Sustainability at Peter Lehmann
Peter Lehmann Wines has a thriving community of 122 vineyards and 79 growers across 16 Barossa wine regions.
At Peter Lehmann Wines, sustainability means producing wines that people love, in ways that support our environment and local communities. Conserving the natural resources we rely on is pivotal to ensuring the wine industry can continue to thrive for future generations.
SUSTAINABLE WINEGROWING AUSTRALIA
The Peter Lehmann winery, vineyards and grower network is proudly Sustainable Winegrowing Australia certified with wines from the 2025 vintage also certified under this program.
Sustainable Winegrowing Australia certification is more than a logo—it’s a pledge to sustainable practices that protect the environment. Choosing a Sustainable Winegrowing Australia -certified wine supports producers committed to reducing their environmental impact, preserving healthy land, and safeguarding local communities for future generations. It’s a win for everyone, especially wine lovers enjoying a glass of Peter Lehmann.
This certification ensures the wine is made with environmental responsibility and adherence to best practices, offering a trustworthy choice for those supporting sustainability. For the wine industry, Sustainable Winegrowing Australia provides a roadmap for improvement, helping producers document efforts, identify areas for growth, and maintain sustainable winemaking.
SOIL CONSERVATION
The land is the lifeblood of our products, and our land management practices are constantly evolving in line with the changing environment.
In addition to our owned vineyards, we have an extensive network of growers from whom we source grapes. Our viticulture teams are tasked with helping growers meet industry biodiversity and sustainability expectations. We are exploring solutions from inter-row plantings, native grasses, reducing chemical use and protecting waterways. We also regularly test our soil health to improve soil, and vineyard biodiversity and seek alternative options to herbicide usage wherever we can.
Our grower families implement a minimal intervention ‘hands-off’ approach to the vineyard to allow the fruit to truly express itself. No insecticide has been used for over 20 years, and based on weather events, herbicide use has been reduced to minimal spraying four times per year.
REGIONAL ENGAGEMENT
In 2021, Peter Lehmann Wines joined the Wildlife 4 Wine program – a biodiversity project that has seen the vineyard and winery grounds planted with over 2,500 native trees and shrubs, alongside the inclusion of microbat huts in our large trees along the Para River. This program has provided guidance on conserving our natural resources, allowing for continued regeneration. A survey of birds and microbats was undertaken with Landscape SA to assess current population numbers at the winery site to increase native fauna.
CORPORATE GIVING PARTNERSHIP
Peter Lehmann Wines’ parent organisation, Casella Family Brands (CFB) also recently launched a corporate giving partnership which has involved the donation of grants to local Barossan organisations, including Northern and Yorke Landscape Board, Barossa Wildlife Rescue and Biodiversity McLaren Vale. The Northern Yorke and Landscape Board’s grant will be used to assist numerous Barossan community biodiversity groups with the beautification and plantings across the area, along with purchasing plants, guards and stakes. The Barossa Wildlife Rescue grant is being used to raise funds for new aviaries to accommodate injured and orphaned animals. The Biodiversity McLaren Vale grant is being used to regenerate Maslin Creek by working with numerous landholders along the creek to control weed infestations and bring back biodiversity in and adjacent to the creek channel. The Maslin Creek Reed Swam is also the largest remnant reed swamp in greater Adelaide. We are thrilled to be a part of these incredible projects across the Barossa that focus on regenerating and conserving the land and its resources, aligning with our practices here at Peter Lehmann Wines.
WATER STEWARDSHIP
At the Peter Lehmann winery site, we recycle all water on-site, so every litre of water is recycled before being returned to the environment or used for irrigation, and there is no wastewater. Peter Lehmann is the first private company in South Australia to be on the Drinking Water Providers registry under the Safe Drinking Water Act 2011.
We conserve water in the vineyards by planting native tree species, fencing off waterways with plantings and applying mulch under-vine to reduce evaporation. All our vineyards have soil moisture monitoring systems; we use these coupled with irrigating at night, soil monitoring by site, and visual analysis of the canopies to ensure that we optimise water use and have responsible use of water sources. We have many growers who use soil moisture monitoring systems and mulching practices to reduce evapotranspiration and retain soil moisture for longer during periods of heat.
IMPROVING WASTE MANAGEMENT
We are committed to minimising waste generated and maximising recycling or re-use initiatives throughout the production chain to the end consumer. Our material waste streams include organic waste from our vineyards, bottling operations, and packaging. Peter Lehmann Wines is also participating in, and implementing, the APCO 2025 packaging targets.