Winemaker Notes
Shiraz vines planted as early as 1923 from four old Barossa vineyards. Soils ranging from white sand through black supermassive clay. Grapes were handpicked between February and March, destemmed, and fermented wild in small batches. Must was hand plunged thrice daily for three weeks. Wine was then basket pressed to 7-14 year old French oak barriques and hogsheads for eighteen months on full solids. Unfined, unfiltered.
Liltingly pure Shiraz in its natural environment bursts seductively over the palate playing ring-a-rosie with a fruit basket of red summer berries. Smooth and curvy like running your tongue along the duco of a super-car is the only way to describe the ridiculously smooth long lingering palate length with velvety soft tanning holding the whole show up.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Although this wine is an homage to David's father, the late, great Peter Lehmann, it is entirely modern in style. This is a Shiraz that marches to its own beat, and it's hard not to hum along with it. The nose is perfumed and heady: bright cherry fruit interlaced with tobacco leaf, herbal tonic, hoisin sauce and graphite. Firmly medium in weight, there's a freshness that's rare in these parts. The tannins are savory and textured, bringing seriousness to the silky fruit and spice characters. Editors' Choice
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
The Barossa Zone encompasses the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley. Some of the oldest vines in Australia can be found here.
Barossa Valley of course is the most important and famous wine growing region in all of Australia where 140+ year-old, dry-farmed Shiraz vines still produce inky, purple and dense juice for some of Australia's best wines.
In the cooler, wetter Eden Valley sub-region, the Hill of Grace vineyard is home to famous Shiraz vines from the 1800s but the region produces also some of Australia’s very best and age-worthy Rieslings.