Wine Society Trophy for Best Red Wine & Gold Hobart Wine Show. Peter Lehmann's individual style and character, integrity as a winemaker, and champion of the grower, has earned him the nickname of Mentor. Over the years, the Peter Lehmann winemakers have identified vineyards that repeatedly produce their best Cabernet Sauvignon wines. These are all low yielding vineyards that produce Cabernet of great depth. The very best of each vintage is then blended with selected varieties to create a multi-dimensional wine of great distinction.

Crafted to old world, small batch techniques, by one of the nation's most decorated winemaking teams, from fruit sourced off a canon of dedicated independent grower vineyards which are second to none, many of which have been husbanded by the same family for generations. A richly flavoured and profoundly structured, master of the Barossa Shiraz, which has claimed an impressive tally of national show awards, including a significant medal win at the highly prestigious VISY Great Shiraz Challenge.

Peter Lehmann was a master of Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon, a long tradition of estate icon releases set Peter Lehmann apart for the excellence and integrity of Barossa Valley's most memorable Cabernet vintages. One of his enduring legacies is an inventory of distinguished vineyards, all husbanded by the most accomplished Barossa growers to yield precious harvests of the nation's most exquisite Cabernet. H&V is endowed with the richness and imposing structure which mark the world's finest, albeit in a hospitable and heart warming Barossa way.

The Futures is a celebration of great partnerships, a toast to the uniquely Australian accord of Cabernet and Shiraz, but also a toast to the faith of those friends who believed in Peter Lehmann and played a crucial role in the establishment of the Lehmann wine company. The first wine that Peter Lehmann ever made under his own eponymous label was called the Futures. It was offered exclusive to friends and family on a pay now and we'll deliver in two years plan, essentially because Lehmann needed the cash to finance his fledgling enterprise.

Peter Lehmann's selection of Shiraz for his first ever wine, sold by mail order as The Futures, reflected his belief that Barossa Shiraz was a unique Australian genre with a destiny to become an international success story. The inaugural 1980 release was a magnificent wine, highly lauded by the industry press, it still drinks remarkably well. Originally sold to friends and associates on a pay now and we'll deliver in two years arrangement, essentially for the fledgling Peter Lehmann winery to acquire some cash and ensure that it did in fact have a future.

A flagship effort, the heart of Eight Songs lies within some very old vineyards spread across the landscape of Barossa Valley. Peter Lehmann himself, walked these vineyards every vintage, seeking those parcels with a concentration of flavours so essential to the Eight Songs style, vibrant and statuesque, yet elegant and distinctively soft. The palate is richly opulent, beautifully structured with layers of fruit. Eight Songs is regal in every respect, a limited edition classic from the lowest yielding Barossa sites, aged in exclusively new French oak hogsheads.

Clancy is a perennial favourite for enthusiasts of good red wine everywhere around the globe. Peter Lehmann starts with a firm backbone of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, totting up the cepage with a component of Merlot, to fashion a rich yet soft, fully approachable young wine. Named after the amiable bloke in Banjo Paterson’s famous poem, Clancy is no ephemeral lightweight, he claimed gold against all comers at the London International. Wine Spectator have listed Clancy on their prestigious Top 1OO on no fewer than five occasions.

Known as the mentor to many Barossa growers and winemakers, Peter Lehmann is a man of his word. If you were to paint his portrait it would depict an image of great character and charm, just like the man himself. Lehmann is quoted as saying that when God created Shiraz, he did so with the Barossa in mind. Peter Lehmann has been making the Barossa's most reliable Shiraz every vintage for an unbroken succession of thirty years. The nose offers lashings of dark plum with an underlay of dusted chocolate, the palate brimming with rich fruit flavours.

Barossa grown Shiraz and Grenache have been fashioned into a single wine ever since early settlement. The lifted aromaticness of Grenache and richness of Shiraz, bind into a marvelous accord which has defined many of the world's most enduring classics. Art & Soul is a delight with exquisite early drinkability, a Shiraz Grenache of softness and elegance, the red wine of choice to accompany gourmande sausage, steak & kidnie, or smart shepherds pie.

