1005416_1.jpg
  • 69

1999 Leconfield Coonawarra Cabernets

Coonawarra, South Australia, AUSTRALIA
$24. 99
Bottle
$299.88 Dozen
Closure: Cork

Pre Release Barrel Sample Tasting Note: The tea leaf, vegetal notes and flavour disturbed us. Medium body, brick red colour - a worry for a 1999 red. Aroma of tea leaf, blackcurrant and spice, with distinct leafy vegetal end notes. The leafiness diminishes a touch on the palate, but re appears on the back palate, overriding flavours of blackcurrant, spice and blackpepper. Fine grained, soft tannins, followed by long spicy blackcurrant, tea leaf aftertaste. Cellar 3-4 years. Not a great example from Leconfield, showing unripe Cabernet character, coupled with high pH.

RATING: 81/100

VALUE: XXX/5

RETASTED: We’ve tasted this wine a couple of times, and believe that in 1999, Leconfield badly missed the beat. After a series of top wines under Ralph Fowler’s stewardship, we can’t quite work out why this wine shows so much unripe fruit flavours. Very deep brick red colour with a disturbing vegetal overtone appearing on the nose over a background note of stewed fruit, cedar and spice. The palate flavours are short, with plum and blackcurrant flavours emerging followed by spice and black pepper end flavours of over a leafy background. Fine grained dry tannins followed by stewed fruit vegetal aftertaste. Cellar 2-3 years.

RATING: 69/100

VALUE: XX/5