- 1998 Peter Lehmann Shiraz Barossa - Australia, South Australia, Barossa (5/30/2025)
From my late father’s cellar, this was a solo bottle hidden amongst a bunch of d’Arenberg bottles that I was organizing. Cork came out in one solid piece, and with very little staining. Looked like a barely bottled wine! Color dark, and with virtually no fade or orange. Dark cherry, light wood smoke, and a cedar note were the initial aromatic and flavor elements, with a richer, meatier bass note developing with some air. Tannins were still holding things together, and the balance was so good I suspect another decade would not be an issue. I don’t think it was going to develop much more, but could certainly have held. Delicious, very drinkable, no trace of alcoholic heat. Wonderful old bottle.
'98 was a great vintage and Peter Lehmann wines are deceptively (because they're so approachable young) ageable IME. I have some '97 Mentors I'm looking forward to.