Cabernet and Merlot positively flourish in the Barossa. As single varietal wines they have made their mark, when artfully assembled they combine into a genre of their own. Each brings to the other an added dimension, forming a soft, velvety wine with supple fruit and fine structure. Peter Lehmann has selected grapes grown to good vineyards nurtured by his loyal retinue of vignerons dotted throughout the Barossa. Another winning edition in a series of consecutive great vintages, to accompany a piquant chorizo and pepperoni pizza, vegetarian lasagne or warming paella.

Pepperjack delivers the very best attributes of modern Barossa Cabernet, vibrance, structure and elegance. Fruit from vineyards on the Barossa Valley floor contributes body and weight, while sophistication is derived from parcels sourced off the cooler altitudes of Eden Valley.

Excellent Langtons Classification. St Henri stands out as one of the most internationally successful Australian icon wines, year in and year out, it serves to uphold the integrity and regal nature of the Penfolds brand. Always an expression of the finest South Australian Shiraz without the distraction of oak, a minor component of Cabernet, can in some years be assembled into the final wine, contributing structure, firmer tannins and complexity.

Outstanding Langtons Classification. Notwithstanding it's stately ranking in the pantheon of enduring Penfold wines, St Henri is remarkably approachable upon release, it remains accessible to most red wine enthusiasts in terms of drinkability and pecuniary value. St Henri's style is essentially fruit forward, the time spent ageing in an ancient collection of oversize, well used 1460 litre oak vats softens the tannins without infusing the wine with any obvious oak character. An Australian classic to savour alongside roast rack with root vegetable and sea parsley.

RWT stands for Red Winemaking Trial, the name given to the project internally when developmental work began on a campaign to redefine Barossa Shiraz at the highest level. Penfolds have sourced parcels of the most transcendent fruit from dedicated Barossa growers, chosen on the basis of aromatic qualities and fine texture rather than intensity or power. Since inaugural vintage, collectors have recognised the sheer class of RWT, already the wine has a strong secondary market following, illustrating its collectability and cellaring potential.

RWT Shiraz presents an admirable alternative to the multi-regional sourcing and American oak maturation that are hallmarks of Grange, expressing instead, single-region Barossa Valley Shiraz matured only in French oak. The initials RWT stand for Red Winemaking Trial, the name given to the project internally when developmental work began in 1995, naturally now no longer a trial. RWT is made from fruit primarily selected for its aromatic qualities and fine texture rather than sheer intensity or power of flavour.

The development of Penfolds Red Winemaking Trial reflects extraordinary progress in viticulture and winemaking. The two disciplines are increasingly intertwined, as growers and winemakers work together in search of optimum balance, ripeness and flavour. RWT draws fruit from 20 to 100 year-old vineyards arcing across the west and north-west of the Barossa, mostly independently grown. A seductive style from the best vineyards showing voluptuous intensity, ripe tannins, and juicy plum/blueberry flavours underpinned by savoury French oak.

Outstanding Langtons Classification. The Red Winemaking Trial presents an alternative to the multi-regional, American oak style of Shiraz which are the hallmarks of Grange, expressing instead, a pure Barossa wine aged exclusively in French barriques. RWT is vinified from fruit primarily selected for its aromatic qualities and fine texture rather than sheer intensity or power of flavour. In contrast to the muscular and assertive Grange, it's style is opulent and fleshy, a wine which redefines Barossa Shiraz at the very highest level.

Celebrating its 50th commercial release, this wine is only the second in history to be made from 100% Barossa Valley fruit. The premium fruit sourced offers richer fruit flavours and characters, ripe tannins, flavour concentration and greater density. Penfolds Chief Winemaker Peter Gago describes the 2001 release as a wine that will last for decades.

Regardless of vintage, Grange delivers astonishing weight of fruit in a delicious, explosive style without any overpowering oak or gratuitous complexity. Strong dark Shiraz berry flavours are the hallmarks of Grange, the illustrious pantheon of eminent Penfolds winemakers have maintained the magic. Grange 2000 is an excellent example of the style, transcending a most challenging South Australian vintage. Oak plays a supportive role, perfectly integrated and absorbed. This is a wine of admirable balance, decorum and poise.

Grange is both Penfolds and arguably Australia's most famous wine and is officially listed as a Heritage Icon of South Australia. Penfolds Grange displays fully-ripe, intensely-flavoured and textured shiraz grapes in combination with new American oak. The first 100% Shiraz Grange since 1963, and an excellent follow on to the.

