Peter Lehmann’s reputation is legendary throughout Australian winemaking history. A true champion for the people, Peter Lehmann was a solid force in creating and building this world-renowned wine region and helping it be known for premium red wines, specifically Shiraz worldwide.
Home to some of the greatest and oldest vines, the Barossa Valley safeguards old vines and highly regards their fruit while protecting their vine heritage. The Barossa Valley contains original vine rootstocks from France and these vines, to this day, continue to produce fruit. Many vines are currently aged 180+ years old. These produce wines that are terroir-driven and proudly one-of-a-kind. With warm days and cool nights, this ideal climate crafts wines that are loved by red wine enthusiasts all around the world.
We sat down with Lauren Hutton, assistant winemaker at Peter Lehmann, and nominee for the 2019 Australian Women in Wine Awards to learn more about this fascinating region and the award-winning wines she helps to create.
Mark Davidson, the Head of Education for Wine Australia, shares additional insights on Barossa Valley. According to him, the essence of postmodern Barossa Shiraz lies in its core freshness—a forward-looking profile that promises excitement for wine enthusiasts. Keep an eye out for his upcoming book, “Wines of Australia,” scheduled for release in October 2024.
Founding Legacy
Peter Lehmann, the founder, was an icon of the Barossa Valley. A fifth-generation Barossan, Peter Lehmann first established the Barossa winery that bears his name in 1979. Today, Peter Lehmann Winery is one of the most established family-owned wineries in the region. The first vintage was made in 1980 and great wines are still made to this very day and available in many markets.
Peter Lehmann, the wine brand, is world-renowned, thanks to the exceptional legacy of its founder. Winemakers at the winery have unrivalled access to the very best grapes from all around the Barossa. These original business partnerships were framed by Peter Lehmann himself and truly established the region for its premium quality wines by producing high-quality fruit from respectable and accountable grape growers. Peter Lehmann was also one of the first to understand the art of social sustainability and created long-standing relationships with this same community of family growers. These long-term contracts provided stability to the region’s farmers year after year and reinvigorated the industry by stabilizing one of the most important parts of the wine supply chain.
About Barossa Valley
The Barossa is located 80 kilometres northeast of Adelaide in South Australia. The region of Adelaide has been named one of the Great Wine Capitals of the World. Within that area lies the stunning Barossa Valley, an award-winning and iconic wine region. This world-class region is known for fresh, bold, and delicious shiraz wines. Arguably Australia’s most renowned wine region there is a constant commitment to excellence and a community-based spirit to upkeep the premium quality of the region and offer unforgettable wine tourism.
Filled with a rich background, the region offers over 175 years of winemaking history. “Although established by the British, Lutheran emigrants fleeing religious persecution from Prussia played an important role in cementing the unique wine and food culture that has shaped this region,” says Davidson.
The region of Barossa has the oldest, continuously producing Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro, Cabernet Sauvignon and Semillon vineyards in the world. Davidson explains that Barossa is home to Australia’s largest plantings of old, ungrafted vines on earth. These vineyards and vines are so regarded visitors are asked to not walk, drive or ride amongst the vines to protect the vines from diseases. Shoes, clothing and car tires can spread pests and diseases, including phylloxera which would devastate the historical and ancient vineyards that exist.
“Seventy-five per cent of our vineyards in the Barossa Valley are susceptible to the destructive pest, for which there is no treatment or cure,” shares Davidson. “The Barossa Old Vine Charter was also established as a way of celebrating and codifying the use of the term Old Vines.”
“Barossa Shiraz is big, bold, powerful and unique. We are lucky to have a climate which nurtures this style to its fullest,” shares Hutton.
According to Davidson, “Shiraz occupies 60 percent of the vineyard plantings and is by any measure the variety in this region. Barossa Valley Shiraz has evolved. The warm climate means it is not difficult to craft rich, full-flavoured wines with power and concentration. Tempering and managing these attributes requires work in the vineyard, sensitivity around harvest times, creativity and a gentle hand in the winery. Barossa Valley Shiraz should have power and intensity, but this should not come at the expense of balance, complexity and freshness. The best examples today show power, richness and Barossa Valley’s trademark plush, velvety tannins.”
Mark also expresses that for white wines, “Semillon also has a long history in the region and there are many old vines and different clones. There are various styles, ranging from light, fresh and crunchy from earlier picked fruit through to full flavoured, textured wines that see skin contact and/or oak maturation.”
Photo Credit: Peter Lehmann Instagram
Climate & Terroir
The Barossa Valley wine region is one of Australia’s oldest and premier wine regions which was established in 1987. Many of Australia’s largest and most notable wineries are either headquartered or own extensive holdings in the Barossa Valley – Including Peter Lehmann. A valley that is surrounded by the Barossa Ranges, the area offers a useful diurnal shift and low rainfall that crafts red wines of elegance and balance. Offering eight major types of nutrient-rich soil across the region, it’s a mecca for grape growing and for winemakers.
“In the Barossa Valley, we are lucky to have a Mediterranean and continental climate which leads to warm days, cool nights and minimal summer rain, significantly reducing disease. This provides the perfect conditions for growing grapes and can lead to some amazing wines,” says Hutton.
Despite being well known as a red wine region, the Barossa Valley does produce a large amount of white wine. “The diversity of terroir, topography and microclimates within each sub-region firmly establishes the Barossa as a true winemakers’ paradise – perfect for creating excellent Shiraz and other classic grape varieties.”
With an array of grapes from this region, getting your hands on an exceptional bottle is an easy taste. The Peter Lehmann ‘The Barossan’ Shiraz 2020 and Peter Lehmann ‘The Barossan’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 are available in the LCBO for $21.95 and give enthusiasts a great insight into the greatness of the region.
Winemaking philosophy and sustainability
Laura and her team craft wines with integrity and excellence in the Barossa Valley. “Science aside, wine is a pure form of expression – an expression of the region and climate, but also the specific vineyard plot and the soil it is in leading to its terroir, how it was transformed into wine. A wine’s essence is a combination of rigorous science and a beautiful expression of a winemaker’s vision,” says Hutton.
Peter Lehmann honours its traditional roots and strives to keep innovating and being a sustainable winery, this allows the winery to contribute to its future while respecting its heritage. From using solar panels to minimizing energy use and water recycling to minimize waste at the winery, there is a large focus on minimizing additives and using energy and water wisely with new processes having been designed to support a future of sustainability and biodiversity. The incredible grounds at Peter Lehmann have gardens that are maintained using recycled water from the winery and our biodiversity programs have increased native vegetation and habitat for birds and microbats.
Community Spirit
Lauren says the Barossa community is built on a sense of belonging and family, which add something special to the wines of the region. This personal touch makes the wines stand out just a little bit more and adds more to the final taste of the juice. Growing up in the Barossa, Lauren was always surrounded by the wine industry. She was attracted to the entrepreneurial spirit in so many of the individuals in the area and throughout the winemaking and winery community.
“Along with strong company values, we have an extraordinary winemaking team, all of us bringing something different to the table. This is why I am proud to be a part of the Winemaking team at Peter Lehmann Wines and am looking forward to a long prosperous career within this team,” she says.
“I am filled with excitement as I look ahead to my future, fuelled by the unknown and my passion for the world of Australian Wine,” she says
Currently, the region has close to 90 Cellar Doors and 150 wineries to sip, explore, and discover. Peter Lehmann Winery offers a tasting room, cellar door and grounds, a restaurant and private event spaces ideal for many occasions.
The Barossa is located on the traditional lands of the Ngadjuri, Peramangk and Kaurna people and they acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, water and community. They pay their respects to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
