David Franz Wines

Larrikin winemaker David Lehmann has stepped out of the shadow of his famous father, Peter, to make a name for himself with his quirky labels and glorious, handcrafted wines.

Franz is David’s middle name, inherited from his pastor grandfather, and the use of it in his label shows how determined this maverick winemaker – who’s partial to flanno shirts and AC/DC T-shirts – is not to ride on the coattails of his legendary dad.

Ever the rebel, David was hell-bent on not being a winemaker, embarking on a career as a graphic designer but destiny eventually won out, and in 1992, he formally entered the wine business.
He started at the bottom, working in the Peter Lehmann vineyards before launching his own label. Super-talented and passionate, the artisan winemaker and viticulturalist now manages 30 hectares of his family vineyards, including eight hectares around his hilltop home.
“I am moved each day by a passion to live my life at my own pace and to create wines that are as individual as the fruit that has made them,” he says.

This laconic jokester and yarn-spinner prides himself on a hands-on approach, which extends to the eye-catching packaging. David produces at least 14,400 bottles of wine a year and, proving the graphic design study didn’t go to waste, each bottle has an individual silkscreen printed label, with design and words – often a long, entertaining read – taking up most of the bottle’s surface. Each bottle stands as an artwork in its own right – and that’s before you get to the rare treasure inside.
The core-range reds are named after Dave's three children – Georgie’s Walk Cabernet Sauvignon, Benjamin’s Promise Shiraz and Alexander’s Reward Cabernet Shiraz. - Megan Lehmann

Nicole & David Lehmann