Chris Shanahan: Wine review — Lindemans and Peter Lehmann

Lindemans bin range whites $6.65–$10

85 Pinot Grigio 2011
Bin 65 Chardonnay 2011
Bin 90 Moscato 2011

Lindemans popular bin range began as an export brand in the 1980s, then expanded into the domestic market, only to recede ignominiously following Rosemount’s reverse takeover of Southcorp Wines and Foster’s subsequent swallowing of Southcorp. It’s rebuilding now under Treasury Wine Estates (spun-off from Foster’s). The pinot grigio owes as much to bright acidity as it does to varietal flavour; the chardonnay is excellent at the price with its fresh, crisp, peachy varietal flavour and smooth texture; and the new moscato pleases with its in-your-face but sweet grapey flavours.

Lindemans bin range reds $6.65–$10

Bin 50 Shiraz 2010
Bin 45 Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

You can expect the whole bin range to be discounted periodically, bringing the price down substantially from the recommended $10. The $6.65 price tag is Dan Murphy’s advertised price, in six-bottle lots, at the time of writing. The reds are both really good wines. Both are built to drink now and focus on pure, vibrant varietal flavours without the deeper, more savoury and tannic notes you’d expect to find in more expensive wines. The shiraz is round and juicy with soft, easy tannins. The cabernet has the variety’s leafy edge and lightly astringent bite.

Peter Lehmann Barossa $12.70–$18

Portrait Shiraz 2009
Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Peter Lehmann Wines, saved some years back from corporate raiders by Switzerland’s Hess Family, now simply gets on with the job of making good Barossa wines. For about double the price of the Bin 50 and Bin 45 reviewed above, you get wines of notably greater dimension. The shiraz is still plummy, vibrantly fruity and varietal, but the fruit’s denser and more deeply layered with tannins, in the soft Barossa style. The cabernet is strong and assertively varietal, both in flavour and its muscular, firm tannin structure. The wines are often discounted, hence the wide price range.