Peter Lehmann Masters Margaret Semillon 2012
Peter Lehmann, with 33 vintages already under his belt, started his own winery in 1979, partly as a means of helping with the glut of grapes then afflicting the Barossa. "I'll take your grapes and turn them into wine," he told the desperate growers, many of them conservative farmers of Silesian descent who regarded their old vines as part of their patrimony. "But I'll only be able to pay you when I sell the wine." They gratefully accepted. Without this deal, it is widely thought that the Barossa would have lost a huge chunk of its old vines. The 'Masters' wines are made from the parcels regarded by the winemakers as the best Semillon, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz of the vintage.
Vines for the Margaret Semillon come from a 1936 planting owned by the Scholz family at Light Pass in the heart of the Barossa. This Semillon is named after Margaret Lehmann – the wife, business partner and champion of Peter Lehmann Wines.
2012 was an outstanding vintage. The weather was mild throughout the year. Cool nights allowed a gentle, slow ripening which produced white wines of great fruit definition.
The grapes were picked early and cold-fermented in stainless steel for two weeks to retain fruit delicacy. Following a two-week fermentation period, the wine was clarified and bottled before being cellared at the winery for five years prior to release.
While bottle ageing in the Tanunda cellars, the wine has developed an attractive bright straw colour. Aromas of lemon curd, lime rind and honey are evident on the complex nose and are complemented by hints of lanolin and beeswax on a softly rounded mid-palate that superbly balances this lively, zesty wine.
