Behind the scenes in every large Australian wine company there typically lies lesser-known greatness. Whether it’s Treasury, Accolade or Pernod Ricard, there is oft-overlooked (and sometimes never released) vinous glory.
You just have to find it.
Recently, a squad of winemakers from Pernod Ricard (the company that owns Jacobs Creek, Mumm, Stoneleigh etc.) came to town armed with a few of these (potential) delights too.
My notes are patchy beyond the wines themselves, which was largely because I was busily trying to thumb my notes and put out fires on another project at the same time. The St Hugo wines, however, were worth rocking up to the masterclass in itself (let alone an excuse for banter and some delicious cheese).
Context is in italics.
Masterclass #1 – Sparkling
Mumm Tasmania Brut Prestige NV
I first tasted this last Christmas with similar notes. 51% Pinot Noir, 44% Chardonnay & 5% Meunier. Goes through full malo too, which is unexpected. Dosage 5g/L
Great nose. Pinot dominant and it shows with some red apple fruit. It’s quite expressive really. A good aperitif style, though not profound – a vibrant appley crisp and drinkable thing though. 17.5/20, 91/100. 12.5%, $39.99.
Adelaide Hills Sparkling Blanc de Noirs NV
Presented as an unreleased tester that doesn’t have a home as yet. Piccadilly Valey and Charleston fruit. Mainly 2021 vintage. 5g/L dosage.
Super regional Pinot fruit. Red apple takes it over. Pure and clean, rather than leesy, it’s a tiny bit tart and dry, but interesting. Great delineation, Top form acidity keeps this very tight, and I’d like more generosity. 17.5/20, 91/100. 12%.
Mumm Marlborough Brut Prestige NV
53% Pinot. 25-30% reserve wine. 7g/L.
A very different style to the taut Tasmania wine – you can taste the leesy brioche character here. It could arguably do with less dosage – makes it just a bit diffuse and gentle. Still, a nice aperitif style. 17/20, 90/100. 12%, $39.99.
Mumm Central Otago Blanc de Noirs NV
20-24 months on lees 6g/L. Launches this month.
Just a little pink hue. Real strawberried thing – you could almost call it rosé but the colour is too light. A very pretty wine, varietal too. It’s just a teensy bit soft and diffuse but a very nice pretty wine. 17.5/20, 91/100. 12%, $59.99.
Masterclass 2 – Sub-regional Hawke’s Bay Syrah & Barossa Shiraz
Church Road Single Vineyard Redstone Syrah 2020
Grown on the Redstone Vineyard at Bridge Pa. Unreleased.
Closed and unready. Mulberry on the shy nose. Only medium bodied palate feels very back ended – it starts with a light mulberry expression and gets darker with cooked anise stars and black tannins. Just a smidgen closed and a bit wooden for mine, but definitely structure shows promise. Hold. 17.7/20, 92/100+. 14%.
Church Toad TOM Syrah 2020
The TOM Cabernet blend can be great, and this is the first and only Gimblett-sourced TOM Syrah. 78% from the Gimblett Gravels, the rest Bridge Pa.
Again with the molten and backward nose – bark, mulch, red fruit turning black and dark, broary and black fruit on the drying finish. I dunno, great tannins, and has more richness (and oak) thrown the finish. But an ungenerous thing too. Unquestioned structural integrity though. 17.7/20, 92/100+. 13.5%, $219.99
St Hugo Single Vineyard Koch Shiraz 2021
Comes off a 102yo vineyard on the banks pf Jacobs Creek.
Polished. You can see the alluvial on the rather pretty nose. This has lovely bright purple fruit, an aromatic-led Shiraz with this blueberry fresh palate and very fine tannins. I love this – an excellent, polished, yet powerful modern Barossan Shiraz of such plushness and form. 18.7/20, 95/100. 14.5%, $79.99.
St Hugo Single Vineyard Fabal Shiraz 2021
From a block at Greenock on the NW corner of the Barossa.
Black Jubes, deep, purple jube palate with this rush of purple fruit and blocky tannins. Still polished, varietal and has excellent plump width that just gets broader and fuller. Quality expression of that wonderful purple Greenock style, only topped by the great Koch Shiraz. 18.5/20, 94/100. 14%, $79.99.
St Hugo Single Vineyard Lorke Shiraz 2021
From Lorke Vineyard at the southernmost edge of the Barossa near Williamstown. From a block planted in the late 90s. Unreleassed.
A pretty and purple wine but without the length of the other two. Alcohol a sweeter edge on the finish and a little tart. This is generous and easy, but not in the same league of concentration as the other Hugo wines – it’s just a bit one-toned. 17.7/20, 92/100. (Alcohol not stated).
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THE VERDICT
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2 Comments
The weird thing is that you never see any of this stuff on shelves around the independents or even the big box stores. Where do they sell these sku’s??
I don’t know. I just don’t. I feel like they’re spread so thinly around (the volumes are tiny) that we don’t see them anyway.