Legendary winemaker Peter Lehmann, who was pivotal in shaping the Barossa wine industry, has died at the age of 82.

Known as the Baron of the Barossa, Lehmann is credited with transforming Australia's wine industry into a global player.

He was admitted to hospital for an operation this week, but died on Friday morning.

Lehmann is survived by his wife Margaret, four children and several grandchildren.

Lehmann was born at Angaston in 1930, the son of a local pastor.

He was 14 when his father died and Lehmann decided he would leave school to become an apprentice winemaker at Yalumba.

Over more than a decade, he learnt the skills which set him on course to become a leading winemaker.

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He became head of the historic Barossa Valley winery, Saltram, on the eve of the 1960s and helped cement its reputation for classic red wines.

Seeing a change in consumer tastes during the 1970s he introduced whites to Saltram's range.

New direction under family name

Sorry, this video has expired Peter Lehmann enjoying his passion, winemaking

In the 1980s and after several years of turmoil with changed management over wine directions at Saltram, Lehmann and his wife Margaret started their own winery and built a respected reputation under their own name.

Lehmann retired in 2002, but he and his wife remained part-owners of the business and lived next to the Barossa winery.

He was a Member of the Order of Australia and received an International Wine Challenge lifetime achievement award.

"I think wine's interesting and it's cause for a lot of comment, but there is a lot of snobbery and bull talked about it," he once said.

Lehmann was one of the founding members of the Barons of the Barossa in 1974, a group which has now inducted more than 100 men and women to recognise their contributions to the famous wine region.

Peter Lehmann Wines chief Jeff Bond says the company founder was an inspiration and a guiding influence to many over decades.

"Peter actually started out working for Saltram's in 1960 and he forged a reputation for being one of the country's leading red wine makers," he said.

"Way back in those days in the '60s and during that time Peter championed the industry, he championed the region of the Barossa and he was a mentor to many up-and-coming wine makers."

Lehmann's eldest son Doug said his father had suffered ill-health for some time.

"It was remarkable in some ways he lived to reach 82, but he was a pretty tenacious bloke, he liked a challenge and he usually rose to the occasion," he said.

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill has used Twitter to pay tribute to Lehmann.