A Wine for Tonight: 2008 Peter Lehmann Barossa Shiraz

Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2008 Peter Lehmann Barossa Shiraz from the famed Barossa Valley of Australia.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of
• Must be widely available

Peter Lehmann has become affectionately known as the “Baron of the Barossa.” Prior to founding Peter Lehmann Wines, he was winemaker and general manager for another winery. With an overproduction of grapes in the late 1970s, the winery he worked for asked him to go back on his word to some of the local growers from whom he had promised to purchase grapes. A man of integrity, Peter Lehmann would not do it. Instead, he put together some financial partners and purchased the grapes himself. His actions saved many of the grape growers from financial ruin and earned Peter Lehmann tremendous respect in the community. Ultimately, he went completely out on his own and found investment partners to form Peter Lehmann Wines. While it was initially founded to produce wine from purchased grapes, today Peter Lehmann Wines owns some of its own vineyards as well as continues to support numerous local growers.

“A wine of great depth of color reflecting the splendid 2008 red wine vintage. The bouquet has tantalizing aromas of dark plums and black fruits with just a hint of oak in the background. It is a seamless wine with an excellent structure, its rich fruit reined in by firm tannins. A beautiful expression of Barossa Shiraz, it will continue to develop in the bottle for five plus years.” –Andrew Wigan, Chief Winemaker

2008 Peter Lehmann Barossa Shiraz (Barossa Valley, Australia): Deep purplish red. Aromatic with black fruit, oak, licorice, and black pepper on both the nose and palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Wine World Warehouse (Seattle, Washington), $14.99; Available elsewhere, $11 to $21

A Wine for Tonight: 2008 Peter Lehmann Barossa Shiraz was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.