With a family history in winemaking going back to 1895, Tim became a third generation vigneron when he started his career in the family company, Stanley Wines, in the early 1960s. He made his first wine in 1966 and over the years became one of the most awarded winemakers. In 1976 after the selling of the family company, he started Tim Knappstein Wines, innovating and pioneering winemaking - introducing Fume Blanc and becoming a Clare Valley legend.
He sold all of the Clare interests in the mid 1990s, and in 2006, after getting a tad miffed that he was unable to use his own name on his wines, he launched Riposte with his wife, Dale, and son Nick. The concept is to produce outstanding wine from Adelaide Hills, and their Pinot Noirs are some of the best in Australia.
If you weren't a winemaker, what job would you do? Formula One driver
Describe yourself in three words. Innovative, meticulous, adventurous
Aside from your own wines, what do you drink at home? Hunter valley Semillon, cool climate Shiraz, Clare Valley Riesling and a Gin & Tonic at 6pm.
What is the best, and worst, wine you have ever made? Worst was an Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc that was horribly green. The best, I haven't made it yet.
What is your most prized posession? A 1969 Datsun 240Z Rally Car.
Name three people, real or fictional, living or dead, that would be your ideal dining companions and what would you be drinking? Niki Lauda, Winston Churchill and Napoleon. We'd be drinking 2002 Arras Ed Carr, 2005 Tyrrell's VAT 69 Semillon, 2006 Peter Lehman Wigan Riesling, 2010 Riposte 'The Sabre' Pinot Noir, 2009 Shaw & Smith Shiraz, 2010 Wynns Alex 88 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2011 DeBortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon and we might need a Cognac for Winston!
