Red Wine Longview Devil’s Elbow Cabernet Sauvignon 2015. The stunning Longview estate occupies gentle undulating hills close to the Mt Lofty Ranges a short drive from the city of Adelaide. The winery is run by brothers Mark and Peter Saturno who specialise in crafting elegant wines from classic Italian and French varieties which thrive in the valley setting. The brothers plant their black grape varieties on the northern slopes to ensure optimum ripeness, while the white grapes are planted on cooler south-facing slopes. Devil’s Elbow is named after a hair-raising stretch of road not far from the vineyard where this wine begins life. According to Mark and Peter, that same adrenaline rush can also be experienced in a glass of this delicious red. Once in the winery the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are carefully vinified and then transferred to French oak barrels for 20 months of maturation. Blackcurrant, mint, clove and hints of woodsmoke characterise the nose, while the first sip reveals a vibrant personality with a full body, rich and creamy texture and a very long finish. This powerful red is ideal for enjoying alongside hearty beef stews, barbecued meats or a prime steak thanks to the firm tannins and well-built structure.
2015
Red Wine Longview Devil’s Elbow Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Red Wine Longview Saturnus Riserva Nebbiolo 2015. Run by brothers Mark and Peter Saturno, Longview occupies a stunning setting on gentle rolling hills close to the Mt Lofty Ranges a short hop from the city of Adelaide. Formerly a dairy farm, the family-run winery now focuses on producing excellent Australian wines from Italian varieties which thrive on the valley slopes. Reds are planted on the north-facing slopes with whites dominating the cooler south-facing slopes to preserve freshness and aromatics. This vibrant Nebbiolo is reminiscent of the great Barolo and Barbaresco wines of Italy with a unique Australian twist. The grapes are harvested at optimum maturity before undergoing a lengthy maceration and fermentation in 6-7 year old French puncheon barrels. The brothers then bottle their wines without fining or filtering to maximise purity and authenticity of the varietal character. The result is an intense, spicy red with vibrant red cherry, plum, rose petal and baked earth notes which linger long on the tongue. The first sip reveals a generous full body, classic firm Nebbiolo tannins and a well-built structure which will help the wine age beautifully in the cellar. Try pairing this energetic red either with typical Italian dishes like wild boar pappardelle or Australian classics like smoky barbecued meats.
2015
Red Wine Masciarelli Marina Cvetic Cabernet Sauvignon 2015. Abruzzo’s much-loved winemaker Gianni Masciarelli sadly passed away in 2008, but the winery he founded lives on in the capable hands of his wife Marina and their eldest daughter, Miriam. Gianni was inspired to found his own winery after spending a summer in Champagne where he realised he could make top quality wines in his native Abruzzo and help revive the region’s flagging wine industry. In 1981 he set to work with just 5 acres of land set around his grandfather’s house in the village of San Martino sulla Marrucina. Thanks to Gianni’s hard work and dedication, the estate soon became a benchmark for premium Abruzzo wine. In total Masciarelli has won 29 Tre Bicchieri awards and the property now includes some 900 acres of vines spread across Abruzzo’s four provinces. Their Marina Cvetic series of wines represent the very best of the winery, like this powerful Cabernet Sauvignon which is produced in very limited quantities of just a few thousand bottles per year. Grapes are sourced from the Colle Rosina right in front of the winery where yields are kept extremely low to maximise quality. In the winery the fruit is fermented in stainless steel tanks and then aged in French oak barrels for 18-24 months in French oak barrels. This helps to tame the Cabernet’s punchy tannins, crafting a rich, intense red wine that’s bursting with cassis, blackberry and dark plum notes along with smooth tannins and a very long finish.
2015