| South Australia is the largest wine producing state and the best known. This region is home to several excellent appellations including the Barossa Valley which is home to many of the country's largest wineries. Except for the Coonawarra, South Australia has little rain and normally would not be suitable for vineyards if not for a major water source. South Australia's saving grace is the Murray river which provides enough water through an excellent irrigation system. South Australia has been making wine since 1836 but it wasn’t until the early 1950s when Max Schubert, winemaker at Penfolds, brought Australias’ wine industry into the world spotlight by producing what is considered to be one of the worlds finest wines, Penfolds Grange. Grange is made from Shiraz and is a blend of grapes picked from the very best vineyards regardless of their location. Max Schubert was one of the first winemakers to use a very scientific approach to make a first rate wine. This attitude towards technolgy, ingenuity and hard work has been passed down to Australia's present day winemakers. South Australia is a vast region with many microclimates which give birth to a wide range of wine varietals and styles. Padthaway is famous for fine Chardonnay and Cabernet, the Clare Valley produces some of the best Riesling and the Coonawarra produces excellent Cabernet to name just a few.
Trends And What To Expect
New Vineyard land is being added at a rapid rate and many of these vineyards are being planted off the valley floors with excellent results. Australians are searching for more cool climate vineyard land and experimenting with other varietals but don’t expect to see Shiraz lose it premier spot any time soon. Pinot Noir is promising in areas but still not there. Coonawara Cabernet is often outstanding and a great value as compared with many California Cabs. |
Peter Lehman Winery Peter Lehman is a larger than life character and the first son of the Barossa. He is a fifth generation Barossan and he has been making wine for fifty years. Mr. Lehman does not own a vineyard but buys his grapes from local farmers. One benefit he realizes is he can make a great variety wines from the blending of these grapes. Once he was asked why do you make so many wines he replied “Because I can.” His wines are not over-oaked and are generally deep and concentrated. His 1997 Clancy was a top 100 pick by the “Wine Spectator”. We recommend just about everything from this producer and his wines are reasonably priced for what they are. | Producer | Varietal | Vintage | Price | Buy Now | | Peter Lehman | Dessert | | 14.99 | Details | | Peter Lehman | Cabernet Sauvignon | 1998 | 18.99 | Details | | Peter Lehman | Shiraz/Syrah | 1999 | 19.99 | Details | | Peter Lehman | Shiraz/Syrah | 1993 | 35.99 | Details |
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