Longview Jupiter Barbera 2019
- 92
- $40
- Drink by: 2022-2026
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Varietal Barbera, a grape that a number of winemakers seemed to have high hopes for some years ago, has never really reached the heights they anticipated. There are, however, always exceptions. The Longview team have two clones planted on a slight north-facing slope of ‘shallow sandy-clay loam with iron stone and quartz’. A mix of pruning techniques are used, the intention to stagger the picking time and assist in the search for complexity. After crushing into open fermenters and then left on skins for three weeks, it is then transferred to a single new Austrian (Stockinger) oak puncheon and a mix of older French puncheons. 3,000 bottles. No fining or filtration. Deep red, an appealing savoury style with notes of dry herbs, animal skins and warm earth. Raspberries and other red fruits. Bright acidity and good grip, expect this to be improved by two to four years in the cellar, when the wine should offer a smidge more intensity.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
