Peter Lehmann

Just one masked wine

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2001 Peter Lehmann “the king” AD 2022 Vintage Port 18.5%
Barossa Valley, 63% Cab sav, 37% Touriga

Youthful colour; absolutely bursts from the glass- musk, raspberry, blueberry, dark cherry and red liquorice. Floral with clove notes, high quality spirit. Palate is deep and sweet with some attractive mocha notes. 2005? Comfortable, with dark fruits and abundant spices. Australian for sure with the sweetness, but with a reasonable whack of Portuguese varieties – likely Touriga. I guessed the main variety as Shiraz, but surprisingly it was Cabernet Sauvignon! Unusual, but probably included to bolster the tannic frame (sometimes the task of Durif in Australian VP styles).

The ”AD 2022” is the label’s confusing cue that the wine has the capability of maturing for 21 years (and suitable for a birthday occasion).

The wine is Just a bit straightforward for higher marks, but eminently enjoyable, and thought-provoking.

Drink to 2034, and 91 points

Three Australian vintage fortifieds

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1994 peter lehmann vp

1994 Peter Lehmann “the king” AD 2015 (Vintage Port) 20%
Barossa Valley, 100% Shiraz

An auction purchase last year for $32. Reasonable cork, and abundant sediment.
I thought there was some faint oxidation present, but not to the extent that it would worry – I need to respect a mature, thirty-year-old fortified.

Colour was mature, deep and bricky. The wine offered very classy mellow brandy spirit, hazelnut, mocha, cola and dark plumcake. Absolutely, obviously Australian. The palate was round and rich, with more sweet spices emerging, and the spirit is a winner.

There may be better bottles, but this one will drink to 2030, and 90 points.

1997 ch reynella vp

1997 Chateau Reynella Vintage Port 19%
Bottle #8097, McLaren Vale, South Australia (different bottle image)

Served masked, the wine is still a deep ruby colour with trivial bricking; dark fruited style – black cherry, plum and blackberry, with some spice. Australia, and Shiraz.  The palate is rich, sweet and balanced. with terrific quality brandy spirit. The finish is pleasingly dry finish, but there is some hotness. My guess at its age was late 1980’s to early 1990s.

People at the lunch had no qualms about seeking a top-up., but this bottle was not quite as memorable as the one consumed and reviewed in October 2018.

92 points, and drink to 2030.

1995 S&K vp

1995 Stanton and Killeen Vintage Port 19.0%
95% Shiraz, 5% Touriga Rutherglen, Victoria.

Another auction purchase last year for $31. “A big full style that will mature and improve in bottle for up to 25 years” was the accurate statement on the back label.

Deep ruby with some bricking. Aromatic, violets and menthol, wafts of sweet mixed spices. Mellow, rich and lush – camphor, raspberry jam, sweet dark fruit – blackberry, and raspberry plus excellent brandy spirit.  Yes, it’s less “multi-dimensional” than other vintages of S&K, but their track record is consistently excellent.

To 2030 (or longer), 91 points

One Barossa fortified

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1987 peter lehmann VP back1987 peter lehmann vp front

1987 Peter Lehman “the king” AD 2008 (Vintage Port) 18.5%
Barossa Valley, South Australia, Mainly Shiraz with some Cabernet Sauvignon. Unusual, metal-embossed bottle, with all the detail on the back.

Confusion alert, as the “AD” is meant to announce peak drinking as a 21-year old wine. Anyway, this was a sneaky auction buy last year for $29- pretty smart for a 37yo.

Hefty sediment, dense colour with minor bricking. Dark cherry, roses, liquorice, blackberry and blackcurrant and amazing high-quality brandy spirit. Soft and mellow, but still tannin sneaking away. Absolutely a winner, with time ahead.

Drink to 2034, and 92 points

1996 Peter Lehmann “the King” (Vintage Port) AD 2017 20%

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Barossa Valley, South Australia – Touriga, Shiraz, Cab Sav (53%/30%/17%)
The very odd labelling approach has the “recommended drinking date” (21 years from vintage) at least twice as prominent as the vintage. It takes careful reading of the back label to confirm the wine is a vintage fortified style! Congratulations marketing gurus, NOT.

1996 peter lehmann vp

The cork is adequate, and there is plentiful lumpy sediment evident with decanting. Definitely a bricky colour, the wine presents a world of soft comfortable old leather, mocha, a spice chest of potpourri, cedar and chestnut, blackberry and bonfires; the palate is luxurious; there is sweet brandy spirit, fresh dark cherry pie fruit, sweet coconut cream, liquorice and mixed spices contribute, and tannin is  in support. Altogether, it’s a fine drink to reminisce over, and its price was a derisory $20 some years back.

Drink to 2026, and 90 points.

Assorted recent drinks

~ Richard ~ 2 Comments

1979 DF vp2008 dow's lbvp 1970 warre's vp

David Franz AD 1979 Vintage Port 17.4%
Its terrific to see a 37-year-old fortified wine from South Australia. Made by Peter Lehmann, and tidied up and recorked by son David Franz; Barossa Shiraz with some Langhorne Creek Cab Sav.

The colour is a dark brick, and there is plenty of richness and softness, but also vitality. Mocha, liquorice, cardamon, orange rind, with a dash of camphor lift. Clean brandy spirit, plus figgy, dark caramel flavours, dried fruits and not nuttiness. The wine is not overblown, its gentle and reflective; a lovely piece of history that drinks compellingly.

Some people may prefer less bottle development, but this is a tribute to Barossa fruit longevity, its maker, sourcing and survival. And it may still be available in a few places for around $50. All up, a very welcome experience

Drink to 2020, 88 points

2008 Dow ‘s LBV (late-bottled vintage port) 20%
I don’t taste many of this style; more mellow than a vintage port, and substantially cheaper, these are bottled between 4 and 6 years after harvest, They are a “nearly” vintage port, with the decision on the style happening early. There are filtered and unfiltered versions, some sealed with a stopper, and debate about whether the wines can improve in bottle. An excellent discussion is on Roy Hersh’s (mostly paid) site.

Dense and cloudy,  light ruby/mahogany colour. Ripe dark cherry and slightly raw oak. Silky ripe mouthfeel, plum and light red liquorice flavours,  clean bright spirit. Brisk, and tastes youthful. This is a wine that won’t change much and there is no advantage with further cellaring.

Drink now, 89 points

1970 Warre’s Vintage Port
Decanted, due to a vast amount of sediment. We learned that this bottle had less than stellar cellaring conditions. Pale ruby in colour, the notes of almond meal, putty, mocha and rose-petal were sufficient to sway me to its Portuguese origins. Spirit looked plain, and a bit awkward, but the other characteristics offset this. The wine was quite sweet,  with dark jam and fig elements. Rich, but with energy and just a superfine sustained palate. A terrific year for VP’s though; the wine was consumed with gusto and hugely appreciated. A generous piece of history.

Drink to 2030, 93 points, and potentially other bottles will be better..