Peter Lehmann Wines

Peter Lehmann's winery grew out of a break with his employer. He was chief winemaker at Saltram Wines, then owned by Dalgety, a multinational pastoral company headquartered in England. Amid a grape surplus in the late 1970s, Dalgety decided to stop buying grapes from local Barossa growers and instructed Lehmann to send them a letter saying so. Lehmann refused. He built his own winery in 1979, initially named Masterson Barossa Vineyards, financed in part with help from a local tyre company. The Masterson name came from Sky Masterson, the gambler character in Guys and Dolls, reflecting the risk of the venture. Saltram was sold on to Seagram, a multinational liquor company. The new venture's first wine was released in 1980, and by 1982 it had been renamed Peter Lehmann Wines.

• Peter Lehmann was chief winemaker at Saltram Wines, then owned by Dalgety, a multinational pastoral company
• Dalgety ordered a cutback in grape buying from local growers amid a late-1970s surplus; Lehmann refused to pass the instruction on and struck out on his own
• Founded 1979 as Masterson Barossa Vineyards, financed in part by a local tyre company; named for Sky Masterson, the gambler in Guys and Dolls
• Saltram was later sold to Seagram
• First wine released in 1980; renamed Peter Lehmann Wines by 1982

The winery's reception building, known as the Weighbridge, was built in 1979 and remains where every Peter Lehmann wine begins its journey; Peter Lehmann himself spent much of each vintage there weighing incoming fruit and visiting with growers. Mick Anderson, a longtime Peter Lehmann Wines grower, has described the Weighbridge as representing 'the camaraderie and friendships that exist between Peter Lehmann Wines and the growers,' calling it 'the common bond of the Barossa.' Today Peter Lehmann Wines partners with 79 growers across 16 Barossa regions, and its winery, vineyards and grower network are certified under Sustainable Winegrowing Australia. Through its Wildlife 4 Wine program, the winery has planted more than 2,500 native trees and shrubs and installed microbat huts to support local biodiversity. Fruit is drawn from the cooler Adelaide Hills, the elevated Eden Valley, and the Barossa Valley floor.

• The Weighbridge, built in 1979, is where every Peter Lehmann wine begins its journey
• Grower Mick Anderson: the Weighbridge represents 'the camaraderie and friendships that exist between Peter Lehmann Wines and the growers'
• Partners with 79 growers across 16 Barossa regions; Sustainable Winegrowing Australia certified
• Wildlife 4 Wine program: 2,500+ native trees and shrubs planted, microbat huts installed
• Fruit sourced from the Adelaide Hills, Eden Valley, and Barossa Valley floor

Peter Lehmann (1930-2013) was born at Angaston, in the heart of the Barossa. He took his first job at 17 in the cellars of Yalumba, and in 1960 moved to Saltram as chief winemaker. After founding his own winery in 1979, he retired as its head in 2002 but continued to live on the property. His eldest son, Doug Lehmann, was appointed managing director of Peter Lehmann Wines in 1993, a role he held for more than 15 years until his retirement in July 2010, after which he remained non-executive deputy chairman of the board. Doug Lehmann died in June 2014. The current winemaking team is led by Chief Winemaker Nigel Westblade, alongside Senior Winemaker Brett Schutz, Winemakers Andrew Cockram and Lauren Hutton, and Viticulturist Jade Rogge.

• Peter Lehmann: born Angaston, 1930; died 2013. First job at 17 at Yalumba; chief winemaker at Saltram from 1960; retired as head of his own winery in 2002
• Doug Lehmann: managing director of Peter Lehmann Wines from 1993 to 2010; non-executive deputy chairman after retirement; died June 2014
• Current team: Nigel Westblade, Chief Winemaker; Brett Schutz, Senior Winemaker; Andrew Cockram, Winemaker; Lauren Hutton, Winemaker; Jade Rogge, Viticulturist

Peter Lehmann Wines organizes its portfolio into several ranges: Portrait, Shoulder to Shoulder, The Barossan, Hill & Valley, The Bond, Layers, The Master's Collection, Eternal Optimist, and Masterson Shiraz, alongside the flagship Stonewell. The Bond range is framed as a tribute to trust, recalling how growers sold fruit to Peter Lehmann on a handshake, with his word as his bond, during hard times. Stonewell Shiraz's story began in 1987; the wine was named for the Barossa district that Peter Lehmann believed best showed the Shiraz characters he admired most, and it is drawn only from low-yielding vineyards producing sparse, intensely flavoured fruit. Masterson Shiraz was first crafted to mark the winery's 40th anniversary, made only in the best years from a single vintage and individual vineyard block. Wine Spectator has also noted old-vine selections such as 8 Songs and high-end blends such as Mentor (Cabernet, Malbec and Shiraz) among Lehmann's style.

