Leconfield is situated in the heart of Australia’s famous Coonawarra with its rich Terra Rosa soil over limestone providing the ideal environment for growing premium Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyard was founded in 1974 by pioneering oenologist Sydney Hamilton who at 76 years of age had the ambition to produce the classic Australian red wine. Time has validated his choice of Coonawarra as a fantastic place to do just that. Today the estate remains a family wine business owned by Dr Richard and Jette Hamilton and is planted predominantly to Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller patches of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Shiraz, Petit Verdot and complemented with the white varieties of Riesling and Chardonnay. The Hamilton family have been growing grapes and wine in South Australia since 1837.
Co-fermentation is a winemaking practice in which varieties are harvested and fermented together to allow the characteristics of each variety to meld together rather than the more common practice of blending post fermentation. Traditionally Merlot and Cabernet Franc ripen a week or so earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon in Coonawarra, so we allowed a few extra days for these varieties to stay on the vine waiting for an early patch of Cabernet Sauvignon to be ready. Fermented with a complexing strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the new wine was allowed to gain extra complexity and to allow tannins to round and soften through 30 days of skin contact before pressing in early May. Maturation was in French Oak, 18% new, for 19 months. No fining has been used.