Deep plum-red colour. Brooding nose of praline, plum and blueberry. Layered succulent and stylish full oak palate. Earthy fruit flavours of plum and chocolate and very rich chunky chewy tannins. Excellent balance and length.

Soon after Wine Spectator named Grange 'The Best Red Wine in the World' the price of subsequent vintage releases soared at auction. An Australian icon, Grange represents a tradition in winemaking that is totally uncompromising. Grange has bypassed the fads and trends of modern winemaking in the sense that it has maintained an integrity of style and remained true to its origins in the mind of Max Schubert. Penfolds Grange is the quality standard against which all other Australian red wines are judged. To share a magnum of Grange from one's own cellar is one of the great wine experiences.

Penfolds renowned 2000 Grange is only the fifth vintage to be made from 100% Shiraz. It is also, atypically, 100% Barossa fruit. While it is not considered to be one of the great Granges, the 2000 exhibits outstanding potential, and is much more accessible than usual. One of the top wines I tasted from this vintage, its dense ruby/purple color is followed by a big, sweet nose of blackberries. While this is no wimpy wine, it is an ideal example for readers who are unwilling to invest the patience required for the big, blockbuster Granges.

Cabernet Sauvignon was at the heart of Max Schubert's quest to establish the national flagship Australian red. Max Schubert was deeply inspired by Cabernet following his return from Bordeaux, Penfold Grange was originally planned as a Cabernet Cuvée. After many vintages of trial and tribulation, he became frustrated in his attempts to formulate a great Australian Cabernet but the lessons and experiences were passed on to successive winemakers. The tradition of development and refinement continues to this day, Penfold represent the first Australian growth of Cabernet Sauvignon.

A hundred and seventy years after the establishment of Australia's most internationally renowned luxury brand, Penfolds have released an exceptional vintage, single vineyard Shiraz, from the highly distinguished Block 3C at Kalimna. This ancient Barossa site is often called upon to provide the backbone of fruit for the mighty Grange. The peerless quality of harvest, to be picked off Block 3C at the end of growing season 2010, merited a pure, single Bin bottling, in timely commemoration of the most eminent marque in new world wine.

Bin 150 is pure Shiraz, vinified from fruit grown to a relatively tiny area of Barossa. The hamlet of Marananga lies very close to the centre of the Barossa Valley floor, slightly to the north and west, where warm, dry conditions and rich red soils create a mesolclime which has sired many of the Barossa's most conspicuous efforts. Bin 150 delivers a contemporary Shiraz style, framed by a mix of French and American oak, old and new, conceived from the ancient soils of a special place and crafted from fruit grown to one of Australia's earliest viticultural precincts.

The Barossa Valley was planted extensively to Grenache, Mourvedre and Shiraz by early settlers. In the 1950s Penfolds started experimenting with the blend, trials which culminated in the release of Bin 138s forebears. An answer to the growing call for the highly perfumed and fleshy Rhone style of red, Bin 138 is sourced from old, low yielding Barossa Valley sites, much of the fruit from independent growers. This is a very special Penfolds red wine indeed, one of the few that remains in component form whilst maturing in small, well seasoned oak barrels.

Outstanding Langton's Classification. John Parker's long and distinguished career in the industry fuelled a desire to produce a great Australian wine from within the nation's preeminent red wine region, culminating in the release of Terra Rossa First Growth, mostly the Reynella clone of Cabernet Sauvignon with a tenth of Merlot.

Murray Street was established in 2001 by families Seppelt and Jahnke. They shared a vision of crafting small batch artisanal wines, in the painstaking old world traditions of Barossa Valley's early settlers. Murray Street's vineyard and wineworks are fortuitously positioned on a tapestry of beautiful rolling landscape near the ancient winemaking village of Greenock at the western end of Barossa. Working together with a small but dedicated team of vignerons and friends, the folks on Murray Street produce small amounts of the most intensely flavoured Shiraz.

