Dr3 x St. Hugo 2020 Shiraz & 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon
I was intrigued when I first learned about the Daniel Ricciardo x St. Hugo project. And I am nothing if not predictable. So I bought the two bottles currently available in the U.S. and here are my thoughts.
DR3 x St. Hugo 2020 South Australia Shiraz
ABV: 14.5%
When I opened the bottle, I noticed there was cork bleeding—which you could see before you even pulled the cork—which made me concerned about whether the wine was bad. However, it appeared to be fine
When initially opened, you can tell that this is a young wine. At first, the alcohol is very prevalent on the nose along with a bunch of blackberry, black cherry, raspberry, and plum jam notes—exactly what you should expect from a South Australia Shiraz. The more time it spends in the glass, the more it really starts to open up and develop a spicy—baking spice, nutmeg, black pepper—and mineral bouquet. On the palate, those fruit notes that were so prevalent on the nose are secondary to the spice and mineral tones present giving it this disjointed character. There is a graphite note that lingers long after the first sip. Structurally, the acidity ran wild while the tannins were velvety smooth. This clearly gave the impression that the wine needed more time.
So, after allowing it to sit and breathe for 24 hours, the disjointed nature of the aroma and palate disappears. The spice became much more prevalent in the aroma and the fruit-jamminess became more present on the palate. Think mixed berry pie. And, the time also allowed it to become a more elegant wine, with the development of some beautiful floral notes—roses, violets, and cherry blossoms. Further, the acidity that was so out of balance on day one was still high, but so much more pleasant and fell into balance with the rest of the wine’s structure.
Rating: 5 Stars
Well-made wine: Yes
This is clearly a well-made. There is no denying that this is a young wine that needs a TON of time to develop, but all of the structural components are there or they will be there with time. I also think this is a good representation of a South Australian Shiraz. It is a big, jammy Shiraz that also has all of the beautiful spiciness I would expect from the grape.
Worth the Price: Kinda-but yes.
This wine isn’t cheap by any means. At $75, this is a hefty price tag. But in terms of quality, this is wine that is on the higher end of the price tag.
Notable: Yes
St. Hugo is a good Barossa and Coonawarra producer. And Barossa is known for the Shiraz. While this wine is classified as South Australia, I’m unsure as to where the fruit is coming from. Further, it is pretty cool to have the DR3 label on it as well.
Rarity: Yes
There is some level of rarity to this because this is the DR3 x St. Hugo collaboration. And the bottles give the perception of it being limited as well. For example, the Shiraz is #29,401. And don’t get me wrong, that is still a TON of Shiraz. But, in terms of the Shiraz being produced in Australia and at St. Hugo, a limited number of them are going to be the DR3 label.
Ageable: Yes
This is such a young wine. This wine needs years. At least 5 of them for it to really become something—but I have total faith it will become something beautiful. And I could easily see this aging for 20 years.
DR3 x St. Hugo 2018 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
ABV: 14.5%
When I went to open the bottle, I also noticed cork bleeding here, making me concerned about the wine. The wine was fine. However, I now have concerns about cork quality.
This wine is so much different from the Shiraz upon first opening. It is so delicate and elegant—much more so than I would have expected from a Coonawarra Cabernet. On the nose, it is black currant, black pepper, and some roasted peppers. The more it opens up, the more floral tones—cherry blossoms—and fruit notes—blackberry, cherry, red plum—develop. The palate is full of pepper pyrazine and spice notes. The fruit notes also play a second role here, with some black currant, blackberry, and black cherry. But this wine is so spicy—licorice and roasted spicy peppers. There are some vanilla and cherry blossom notes as well. Structurally, the wine is balanced, with cherry-like acidity and dark-to-milk chocolate-like tannins.
After being opened and allowed to develop in the opened bottle, the pyrazine notes that are so present really fall to the back and the dark fruit notes are what is most notable on both the nose and the palate. It also really just becomes a really soft and delicate Cabernet.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Well-Made Wine: Yes
Again, there is no denying this is a well-made approachable wine. Structurally, everything about it is in balance—this is a wine you can buy, open, and just start drinking it without decanting it. If I am to have any complaint about this wine, it is that it is a bit softer than I would expect from a wine from this region. While I know that some producers in the Coonawarra are leaning into a softer-more-approachable style of Cabernet, this comes off as a bit too soft.
Worth the Price: Maybe
This one I find a little bit more difficult to determine if it is worth the price point. There is no denying that this is a well-made wine. This is another one where if it were a bit cheaper, I would have no hesitation. However, this also has the $75 price tag. If this were closer to $60, then I would recommend it. But, you really need to be into Coonawarra Cabernets to consider it at the $75 price tag.
Notable: Yes
St. Hugo got their start with Cabernet Sauvignon. So, this is something I expect them to be good at. And again, this is part of the DR3 line.
Rarity: Yes
For all of the same reasons as the Shiraz. And this bottle is listed as #8,587.
Ageable: Yes
This wine can definitely age for a few years. I expect it to develop into a beautiful wine and for those pyrazine notes to fall off or to become more integrated with the dark fruit notes.
