Domaine Hugo – Hugo 2018
New offering from Hugo Stewart, once of Les Clos Perdus but now growing wine on chalk in Wiltshire. This is a blend of the three Champagne grapes and Pinot Gris grown biodynamically and fermented spontaneously in barrel. There’s some real interest here and the acid level is quite manageable, and is offset by the breadth of fruit on the palate even though the finish is bone dry – and remarkably long. Very promising. I note distributors Under the Bonnet describe this as 2018 though there is no such indication on the label. Score 17+.
Domaine Hugo – Botleys Col Fondo
This is a dry pet-nat, stoppered by a crown cap, made from the three champagne varieties plus Pinot Gris grown in a single vineyard. Unfiltered. Very pale apricot colour. This smells pretty much like a grower’s champagne, and tastes like a lightweight version of one. Bone-dry impression. Very clean and fresh.
A brilliant newcomer to the UK fizz scene and beyond. Sorry, but I cannot bring myself to say English Sparkling Wine, both an ugly mouthful and dull as dishwater to say. By any standard this is superior stuff. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Meunier and a noiticeable filip of Pinot Gris. Made near Salisbury by Hugo Stewart a former wizard of great wine from Les Clos Perdus in the S of France, and very talented winemaker Daniel Ham. This is all 2018 and evinces peach skin smoky perfume and a convincing round freshness that avoids the jarring acidity of a lot of UK fizz. There are notes of sponge bakery and warm apple with a spicy linger and a tiptoe texture but keeping a sense of satisfying fullness and complexity on the long finish. Biodynamic. Quite rightly UK fizz must be compared to champagne and this is up there with the best but shows a broad big sky sense of open texture I’d like to think may be the signature of Wiltshire. Jancis Robinson scored this 17+ and I can see why it deserves such a high score.
Domaine Hugo – Hugo
2019
It had a silky, seamless fluidity to it…. it’s very classy, thoughtful and quite vinous in style….One to watch.
Renaissance des Appellations
Return to Terrior
Awarded membership in 2023
Domaine Hugo – Hugo
Traditional Method 2019 12% alcohol. Pinots Noir, Meunier and Gris plus Chardonnay. This is complex and expressive with lovely toast and spice notes, alongside ripe pear and peach as well as some apple. This has a lovely limey flourish with nice spice and pear fruit. Long, complex and expressive with amazing depth. 94/100 (c. £50)
Domaine Hugo – Botleys Col Fondo
NV 10.5% alcohol. Second ferment was with the following years fermenting juice in bottle, with the base wine spending a year in tank. It’s 2020 but not declared. Wonderfully fresh and refined with a nice drinkability, and depth of pear, cherry and citrus. Textural and expressive with lovely fruit, but also some nice spicy framing and complexity. Lovely savoury twist on the finish, too. 92/100 (c £30)
