James Halliday Companion
Winemaker Summary
Schoolteacher-turned-winemaker Lindsay McCall has shown an absolutely exceptional gift for winemaking across a range of styles, but with immensely complex Pinot Noir and Shiraz leading the way. The wines have an unmatched level of success in the wine shows and competitions Paringa Estate is able to enter, the limitation being the relatively small size of production of the top wines in his portfolio. Lindsay's skills are no less evident in contract winemaking for others. But time has passed and son Jamie, joined the winemaking team in 2012, after completing a winemakingand viticulture course at the University of Adelaide. He was put in charge of winemaking at Paringa in '17 following five home vintages, and one in Oregon, focusing on pinot noir. Exports to the UK, Canada, Denmark, Ukraine, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Japan. Winery of the Year, 2007 Wine Companion.
"Lindsay McCall is a magician at work"
Wine Ratings
The Paringa Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2022
For The Paringa, this is a rather tight, almost pared-back style. I like it. It still has a core of stone fruit and lemon/grapefruit with zest, all doused with ginger spice and nuanced cedary oak, but the driving acidity keeps everything on a tight leash. It's invigorating and delicious. Screw cap.
Rating 95 To 2032 JF
Estate Chardonnay 2022
A finely tuned offering working off a citrus theme with a fine combo of Meyer lemon, grapefruit and pith, some zest, too. The palate is refined and long with mouth-watering acidity, a little flinty with some lemon-lime and bitters tang and cedary oak superbly integrated. It's savoury, moreish and there's only one thing left to do - pour another glass. Screw cap.
Rating 95 To 2032 JF
Estate Pinot Noir 2022
For immediate appeal, this is my preferred go-to wine. It's gorgeous bright garnet, full of intense flavours - savoury and fruit-driven, as in black cherries. strawberries and fruit compote, then up comes woodsmoke, forest floor and garrigue plus cedary oak with a slight bitter green walnut character. The fuller-bodied palate is bolstered by plentiful tannins yet reined in by refreshing acidity. Screw cap.
Rating 95 To 2035 JF
All wines in the 2025 Wine Companion were reviewed by Jane Faulkner.