The 2018 La Longa Sangiovese is a testament to patience. We have explored a series of names that pay tribute to the 36-month process of aging the wine, inspired by the Italian terms used in music.

Music has retained many Italian words, as many of the most important early composers in the renaissance period were Italian – the winemak ing world being very similar

Palate: a testament to the importance of patience in vinification, the La Longa Sangiovese has great depth, structure and complexity, while retaining an elegant, medium bodied palate with lingering fine-grained tannins

Bouquet: brambly dark berries; sour cherry and plum with nuances of dried herb

The Vintage: The 2017 vintage and the season leading up to it were almost as perfect as you could ask for. Mild summer temperatures with prevailing east and north-east winds provided moderating influences; and there was an absence of very hot days. Rainfall events were well spaced up until late January, then warm and relatively dry conditions prevailed right throughout harvest allowing uninterrupted picking.

The Vinification: ‘Brunello’ clone Sangiovese were hand harvested; the grapes crushed and de-stemmed into an oak fermenter where fermentation took place using indigenous yeasts. After fermentation the wine remained on skins for a further 14 days prior to pressing .

The Inspiration: Many of the greatest wines made in Italy are crafted from Sangiovese, none moreso than from the area south of Siena around the hilltop town of Montalcino, where Brunello is King. The geographic and climatic diversity of the region allows many different styles to be produced from full bodied, rich and firmly structured at lower elevations in the south; to finer and more elegant wines at higher elevation (up to 600m). Like the latter, our La Longa Sangiovese is about creating an Australian benchmark with finesse.

Grape Variety: Brunello clone Sangiovese

Oak maturation: 12 months in new and second use fine grained Italian coopered French oak barriques, followed by 12 months in a seasoned 1600L cask; and a further 12 months in bottle prior to release. For those with patience themselves, this wine will shine with further time in the bottle before drinking.

Closure: Stelvin

Bottle size: 750ml

Alc Vol: 13.5%

Awarded 90 points by The Real Review, April 2019