There’s been a bit of talk over the past few years about the elevated acidity in Coonawarra Cabernet. This has too much of it, at least for now, as do the 08 Balnaves releases and others. It’s just a little too spiky I reckon, and takes the edge off (or puts it on) otherwise exceptional wines. Might be the vintage, might be something else, but tasting them alongside Margaret River Cabernets confirms it’s not just a figment of my imagination..see what you think anyway. Gold medal 2010 Sydney show it says on the bottle.
Blackcurrant, dark berry, toasty spiced cedar oak, dark chocolate and a slight mintiness. It’s medium to full bodied with open weave fine grained grainy tannins and additional savoury tobacco flavours. Has length, style and arguably too much crunchy tangy acidity, although it’s fairly certain that its best days are before it. Drink : 2013 - 2022 93 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front
There are a number of very good to outstanding Coonawarra cabernets on the market for about $30 - 2008 Majella, 2006 Zema Estate, 2007 Wynns 'Black Label', 2006 Brands 'Laira Blockers' – and the 2008 Balnaves is just a touch more. It is, therefore, possible to splurge on one of Australia's best cabernets without maxing out your credit card.
To the above list, I'd add the 2008 Leconfield Cabernet: the best wine that I've seen from them yet. Since Paul Gordon joined as Senior Winemaker in 2001, the Leconfield wines have shown continued improvement but this is the high point. It is among the best Australian cabernets at present on the market and so is a veritable bargain. The 2008 Leconfield has pure ripe sweet intense redcurrant pastille, raspberry jelly and blackcurrant flavours that are opulent and ultra-concentrated. There's silky smooth texture, seamless integration of fruit, oak and tannin, before a gently firm, dry finish.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010 Peter Forrestal’s Quaff website (
www.quaff.com.au) "Quaff – Wine of the Week" email. Colour:
Full rich red
Bouquet:
Full, ripe varietal Cabernet Sauvignon showing rich cassis fruit and dark chocolate has been overlayed with hints of cedar and cinnamon.
Palate:
This wine is full flavoured with fine long tannins and shows power yet elegance. The palate is long and persistent and finishes clean and tight.
Food Suggestions:
A wine to be savoured in a large glass in the accompaniment of medium to full flavoured dishes. Try it with venison or quail and roasted vegetables.
Cellaring Potential:
Excellent on release and will age over the next 10-15 years. Expect the cedar and cigar box characters to develop with time.
Winemaking Notes:
Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon has been the flagship of Leconfield since the first release in 1977. Our philosophy is to produce a Cabernet Sauvignon displaying both depth and elegance where oak complexes and enhances the fruit but is not allowed to dominate. Most of the components that have made up this wine have been allowed to complete fermentation in predominantly French oak and were blended with a small percentage that had extended contact with grape skins for several weeks. Harvest was on the 10 and 11th of April. Oak maturation was in predominantly new hogsheads which had several workings to soften the tannins and fill-out the flavour. Leconfield's winemakers Paul Gordon and Tim Bailey continue to impress judges with their high winemaking standards.
