Sometimes, you need to wear your heart on your sleeve and put your feelings out there.
At my age, there’s just no point acting coy and playing hard-to-get…
Longview Vineyard, I love you.
You stole my heart back in 2012, when two of our very favourite people Johnny and Dem, entered matrimonial bliss at your wood clad alter.
Even being the wettest February day in 30 years couldn’t dampen my adoration for you and your stunning wines on that romance filled Summer day.
Dearest Longview, we have shared so many, special memories…
(Insert: Barbara Streisand singing ‘Way we were’, whilst imagining me gazing off meaningfully into the distance…)
Like the time, I thought tiptoeing in wooden wedges over Demsy’s rose petal aisle (instead of walking 4 metres to go around it) would be a good idea… Then unsurprisingly, slipped over and almost took out the wedding cake in front of the entire congregation. What a moron.
And, who could forget the time, they brought out the BEST baked ham I have ever eaten, and I almost missed the bus because I was too busy voraciously carving chunks to stuff into my pockets for the journey home.
I can still hear my name being called across the moonlit meadow, while I tried my best to run in sky high wooden wedges with handfuls of ham flailing wildly in the air.
*This event may, or may not have taken place after copious amounts of Longview’s award winning wines.*
Memoriessss… light the corners of my mind… Misty water-coloured memories…
So when The Land of the Long Lunch trail led me to Longview Vineyard for Sunday afternoon Tapas, an event certainly best shared with a group of fellow fun lovers’… John and Demsy, my usual partner in crime Cory, and our good mate Dougal, made up the perfect fellowship of fabulous to while away the wintry hours with.
And this time around being a weekend afternoon, we also took our precious little pandas Mrs.Moo and the Mogwai along for some vineyard fun.
The drive to Longview is absolutely beautiful. Once you hit the foot hills and take the turn off to Clarendon, the city streets are well and truly behind you.
The journey in winter to Macclesfield is green and lush, rolling hillsides and small picturesque farms.
But, even though it’s a world away from the cement city grind, it still only takes 40 minutes from the CBD.
Good God, I love the Adelaide Hills!
Sitting down at our window side table in the warm and light dining room, drinking in the spectacular views across the estate while we enjoyed our first glasses of wine, we were all ready for what we knew would be another memorable Longview dalliance.
And, the particularly cold and blustery day couldn’t dampen our union this time either, Longview Vineyard.
No, my feelings haven’t changed. Even after all these years apart, I’m still in love with you…
(Insert: Whitney Houston singing the chorus of ‘I will always love you’, whilst imagining me with a steely skyward gaze clenching a fist to my heart)
The kids settled in immediately, pulling the random toys that they’d packed (and the chocolate melts they stole from my baking pantry) out, then spreading them across the floor at our feet.
I hoped out loud that whoever took the table next to us was an understanding parent, or at the very least thought a cute little girl playing with a toy V8 supercar was ridiculous enough, not to be annoyed…
But I needn’t have worried because as another group of jovial diners walked in, I almost choked with glee on my Gruner Veltliner when my good friend Marisa happened to be with them and they excitedly took their seats at the table next to us.
The very table my children had decided to set up camp next to. What are the odds!?
Sunday Tapas at Longview, where have you been all my parental life…?
So we drank and we ate, and we ate and we drank.
Cory offered to be the designated driver this day, so I could consume more than 1.5 glasses of wine (yes, I’m a total Cadbury). And, truth be told Longview does require the services of a designated driver or a hired maxibus to get you home if you’re on the turps.
Longview are just that little bit too far in the hills to get an UBER, although they do have their very own accommodation, which I can tell you firsthand is seriously comfortable and inviting.
John and Dem had booked a Vineyard suite for the evening, and we made our way back there after lunch for a cab-sav and a few more laughs before heading home.
So yes, we certainly drank some wine.
We celebrated Longview’s amazing single estate drops with vigour.
We relished in them.
My personal favourites (although believe me when I attest, it’s all good), the 2015 Boat Shed Nebbiolo Rosato, 2012 Devils Elbow Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2015 Kuhl Gruner Veltliner. Yum, just Yum.
But, dear friends we also ate. A lot.
The Longview Kitchen is headed up by two incredible Chef’s Stephanie Heaven and Louise Naughton who are the masterminds behind the catering company, The Caterers.
These talented ladies have been with Longview for 8 years. Ever since 2007 when the ambitious, visionary brothers Peter and Mark Saturno bought the vineyard from their neighbour, the original winery owner who planted the very first vines.
Focusing on seasonality, they change the Tapas menu every 3 months.
They want your Longview experience to be interesting and delicious. Fun, casual, but memorable. And trust me when I tell you this, it is exactly that.
Our starters of Warm mixed Willunga Olives and Salty Fetta and Chilli Straws on arrival were inhaled in record speed.
We were then swiftly presented with a Spicy Tomato and Sweetcorn soup with Chipotle and freshly made Corn Bread, that was quite simply an absolute fiesta of flavour.
The kiddies didn’t miss out either. Longview understand that family comes first on a Sunday, and they are more than accommodating for the youngin’s. Chicken and French fries, with a mini ‘Magnum’ ice cream for dessert… I’d eat that.
Meanwhile, along came our mains. Like a love song I could’ve kept playing over, and over…
Slow cooked Lamb Shoulder with roasted pomegranate and Persian fetta tomatoes, Toasted Quinoa, Chilli, Lime salad with Pumpkin and Onion, Individual Chicken Bistilla with Gremolata green beans and finally a green leaf salad with the most delicious vinaigrette I’ve eaten out in a really long time.
It was kinda rustic, which I adored.
It was communal, which I also adored.
It wasn’t your ordinary Tapas, which I adored most of all.
Dessert came next, a little high tea platter of petit fours. The highlight for me was the Chocolate Coffee mousse, I could’ve quite happily eaten a whole bowl of that.
The cheese board was a delight, with its soft French white and hard Italian cheeses taking centre stage. I loved the apple and raspberry paste, such an interesting addition to top off these stellar cheesy choices.
And since my heart is well and truly laid bare, I’m going to put it out there and say… When I’m in the mood for drinking wine, ending my meal with cheese is always where it’s at. Love, love me do.
So how do I say goodbye?
When parting is such sweet sorrow…
True Love lasts forever Longview Vineyard, so you will always hold a place in my heart.
And, Cory and I bought four bottles of liquid gold from your incredible cellar door, so we all lived happily ever after.
For more information about Longview Vineyard and their awesome Sunday Tapas, please go to the following link; http://www.longviewvineyard.com.au/
For more information about the Land of the Long Lunch and to get on the trail with us, please go to the following link; http://landofthelonglunch.com.au/ or check out my blog post HERE
2 comments 
Casey Kosch said on August 13, 2015 Bree you have made me fall in love with this amazing place too. 
Bree May said on August 13, 2015 Once you taste their wine Casey, you will belong to them forever... :) x