St Hugo is one of the Coonawarra kings. But the crown has slipped a little in recent years, especially with ever more fancy wines in the portfolio. You wouldn’t call this St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 a classic either – certainly not by the nose, which is dark berried and cedary but a bit diffuse. The coiffed, and finessed palate is certainly silken too, though lacks some concentration. That’s ultimately it – this is an early drinking St Hugo Cabernet, that is an attractive proposition, though not quite up to the label’s fabled cellarworthy reputation.

THE VERDICT

• Best drinking: now to fifteen years
• Score (out of 20): 17.7
• Score (out of 100): 92
• Alcohol %: 14
• RRP (in $AUD): 45
• Winery website: https://www.sthugo.com/
• Would I buy it?: a glass or two