By Amy Looker
Peter Lehmann Wines chief winemaker, Andrew Wigan, has been named the Winemaker of the Year at the respected Gourmet Traveller WINE and Wine Australia 2009 Winemaker of the Year Award.
Announced in Melbourne last night (Oct 1) in front of a crowd of industry heavyweights, Wigan said the award was one of the highlights of his career, which has spanned 37 vintages in the Barossa Valley.
“This award is without doubt, one of the highlights of my career. None of what we have achieved as a group would have been possible without Peter and Margaret Lehmann and their dogged persistence to save our Barossa growers and build a quality winery of international fame,” said Wigan in his acceptance speech.
“Peter’s guidance throughout has been critical to the success of the company and that is what this is all about. We have a great team at the winery and a great bunch of growers providing us with some amazing fruit. I thank them all, as well as my parents for their help and encouragement to point me in this direction, and my wife Wendy for her wonderful support over all the years.”
Wigan first worked with Lehmann in 1976 as part of the Saltram winemaking team, before leaving Saltram to help Lehmann with the establishment of Peter Lehmann Wines, which has grown to become one of Australia’s most-loved wine brands.