Peter Lehmann (winemaker)

2024-03-19T08:24:51Z

202.7.229.157: /* See also */

{{short description|Australian winemaker}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox winery
| winery_name = Peter Lehmann Wines
| winery_logo = [[File:Peter Lehmann logo.gif]]
| location_place = [[Barossa Valley (wine)|Barossa Valley]]
| location_state = [[South Australia (wine)|South Australia]]
| location_country = Australia
| wine_region =
| former_name =
| other_labels=
| year_founded = 1979
| first_vintage =
| key_people = Peter Lehmann
| parent_company =
| cases_per_year =
| signature_wine = Stonewell Shiraz
| varietal1 = [[Shiraz (grape)|Shiraz]]
| varietal2 = [[Riesling]]
| varietal3 = [[Chardonnay]]
| varietal4 = [[Cabernet Sauvignon]]
| varietal5 = [[Merlot]]
| homepage= [http://www.peterlehmannwines.com peterlehmannwines.com]
| other_attractions = 
| distribution = 
| tasting= 
}}

'''Peter Leon Lehmann''' [[Order of Australia|AM]], (18 August 1930 – 28 June 2013)<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jul/11/peter-lehmann Peter Lehmann obituary] ''The Guardian'', 11 July 2013. Accessed 6 June 2014.</ref> was an Australian [[Australia wine|wine]] producer based in the [[Barossa Valley (wine)|Barossa Valley]].

==Biography==
Lehmann was born in [[Angaston, South Australia]] in [[Barossa Valley]] on 18 August 1930.<ref>Hughes, Samantha. (12 March 2002) [[The Australian]] ''[http://www.newstext.com.au/pages/s.asp?source=newstext&indexkey=3649701673591209763E200&_P=1&ResultMaxDocs=20&ResultCount=20&summreqd=yes&pubsel=AUS&SrchText=Lehmann+draws+line+in+Barossa&QueryText=%28Lehmann+draws+line+in+Barossa%29+%3CAND%3E+%28%28SDate%3E%3D09%2F25%2F1997%29%29&SortField=&SortOrder=&SortField=Pub&SortOrder=asc&SortField=EDN&SortOrder=asc&SortField=Page&SortOrder=asc&Site=ALL&datetype=10yr%3A09%2F25%2F1997&DateFrom=&DateTo= Lehmann draws line in Barossa.]'' Section: Finance; p. 26.</ref>

His father was [[Lutheran]] Pastor Franz Julius Lehmann, and son may have joined father in the ministry but for Franz' sudden death in 1945, aged 55. Peter soon dropped out of school "ostensibly to be some support to my recently widowed mother," he says.<ref>Boettcher, Shelley, Wine Access, October 2010, Legendary Australian winemaker tours Canada</ref>

In 1947, he started work at the [[Yalumba]] [[winery]] under [[Rudi Kronberger]].<ref name=peter>[http://www.peterlehmannwines.com/our-story/the-man Peter Lehmann, founder of ''Peter Lehmann Wines''] Accessed 5 June 2014.</ref> From 1960 to 1980 he was Winemaker/Manager at [[Saltram Wines]].<ref name=peter/> He parted company with Saltram to become the Chairman of Peter Lehmann Wines, a role later filled by his son Doug.<ref name="ReferenceA">Passion aplenty in wine stoush, Alan Kohler, Sydney Morning Herald, 24 September 2003</ref>

Peter Lehmann has been described as one of Australia's most respected and innovative wine makers.<ref>[http://www.wine.com/aboutwine/basics/winerydesc.asp?winid=2023 wine,com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080312224902/http://www.wine.com/aboutwine/basics/winerydesc.asp?winid=2023 |date=12 March 2008 }}</ref> His success in winning international trophies has been noted by the [[Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060926023814/http://www.awbc.com.au/library/media_releases/CorporationwelcomesIWSCsuccess.pdf Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation media release]</ref>

===Family===
Lehmann's eldest son Doug Lehmann was also a noted winemaker who worked for the family company. He died in June 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.barossaherald.com.au/story/2384845/doug-lehmann-passes-away/ |title=Doug Lehmann passes away | Barossa & Light Herald |access-date=11 July 2014 |archive-date=11 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140711075538/http://www.barossaherald.com.au/story/2384845/doug-lehmann-passes-away/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Peter Lehmann Wines==
Founded in 1979, Peter Lehmann Wines produces around 600,000 cases annually, with distribution to Australia, the [[United Kingdom]], the [[United States]] and many other countries. It is located in the [[Barossa Valley]], approximately 70 kilometres north of [[Adelaide]] in South Australia.<ref>[http://www.peterlehmannwines.com/Default.aspx?p=3 Peter Lehmann Wines]</ref>

