wine review: Daniel Ricciardo Ric Red 2021 ‘Secret Sauce’

Ottawa, ON

July 2024

Matt’s review: St. Hugo has been crafting fine wines since their first vintage in 1980. While South Australia and the Barossa Valley are renowned for producing terrific Shiraz, Grenache has gained great attention and become a favourite varietal star as of late, contributing both floral and spicy characteristics in the wines.

Now cue F1 legend Daniel Ricciardo and his collaboration with St. Hugo where they’ve teamed up to produce Ric Red – Secret Sauce – shhhh, it’s a blend of Grenache, Shiraz, and Mataro from South Australia, but neither the label or I told you that if anyone asks… 😉 The blend delivers a deeply coloured, very inviting and approachable wine with great intensity. Loads of dark fruit, plum, pepper, fig, blueberry pastries, and a touch of floral. The palate is silky smooth with refreshing dark fruit medley persisting on the long and elegant finish. A terrific wine for enjoying with BBQ fare, particularly smoky burgers or pulled pork on a bun, even BBQ chicken kebabs with Caesar salad (I tried it, it was great). Enjoy now and over the next three F1 seasons. Tasted July 2024. 92 points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

Available at LCBO – $39.95