Description
Since its first vintage in 2001 Longview Vineyard has become one of the Adelaide Hills’ most awarded wine producers. Located just outside the historic township of Macclesfield, set on undulating slopes reminiscent of classic old world estates, this family owned single vineyard has a unique micro-climate suited to growing cool climate white and red varietals equally well.
Originally a dairy for most of the 20th century, Longview produces an exciting portfolio of wines, all of which are single-vineyard, estate-grown. A key factor in this award-winning range is the valley landscape, with red varietals cultivated on the northern slopes, where they ripen consistently, and white varietals grown on the southern side, where the cooler aspect helps the grapes maintain their acidity.
Longview is situated on the South Eastern Ridge of the Mt Lofty Ranges, and at its highest point (410m above sea level), a “long view” extends toward the Southern Ocean and Lake Alexandrina. This southern location results in a slightly higher-than-average temperature compared to the rest of the Adelaide Hills, while the altitude confirms it as a true cool-climate site. During the summer, warm days are followed by cool winds from the southern waters off Lake Alexandrina and the coast. As a result, these conditions create a very high diurnal range, which is specific to the site and contributes to a remarkable variety of flavour profiles in the grape berries.
Through Longview’s obsession with Nebbiolo and acclaimed winemaker Paul Hotker’s meticulous attention to detail, Longview’s Macclesfield Vineyard has again produced a stunning example of the “King of Wines.”
About this wine from the winemaker: “The 2022 season started cool during flowering, some varieties were affected worse than others and only produced 50% of their usual production. Whilst dry seasons usually mean warm weather, 2022 gave us a cool and long ripening vintage. Wonderful flavour development at low sugar levels and high acids were seen all through all varietals. The yield was down across the board however 2022 will be remembered as one of the best vintages Longview has ever seen. This is no mean feat considering the outstanding 2021 vintage.
“The fruit is always hand-harvested and a selection from 2 of our 4 different Nebbiolo blocks were chosen for the Nebbiolo Saturnus. Clones 230 and Mudgee make up the majority of the blend and a little 1-11 was chosen for fragrance. The fruit was harvested during the coolest part of the day and delivered to the winery immediately. Vine age is 29 years old. Hand sorting bunches occurred in the field during harvest to ensure all quality parameters were met. Vinified using traditional techniques and left on skins for 110 days, the wine is then matured in a 2,500 litre Austrian Botti and 8 year old puncheons, it is bottled without fining or filtration.
“The “king of grapes” in Italy has long been a passion at Longview. Never resting on our laurels, we only bottle in vintages we believe are the truest expression of Nebbiolo outside the Piemonte. Light cherry-red in colour with a brilliant clear rim, the wine is unmistakably Nebbiolo. Cherries carry through on the nose but more on the steeped, Maraschino spectrum, along with musk and potpourri. Star-anise, all-spice and slightly smoky dried herbs provide a seriousness to the high toned red fruit and florals. The palate is extraordinarily complex, yet bright and thrilling with a thrust of taut berry flavours, glittery tannins, cherry flesh and blood-orange juice acidity. Its length is immeasurable. 100% Nebbiolo. 14% alc.”
Is this Australia’s finest expression of Nebbiolo? Don’t miss this superb Nebbiolo!
95 points and Number 1 Australian Nebbiolo by Huon Hooke, The Real Review “Saturnus, Saturno. The family behind Longview is named Saturno. Their wine journey started out with a chain of hotels in Adelaide. Peter Saturno, the current generation, manages Longview. Medium-full red with good purple tints, and there are lifted raspberry aromas that entertain, with rosewater and Turkish Delight nuances as well as blackberry pastille notes. There is lovely rich ripeness and real depth of flavour here, backed up by abundant tannins which avoid harshness or greenness. A very smart nebbiolo indeed. I’d love to see it again with some more time under its belt. It looks so promising right now.”
95 points, Mike Bennie for Halliday Wine Companion “This wine pours with an appropriate vibrant-garnet colour. So tense and fine; a medium-weight red of cranberry, rosehip tea and woody spices, with cola, just-ripe raspberry and fennel in tow. So very succulent, great length, amazing fine-grained tannin profile and a general sense of freshness. It feels so legit, so good to drink, serious but with such high drinkability. Awesome.”
95 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front “.. Red fruit, almond, quite some perfume, slight aniseed top note, a dusting of spice, and something of a cool alpine character. Medium-bodied, tight and stony, excellent feel to its ferrous tannin, bright acid, strawberry, a subtle peachy thing (don’t mind me), which I like. Dry and long. Pretty but structured. It’s firmly stamped with Nebbiolo character, and gee, it’s really good. It’s over the line for 95 points.”
RRP $59 Our HOT Introductory Price $45.99 when you buy 6 or more of this wine