The sixty year old Shiraz vines from Greenock which are the source of Eleventh Hour were ready to be uprooted due to the lack of yields and the reluctance of wine companies to pay extra for the exceptional quality fruit. Following repeated requests by Massena for access to the grapes, the growers finally decided to stop the bulldozer and retain a small area of these vines at the eleventh hour. For well informed cohorts of the Cotes du Rhône, think a warm season in Cornas meets Maxime Graillot's Crozes Hermitage from the splendid Domaine de Lises.

Whilst the praiseworthy efforts of Magpie Estate are mostly earmarked for export to the UK, small amounts are reserved for devotees of bespoke Barossa reds, right here in Australia. The Schnell is an assemblage of Shiraz and Grenache from vineyards managed by some of the most respected Barossa growers. Quite a forward style of wine, showing clean, chocolate and plum Barossa fruit characters on a length of juicy, sleek tannins. Simply scrumptuous in it's youth, served alongside, whatever is your favourite faire.

A collation of fruit grown to blocks of new and old vines on the Barossa Valley floor, some up to 120 years of age, artfully vinified into the timeless style of honest, traditional Aussie Shiraz. Langmeil obtains much of its material from old, pre phylloxera and own rootstock vineyards throughout the region, in order to guarantee the quality and consistency of its wines. Ripe, rich plummy and dark cherry fruit with earthy tones and hints of spice, it displays fine toasty oak tannins in support of a medium to full bodied wine with splendid soft dry finish.

Old Barossa growers still refer to their vineyards as the garden. Langmeil's ageing vines in the hamlets of Tanunda, Lyndoch and Vine Vale are the source of fruit for this topical mix of Shiraz, Mataro and Grenache. A wine of provenance, the traditional cepage of grapes favoured by early Barossa settlers, crafted through old world styling into a truly a luscious wine, lifted by sweet spice and gentle cherry oak oak, balanced by extra fine tannins which linger, long on a fruit filled finish.

The Orphans are ten rows of seriously old vines Shiraz, planted before 1860 by Langmeil founder Christian Auricht. At the ripe old age of a century and a half, Section 36 in the Hundred of Moorooroo was saved from the developer's bulldozer and reunited with the greater Langmeil flock. The orphans were brought back to their new home, vine by vine with rootballs intact, to join the replantings of Auricht's original Vine Gardens adjacent to the Langmeil wineworks on rich alluvial soils along the banks of Para River.

The story of Long Mile dates back to early settlement, after Silesian emigres availed themselves of the kind invitation by George Fife Angas to populate the new colony of South Australia. They founded the hamlet of Langmeil and took to agriculture, establishing vineyards as a priority. Many of these wonderful old sites remain productive, Langmeil are custodians of a 3½ acre block planted in the 1840s. Parcels from mature sites at Lyndoch, Light Pass and Tanunda are assembled into a generously flavoured, engagingly complex, seamless Shiraz of affable old world charm.

Arthur Jackaman was a World War II paratrooper who established a Cabernet vineyard in the 1960s, selling his fruit to the big brands for bottling as port wine. Jackaman chose Langmeil to husband his treasured vines and the property remains productive as one of the Barossa's most stately blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon. Hand pruned, hand sorted and picked, the precious parcels of Jackaman's fruit are treated to a traditional vinification, followed by transfer to a luxurious selection of mostly new French oak hogsheads for an extravagant two years maturation.

Excellent Langtons Classification. The Freedom Block was established 1843, planted to vine by Lutheran settlers, Christian Auricht and his kin, early pioneers who were escaping persecution and war, just seven years after South Australia was colonised. They found freedom to work, worship and prosper in the Barossa. The Freedom has not only survived but thrives to this day, it yields an extraordinary Shiraz wine. These thick trunked, dry grown, low yielding, gap toothed old vines on the banks of North Para River, may be the oldest surviving Shiraz in Australia.

Planted to Grenache at a site very near Lyndoch in the 1950s, the Fifth Wave block was rediscovered by Langmeil winemaker Paul Lindner in 1999, he persuaded the proprietors to rejuvenate the property and release their next vintage as a pure Old Vine Garden Grenache. The hand picked parcels are treated to a traditional old world winemaking, gentle de stemming of fruit, open ferments and basket press into seasoned oak, twenty months maturation and a gentle gravity fed bottling without fining or filtration, to preserve the sanctity and virtue of a wonderful old vineyard.