Earlier this month, hosted by Chief Winemaker Dan Swincer, the Stockholm Sommelier community were treated a vertical masterclass exploring 10 vintages of powerful and elegant St Hugo Coonawarra Cabernet, arguably Coonawarra’s Flagship Cabernet Sauvignon producer. The masterclass was an opportunity to taste many outstanding vintages side by side, the first time that a vertical of this scope was presented in Stockholm for the Coonawarra origin.
Please enjoy a brief summary of the vintages shown below.
A summary of wines shown:
2018 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra South Australia
An excellent vintage with healthy rainfall and a large crop of outstanding quality.
2013 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra South Australia
An excellent vintage for reds with a warm dry summer with little disease pressure followed by a cooler autumn period.
2012 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra South Australia
A classic cabernet vintage with marked diurnal range due to clear skies showing in the glass via a freshness of acidity.
2010 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra South Australia
A warmer year with an earlier harvest date than usual producing full bodied wines with a rich tannic structure.
2008 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra South Australia
A vintage with a slightly below average crop full of concentration and heft. Spring rains resulted in an excellent budburst, a relief from the drought affected 2007 harvest.
2004 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra South Australia
A bumper crop with almost 100% fruit set combined with one of the latest vintages on record saw outstanding quality across the board, especially amongst later ripening varieties like cabernet sauvignon.
1999 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra South Australia
A warm, early harvest producing broad shouldered wines with high alcohols and burly tannin. A vintage for the cellar. Chunky Aussie Cabernet.
1998 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra South Australia
A vintage not dissimilar to th famed 1990 across all of South Australia. Fresh wines from a slightly early vintage.
1990 St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra South Australia
The greatest vintage of the latter part of the 20th century in south Australia resulting in an exceptional season in Coonawarra. Wines of power and elegance, extract and concentration.
2010 St Hugo ‘Vetus Purum’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra South Australia
Another early vintage producing classic cabernet sauvignon with freshness and lift. Rich tannin from ripe seeds have assured longevity.
