After the whimsical travels of youth, I came back home to the Barossa permanently in 1997; a desire to make wine burning bright. PL (my father), in his wisdom set me to work as a laborer in our vineyards. As he put it, “first you have to understand where wine is really made”.
Now, almost 30 years later; experience in both the vineyard and winery has, both increased my knowledge and passion, but also shown me that I am still but a student when it comes to this game. The Stelzer Road and Stonewell Hill Vineyards (around 75 acres) have been an ongoing classroom, with the seasons and each variety proving to be challenging tutors each and every year. Whilst carte blanche in the vineyards has allowed me to explore my quest for fruit of integrity and quality, it seems that most years, Mother Nature has the final say. But a single-minded focus on producing fruit of the highest quality, without compromising for the sake of yields is my ultimate goal, which I believe translates through the crucible of the winery and into the glass of our Estate crafted wines. In real terms it means that I produce my red wines from the vine to the bottle. Pruning is where the journey starts, not just when the grapes are picked and arrive at the winery. The White varieties that I craft my wines from, come from like minded vignerons, their vineyards chosen for that magnificent combination of site and execution. When I talk about Terroir, it’s not just the soils, the minerals or the site, but must also encompass the climate, the season and the gentle hand that guides those vines though the 12-month long journey that delivers the fruit to our door. Most of these vignerons have been bringing their bounty to david Franz for over 10 years now, and these long-term collaborations have survived the test of time with the poof of their integrity on each bottle we produce from their grapes.
Now that my Children are adults, they have all put toes into the water of this addictive game. Georgie, my eldest has done 5 vintages and her younger brothers have each got one each under their belt as well. Georgie has really stepped up, and I can see the passion that drives me is burning just as bright in her eyes as well. As you may have gathered, I am very passionate about the fruit we grow & buy from growers, to produce and wines we make. You can savour our wines in the knowledge that they have been nurtured first on the vines, then crafted in the winery before perfect maturation to ensure the bottle in your hand is absolutely ready to go.
Each bottle of wine is carefully hand printed and wrapped before being placed in a hand printed carton then sent out into the wide world to find their way to you.
david Franz Lehmann
