Peter Lehmann Shiraz Barossa The Barossan 2015

Peter Lehmann Shiraz Barossa The Barossan 2015 (SKU 144937, $25.29 tax included WS 92 pts.)

I bumped into this new offering at the LDB at Cambie and 8th. Since I wanted something with a fuller body for the baked beef ribs at dinner, I thought that a shiraz would be good. Upon opening, with no decanting, the nose was strong and the fruit came right out. The body was medium to full and the taste was full of dark fruit and a hint of pepper. The finish was medium long but the legs hanged in the wine glass forever. That suggested that the sugar content was high and it tasted like a typical Australian fruit bomb. It got up to my head quickly in spite of pairing it with some fatty beef ribs. I checked the alcohol content right the way and found it to be 14.5%. There was some leftover and I tasted it the next night and it mellowed down a bit and was even more enjoyable. Wine Spectator gave it 92 points and labeled it as "Smart Buy". There is definitely good potential for cellaring since the wine is very heavy. The only trouble is that it comes with a screw top and can be opened easily. The temptation to drink it would be too great for most of us. At this price, this is a highly recommended wine for both immediate consumption and medium term cellaring in the order of ten years. I suggest buying a dozen bottles, drink a few this year and save the rest for the next decade. There is ample stock in the LDB system but surprisingly very few bottles at Cambie and 39th. If you want more that six bottles, try the Cambie and 8th or the Alberni LDB store.