It is creamy and smooth with a lively finish and juicy fruits. It is a wine that can withstand quite rich foods as later we were served this wine with a Five Spice Duck Terrine, wrapped in banana crepe with a Cucumber and soybean pickle and white bean aioli. Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay is what we were meant to taste, but the NZ Customs Department were having a good look, we were told, so while the cases of Yattarna 98 sat on the Auckland wharves, we tried the 1997 of the last years release. I noted in the release notes of the 98, however, they'd done away with the 'A' on the label, as in 95A of the initial release. The 1997 Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay was showing deep gold hues.
Barrel ferment complexities on the nose with subtle smoke and yeast.
Nuts, figs and heaps of barrel ferment complexities. Spicy lemon flavours linger in the palate along with hot buttered light toast, custard berry, poached nectarines and cinnamon pears. Limited quantities of this wine might still be available in fine wine retailers. The following wine was tasted on its own. Penfolds Clare Valley Reserve Aged Riesling .