Ian Hongell
Senior Winemaker
What I love about the wine industry?
That I get to grow grapes and make wine for a living.
What wine out of the ones that you have made has the most interesting story behind it – and what is that story?
Peter Lehmann Shiraz celebrates the foundation gesture that Peter Lehmann intended when he and his team set out to preserve the Barossa’s vineyard heritage. Today this is realised by the purchasing of grapes and making a wine from every district in the Barossa. Few winemakers in the world get to so comprehensively source fruit from one region.
DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that the concept of serving red wine at room temperature is fine as long as your room is 15-18 degrees Celcius. If it’s warmer or colder, forget room temperature!
Nigel Blieschke
Viticulturalist
Nigel Blieschke is as passionate about vineyards as he is fishing. He was born and raised in the small town of Melrose, South Australia, in the relatively new wine district Southern Flinders.
Nigel developed a love for all things geological, which then grew into all things viticultural.
After graduating from Roseworthy Agricultural College with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Natural Resource Management, he went on to gain a Graduate Certificate in Viticulture from Adelaide University.
Nigel spent 12 years as a vitculturalist for Yalumba, working with their growers and vineyards, and was very hands managing their vine nursery. This opportunity allowed him to understand the traits of the traditional vines grown here, such as Shiraz and Grenache, but also gave him an opportunity to see what new varieties may potentially grow well in the Barossa, such as Vermentino and Albarino.
Nigel joined the Peter Lehmann Wines team in November 2008. His primary task is to liase with our family of Barossa growers, with respect to vineyard quality and management, utilising green initiatives; including water management and cropping, and working with the winemaking team on grape quality.
A keen vegetable gardener, Nigel grows many things at his 'Italian Haven' within the Barossa, including his own patch of Shiraz grapes.