• Ranges: Portrait, Shoulder to Shoulder, The Barossan, Hill & Valley, The Bond, Layers, The Master's Collection, Eternal Optimist, Masterson Shiraz, and flagship Stonewell
• The Bond range: named for growers who sold fruit on a handshake, Peter Lehmann's word as his bond
• Stonewell Shiraz: story began 1987, named for the district Lehmann felt best showed Barossa Shiraz character, from low-yielding old vines
• Masterson Shiraz: created for the winery's 40th anniversary; single vintage and vineyard block, made only in the best years
• 8 Songs (old-vine Shiraz selection) and Mentor (Cabernet, Malbec, Shiraz blend) are part of the wider range, per Wine Spectator

Peter Lehmann sold a majority stake in the winery to Switzerland's Hess Group, known for its Hess Collection wines in California, in 2003, for approximately USD $103 million. The years that followed were difficult for the business: founder Peter Lehmann died in June 2013, and his son Doug Lehmann, who had led the company, died a year later; longtime winemaker Andrew Wigan also retired in this period. In November 2014, Casella Family Brands, best known as the maker of Yellow Tail, proposed acquiring the company, and the Hess Group, then holding an 85.7% stake, agreed to accept USD $49.5 million; ABC News separately reported the board's proposal at $1.50 a share. Casella Family Brands managing director John Casella said the acquisition offered 'an opportunity to grow the Peter Lehmann wine portfolio and present the Barossa region on a global stage,' and then Peter Lehmann Wines chairman Christoph Ehrbar said the board was confident Casella would be 'fine custodians of Peter Lehmann's legacy.' Casella Family Brands began as a bulk wine company in Griffiths, New South Wales (as reported by Wine Spectator), and built the Yellow Tail brand with U.S. importer W.J. Deutsch & Sons starting in 2000. Peter Lehmann Wines remains part of the Casella Family Brands portfolio today.

• 2003: Hess Group of Switzerland acquired a majority stake for approximately USD $103 million
• June 2013: founder Peter Lehmann died; June 2014: his son Doug Lehmann died; winemaker Andrew Wigan also retired in this period
• November 2014: Casella Family Brands proposed acquiring the company; the Hess Group's 85.7% stake was accepted for USD $49.5 million; ABC News separately reported the board's proposal at $1.50 a share
• Casella Family Brands, maker of Yellow Tail, began as a bulk wine company in Griffiths, NSW (per Wine Spectator), and built the Yellow Tail brand with W.J. Deutsch & Sons from 2000
• Peter Lehmann Wines is part of the Casella Family Brands portfolio today

Peter Lehmann Wines highlights praise from leading wine critics on its own site. Decanter's Max Allen has written that 'the word legend is possibly not strong enough to acknowledge the contribution Lehmann has made... both to his beloved Barossa Valley and to the wider wine industry.' James Halliday, of the Wine Companion, called Peter Lehmann 'a person [who] becomes a legend in their own lifetime,' pointing to 'a winery with a long track record of excellence.' Wine Spectator's Harvey Steiman described Peter Lehmann as 'considered a hero in Australian wine circles,' citing both the wines and what he did 'to rescue a host of Barossa Valley growers.'

• Max Allen, Decanter, on Peter Lehmann's contribution to the Barossa and the wine industry
• James Halliday, Wine Companion, calling him a legend with a long track record of excellence
• Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator, describing him as a hero in Australian wine circles

The Peter Lehmann Wines cellar door is on Para Road in Tanunda, in the heart of the Barossa Valley, open Thursday to Monday from 10:30am to 4:30pm (closed Tuesday and Wednesday). It sits along the banks of the Para River and is home to the historic Hoffmann Cellar, one of the Barossa Valley's original wineries, built in the 1880s and carved into the hillside to use gravity in winemaking.

• Address: Para Rd, Tanunda, SA 5352
• Hours: Thursday to Monday, 10:30am to 4:30pm; closed Tuesday and Wednesday
• Cellar door includes the historic Hoffmann Cellar, built in the 1880s along the Para River

Primary sources (producer's own site): https://www.peterlehmannwines.com/, https://www.peterlehmannwines.com/pages/our-story, https://www.peterlehmannwines.com/pages/our-wines, https://www.peterlehmannwines.com/pages/our-winemakers, https://www.peterlehmannwines.com/pages/cellar-door, https://www.peterlehmannwines.com/pages/sustainability, https://www.peterlehmannwines.com/collections/futures, https://www.casellafamilybrands.com/our-story/peter-lehmann-wines (owner's corporate site). Secondary sources: ABC News (June 28, 2013 and November 13, 2014), Wine Spectator (July 3, 2013 and November 12, 2014), Shanken News Daily (November 13, 2014), InDaily (June 30, 2014), The Courier (June 30, 2014), Quill & Pad (September 25, 2019). Last verified 2026-09-14. Where the producer's site and a secondary source disagree, the producer's site governs.