“Longview is a unique site in the region,” says Mein. “It encompasses four rolling peaks with slopes covering all aspects and exposures. Soils range from silty loams over heavy brown/red clay in the valleys to shallow ironstone laden topsoils over red/yellow clay on the peaks. …It sits right on the edge of the Mount Lofty Ranges. From the tops of the hills, you look down to Langhorne Creek over Lake Alexandrina and beyond to the sand dunes of the Coorong.”
The diversity of aspect, slope and elevation across the 61 hectares (7 hectares are currently being redeveloped to combat Eutypa – a fungal trunk disease) of vines allows for growing both early and later ripening varieties. And even though that means they can ripen fruit that may struggle in other Hills sites, the result is still very much in the elegant spectrum.
“These slopes give good natural air drainage and prevent hot air from staying in the vineyard overnight in summer,” says Mein. “Southerly winds then help to cool the vineyard as the air blows from the Southern Ocean and is channelled up the valley, helping to ripen the fruit slowly and preserve natural acidity. …The whites show excellent balance of acidity and finesse where the reds are truly medium bodied, showing intense florals and perfume while still having power and drive.”
“Soils range from silty loams over heavy brown/red clay in the valleys to shallow ironstone laden topsoils over red/yellow clay on the peaks. …It sits right on the edge of the Mount Lofty Ranges. From the tops of the hills, you look down to Langhorne Creek over Lake Alexandrina and beyond to the sand dunes of the Coorong.”
“We have taken the decision to double down on what we and our site do best. More nebbiolo and barbera has been planted. We think we might have the largest vineyard area of nebbiolo in the country.”
The vineyard was first planted in 1997, with new additions made every couple of years. The acclaimed Hills’ stars of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir and shiraz are joined by, riesling, pinot grigio and cabernet sauvignon, but Longview is arguably best known for nebbiolo, with the other emerging varieties being barbera and Austria’s most planted grape, grüner veltliner.
Mein says that Longview is regarded as the premier Hills site for nebbiolo and barbera in the region, and few would argue with that assertion, especially given the vast range of expressions that are fashioned from the fruit. “They are grown on a variety of soil types and aspects to allow the wines to best express the various terroirs of Longview,” he says. “Nebbiolo is fast becoming the rising star of Hills reds. …Autumn fogs are a common occurrence during harvest, much like the conditions seen in Piedmont during their nebbiolo harvest.”
Longview deviates from tradition in the Adelaide Hills, with ten varieties planted. With the oldest plantings now 26 years old and at 8 hectares of the hallowed Piedmontese variety, it has some of the oldest and largest plantings of nebbiolo in Australia. The deep dive into the variety now also boasts seven different clones of nebbiolo.
“Changes in global and domestic demand for shiraz and cabernet from our region have seen us remove 12 hectares of these varieties,” says Mein. “We have taken the decision to double down on what we and our site do best. More nebbiolo and barbera has been planted. We think we might have the largest vineyard area of nebbiolo in the country. A shiraz block has been grafted to pinot grigio and pinot noir to bolster the supply for our own products and a 1-hectare area of vineyard that was removed many years ago was re planted to pinot grigio. We have spent many years building a reputation for producing high quality fruit and wines from these varieties and feel that local demand for them will remain strong as consumers move more towards lighter and more medium bodied wines.”
The fruit off the site goes to make a suite of wines under the Longview label, and they also supply grapes to makers such as The Other Wine Co., Spider Bill and La Prova, as well as grüner veltliner to Hahndorf Hill, who are a pioneer of the variety in this country.
“Over the last few seasons under the new management techniques our winemaking team have observed slower, more controlled fermentation curves in shiraz.”
“While we use around 50 per cent of the vineyard’s fruit for our label, we maintain grape sales to over 25 local producers,” says Mein. “Being a part of the wider winemaking community gives us great insight into the industry and keeps us at the forefront of style and change. Working with local winemakers both big and small is a key part of our process to ensure we grow the highest quality fruit possible.”
That evolution of processes has very much gone down a sustainable line. “Our philosophy for sustainability revolves around reducing our synthetic inputs and improving the health of the soils to create a biologically diverse environment where the vines can thrive in harmony with their environment,” says Mein. “The use of composts, humic acids and natural bio-stimulants help to feed the soil’s bacteria and fungi. Cover cropping, under-vine cultivation and reduced mid-row slashing allow for grasses and clovers to flower, providing habitat and food to beneficial insects and increasing the biodiversity of the vineyard.”
While the move away from conventional methods is a work in progress, herbicide use has been eliminated in 85 per cent of the vineyard, with the remaining vines seeing the bare minimum of chemical intervention. Those vines are currently being reworked, so the under-vine knife used for weed management on the rest of the site can’t currently be employed. Once completed, the aim will be to eschew herbicide entirely.
Mein lists those under-vine cultivation methods as having produced the most tangible example of improvement in the vineyard through a change of management technique. “The chemical and ground compaction meant rainfall didn’t penetrate and would run out of the row. Since using the under-vine tools and encouraging grasses to grow taller in the mid row, water penetration has improved so that there is no runoff. The soil health has improved, and by allowing more grasses to grow, the roots have held the soil structure, and the worm population is growing. The vines in these blocks now appear happier and healthier.”
Mein points to their 26-year-old nebbiolo block as an example where this structural change to vineyard management – where they stopped using herbicides three years ago – is paying off. “Recent earthworm counts indicate very healthy levels of worms in the soil. Levels above 250 per meter are considered very good. The block was showing 300 per meter at the last count. We don’t have any info before the changes were made, but given the block was heavily herbicided for 23 years, I would consider the results that we are now seeing to be very positive.”
And that improvement has led to a net gain in the winery, too. “Over the last few seasons under the new management techniques our winemaking team have observed slower, more controlled fermentation curves in shiraz,” says Mein. “Anecdotally, we have seen that when the vines sit in balance with their environment, they produce healthier fruit that make wines that are able to better show the varietal characteristics as well as the terroir in which they grow.”
Longview achieved Sustainable Winegrowing Australia certification in 2023. “Winter of 2023 saw us plant 1,500 native grasses, shrubs and sedges into a once neglected and overgrown water way,” says Mein. “We have also harvested seeds from native Casuarina trees that line the driveway and grown seedlings which were planted as a tree break on along a windy ridge line to help buffer the vineyard from wind damage. This is a long-term strategy that will have a positive visual impact while maintaining a habitat for native birds and beneficial species.” An 85kW solar array has been installed, and all food waste from the property is composted. Efforts are also being made to manage irrigation needs while supporting the health of the local river.
“We are part of the Flows for the Future program,” says Mein. “This program has installed low flow outlets on one of the dams on the property. The flow from a water course is measured upstream and when the flow is right, water is let out of the dam downstream, therefore mimicking the natural flow of the water course and helping to maintain the health of the Bremer River system.”
For Mein, the transformation of the property, both for the vineyard and non-vineyard land, as well as the broader environment, is one that will be an ongoing and evolving project and one that has wine quality as a key driver. “We are going to continue to build on our practices to improve soil and vine balance. We want to continue to learn how our practices are translating the vineyard into the glass so that we can give the best expression of our site. This is a truly unique vineyard that can produce an array of outstanding wines, both red and white. Growing ten varieties on one site comes with many challenges but seeing the hard work in the vineyard translate into a great glass of wine makes it all worthwhile.”
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