1998 Paringa Estate Chardonnay

Lindsay McCall is forging his way ahead of the rest of the Mornington Peninsula with a series of concentrated individual wines. Admittedly on occasions a better wine may emerge, but on a consistent basis his Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are outstanding. Even in the difficult years, such as 1996, McCall is able to create wines with power and complexity. So what's the secret? Well, in part it's the winemaking, however, the real essence to his success lays in the fact that he chose the right site to plant on in the first place. In cool climates, the selection of the warmest sites is critical to success.Brilliant straw colour. The nose is very Burgundian, outstanding in its lifted aromas of cashews, butterscotch and ripe melon which are superbly integrated with yeast lees and whilst the barrel fermentation aromas are present, they in no way overshadow the fruit qualities of this wine. The palate flavours are mouthfilling with melon and cashew being beautifully interwoven with a distinct aniseed quality over which are layers of toasted oak and tropical fruit. Perfect balance followed by very long aniseed, butterscotch and biscuit aftertaste. Cellar 3-5 years.