In 1977, Saltram instructed then winemaker/manager Peter Lehmann to buy less [[grapes]] from their Barossa growers. Since Peter had given the growers his word to buy the grapes, he refused. After months of negotiations with [[Dalgety plc]], which owned Saltram, he was allowed to start an outside company called Masterson Barossa Vineyards in order to buy and process the grapes.<ref>Aussie Rules, a guide to Australian wine 2005</ref> Tyre retailer MS Mcleod gave financial backing to the venture. The inspiration of the name came from the legendary gambler Sky Masterson (see [[Guys and Dolls (musical)|Guys and Dolls]]), because starting the company was such a gamble, and in keeping with the theme the [[queen of clubs]] was chosen as the logo for the company.

In 1979 Saltram was sold to Canadian multinational spirit producer [[Seagram]] which informed Peter that he could no longer make wine on the side, so he quit his job at Saltram and worked fully for Masterson.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> In 1982 the company was renamed Peter Lehmann Wines.

In 1992 MS Mcleod decided to divest themselves of their investment in the company, and with no local buyer in the offing and the company again facing closure or a fire sale to a multinational, a public float was devised. While the core shareholding was intended to be taken up by the growers themselves and by staff, it was feared that the capital raised would be insufficient and so a share and option package was offered publicly. In the end the float was oversubscribed and the new company performed strongly.

In late 2003 'PLW' became the subject of a heated bidding war between UK-based [[Allied Domecq]] and Swiss based [[Hess Group]]. Allied Domecq had acquired 14.5% of Peter Lehmann Wines when it first submitted a takeover bid on 22 September. Peter Lehmann and the board of directors countered by recommending sale to the Hess Group instead. Hess matched the Allied Domecq offer, adding a special dividend to the deal, and purchased the company for a market valuation of $103 million [[USD]].<ref>J. Gaffney ''"[http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Archives/Show_Article/0,1275,4466,00.html Battle for Australian Winery Ends With Hess Group as Winner] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007030232/http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Archives/Show_Article/0,1275,4466,00.html |date=7 October 2008 }}"'' The Wine Spectator 15 December 2003</ref>

By 2016, Peter Lehmann Wines was owned by [[Casella Family Brands]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.casellafamilybrands.com/peter-lehmann-wines/ |title=Peter Lehmann Wines |publisher=Casella Family Brands |accessdate=15 December 2016}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal||South Australia|Wine}}
*[[Australian wine]]
*[[Cult wine]]
*[[South Australian food and drink]]
*[[List of wineries in the Barossa Valley]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Company website [http://www.peterlehmannwines.com/]
*Corrigan, Andrew. (23 April 2002) [[The Cairns Post]] ''The heart of the Barossa.'' Section: Tuesday; p. 18.
*Barker, Tony. (14 September 2002) [[The Advertiser (Adelaide)]] ''Peter Lehmann The red baron.'' Section: Magazine. p. 6.
*Murphy, Linda. (9 February 2006) [[San Francisco Chronicle]] ''[http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/09/WIGAFH174I1.DTL Barons of Barossa Australia's famous big-bodied Shiraz wines are produced by some outsize personalities.]'' Section: Wines; Page F1.
*Akerman, Piers. (18 September 2003) [[The Daily Telegraph]] ''Vintage quality to Lehmann's loyalty - The Piers Profile: Peter Lehmann.'' Section: Features. p. 27
*Kohler, Alan. (24 September 2003) [[The Sydney Morning Herald]] ''Passion aplenty in wine stoush'' (http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/09/23/1064082998298.html)

{{Authority control}}

{{Langton's Classification of Australian Wine VI - Producers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lehmann, Peter}}
[[Category:1930 births]]
[[Category:2013 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Angaston, South Australia]]
[[Category:Australian businesspeople]]
[[Category:Australian winemakers]]
[[Category:Wineries in South Australia]]
[[Category:Barossa Valley]]
[[Category:Australian people of German descent]]
[[Category:Australian Lutherans]]
[[Category:People educated at Immanuel College, Adelaide]]
[[Category:20th-century Lutherans]]

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Peter Lehmann (winemaker)