botanists in Victorian England collected specimens of American vines in the 1850s. Because phylloxera is native to North America, the native grape species are at least partially resistant. By contrast, the European wine grape Vitis vinifera is very susceptible to the insect.
What’s happened to Brian Croser?
In recent years the Croser family was able to buy the original Petaluma Winery at the bottom of the Tiers Vineyard and rebadge it as Tapanappa Winery. Over the past 16 years or so, Tapanappa has evolved into a highly respected family company from vineyard to market, with Brian’s daughter and her husband managing the business and his other son-in-law looking after the winery facility, cellar door and IT.
But Brian hasn’t taken his foot off the pedal. The natural-born leader is still hands-on in the Australian wine community, helping to drive quality and share Australia’s fine wines with the world.