Eight at the Gate

Sisters Jane Richards and Claire Davies are part of a southeast SA farming family. Each of the sisters had four children, hence (slightly indirectly) the name of their enterprise. They came to it by diverse pathways: Jane left the land, successfully weaving her way up the corporate ladder in the technology world, on a journey that took her to New York and San Francisco. Claire set down her roots in the land, graduating from Roseworthy, working as an assistant winemaker, thereafter as a viticultural consultant in the Di Davidson Consulting group, one of Australia's best. The sisters came together in 2002, buying Lanacoona Estate, with an established vineyard planted in 1995, now significantly expanded to the present 60ha under the expert eagle eye of Claire. Most of the grapes are sold, but with Peter Douglas onboard as contract winemaker, production has inched upwards.