wine review: St. Hugo Chardonnay 2023 – Eden Valley, Australia – now at LCBO

Ottawa, ON

December 2024

Matt’s review: Eden Valley is located in the high-altitude region of the Adelaide Hills in South Australia, which enjoys a much cooler climate than the neighbouring Barossa Valley. The cooler climate helps produce some of the most refreshing Aussie wines you’ll taste, highlighting the natural freshness and zesty citrus notes contributing to the wine’s crispness. St. Hugo Chardonnay delivers a pristine cool-climate Chardonnay with great elegance. The nose shows zesty citrus, stone fruit, herbs, melon, and a touch of pineapple, all leaning towards crisp citrus rather than the more opulent tropical notes from warmer regions. The palate reveals layers of crisp orchard fruit, refreshing citrus, with delicate minerality. Very clean and refreshing, this is a beautiful expression of Eden Valley Chardonnay, one of the finest I’ve tasted. With the potential to age beautifully over the next decade, this wine will continue to evolve and reveal its complexities, although one need not wait to enjoy its already impressive symphony of precision and grace. Tasted December 2024. 93+ points. Matt Steeves – http://www.quercusvino.ca

Available at LCBO – $39