Tim Knappstein became a third generation vigneron when he commenced his career in the family company, Stanley Wines, making his first wine in 1966, after graduating from the Roseworthy College Oenology course. Riposte, has enabled Tim to fully utilise his rich and accumulated knowledge from a decorated 45 years of wine-making, and his boundless enthusiasm to keep making exceptional well priced wine, from premium cool climate grapes of the Adelaide Hills. The Dagger has been honed to create a vibrant, rich, earlier drinking wine displaying all of the hallmark aromas flavours and texture of Pinot Noir.

Little Giant Little batch is the crafting of hand-made, small parcel wines representing unique varieties, vineyards, or wine styles. Little Batch provide a snapshot of the exciting innovations and blends that typify the current Australian wine scene innovative blends that are unusual and delicious and constantly over-deliver on quality.

This Adelaide Hills Tempranillo was selected from a single vineyard in Macclesfield in the southern hills. It was handcrafted to produce a wine portraying the uniquely high elevation, red earth, crisp mornings and the warmth of autumn colours. Brooding dark fruits with ripe plums are integrated with a mild oak spice and hints of wild mint. A perfect accompaniment to a grazing platter on an mild Autumn afternoon.

Shows more traditional Australian brooding dark fruit character of blackcurrant, stewed cherry and satsuma plum on a backing of liquorice, spice and smoky, bacony oak. Black pepper is infused through the tannin, lending a distinctly savoury edge to the finish. Length is excellent. Luxury is affordable. The Lane Vineyard, near Hahndorf in the Adelaide Hills, is 400 metres above sea level. Shaped by this altitude and southerly latitudes the cooler climate is ideal for growing grapes destined to become wines of distinction, wines with impressive structure, minerality and natural acidity. North facing single vineyard sites maximize autumn sunlight for later ripening varietals, South facing sites favor aromatic whites and sparkling wines. Significant diurnal temperature variation during grape ripening is a distinguishing feature of this vineyard. Longer sunlight hours and temperate daytime temperatures contribute to intense fruit flavours while the sudden fall in evening temperature preserves natural acidity and structure.

Out of the shadow and into the light steps our Ombre Gamay; ready and poised to take centre stage. Historically cast in the shadow of its varietal neighbour Pinot Noir, Gamay is enjoying a timely moment in the sun. Vibrant in hue and exuberant in youthful personality, this wine delivers juicy red berry fruits on the nose with subtle spice and fine tannins on the palate.

Winemakers Danny Toaldo and Moreno Chiappin have crafted a seriously flavoursome Shiraz from premium Adelaide Hills fruit. Delicious now but will cellar.Deep red to purple. Fragrant lift of kirsch, cola, dark cherry and vanilla. Powerful yet quite elegant with a sweet mix of black cherry, liquorice and mocha, deep tannins, fresh acidity, lovely oak and a long, sinewy finish.

Take It To The Grave Pinot Noir is blood red in colour with a lifted and varietal nose of wild strawberries, ripe plums and cherries. The palate is rich and expressive with supple cherry and red berried fruit, a beautifully lush mouth-feel matched by fine tannins and soft acidity that provide structure and length.

This Kuitpo Pinot Noir is a blend from two vineyards in Kuitpo, Christmas Hill and Topnote. The blocks integrate seamlessly to produce a wine portraying the gradually shortening days, the subtle look of Autumn and the gently rolling sandy loam landscape draped in morning fog in which it's grow. Partial carbonic maceration adds a floral lift to the wine with subtle earthiness and fresh strawberry notes while a portion of whole bunch gives structure and spice while maintaining the vibrancy and varietal character of Pinot Noir.

The Dagger has been deliberately honed to create a vibrant, rich, earlier drinking Pinot with all the red fruit plumpness of classic Pinot Noir. Drink young while the edge is keen.