Peter Lehmann The Black Queen 1996

[Wizz]

Drunk in a social setting so impressions only.

Disgorged 2002.

Quite dark, with a rick forest berry purple mousse that persisted for ages. When cold this showed nothing, but when it warmed, this showed rich barossa berry, licorice, and almost menthol richness. The finish isnt sweet at all, there is plenty of tannin to make this finish clean too.

Very nice if you like a fruit sweet style. I think I prefer the Seppelt show reserve, which I've always found more earthy/savoury.

cheers

Andrew

[TORB]

this showed rich barossa berry, licorice, and almost menthol richness. The finish isnt sweet at all, there is plenty of tannin to make this finish clean too.

Very nice if you like a fruit sweet style. I think I prefer the Seppelt show reserve, which I've always found more earthy/savoury.

Andrew,

I am interested in my impressions here. I loved the 94 but when I tried the 96 I found it a little sweet for my liking. In your note, you said the finish wasn't sweet but its a fruit sweet style. Any more info please?

[Wizz]

this showed rich barossa berry, licorice, and almost menthol richness. The finish isnt sweet at all, there is plenty of tannin to make this finish clean too.

Very nice if you like a fruit sweet style. I think I prefer the Seppelt show reserve, which I've always found more earthy/savoury.

Andrew,

I am interested in my impressions here. I loved the 94 but when I tried the 96 I found it a little sweet for my liking. In your note, you said the finish wasn't sweet but its a fruit sweet style. Any more info please?

Yeah, I guess the note looks odd.

I found the wine fruit sweet, in the sense of "ripe Barossa shiraz" type of sweet. On the other hand the wine wasn't sugar sweet, as if the dosage was quite low, and the finish was quite "dry red" like. It was almost as if this was made in the Barossa shiraz table wine style, and then made to bubble.

does that make any sense?

AB

[TORB]

Hi Andrew,

It makes a lot of sense to me as I was in a quandry when I last tasted this wine. FWIW, here is my TN

Peter Lehmann 1996 Black Queen Sparkling Shiraz sells for $35 and is only available through CD. I loved the 1994 and was looking forward to tasting and buying the 96. A muscular eight wine with very rich blackberry and prune plate finishing to liquorice that seemed very sweet with little savoury character. The complexity is well developed and I tried hard to like it but it seemed a little too sweet and confected for my taste. Others will no doubt disagree (hi Campbell ) . Rated as Highly Recommended with *** for value.

Like you, to me, it didnt seem to have to much residual sugar which plages a lot of the lower priced SS but was still very sweet.

Cheers
Ric

PS - now whats the best time to drink it?
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Answer - anytime, its FRS and that means its good with breakfast too.

[Wizz]

Yep, sounds like the same wine. Oh well, move on, try another one.

[Mike Hawkins]

Ric,

I think you and I have discussed this previously, but I can't help but prefer the 96. I agree that it is sweeter than the 94 (symptomatic of many PL table reds from those 2 vintages), but not unpleasantly so - just a case of richer fruit. I tried it agian last week at CD and the ladies there indicated the company view that it was a better wine than its predecessor (could just be a sales spin !). Anyway, each to his own...

Mike

[TORB]

Mike,

I will give it another try when I am there on the weekend. I realy want to like it!

Cheers
Ric

[Mike Hawkins]

And try the 98 Stonewell (which funnily enough six months ago was "sold out") which is on tasting CD. Its a beauty.