A Library Release from Hugo!

 

In a real turn-up for the books, Domaine Hugo have released a special wine from their library reserve: the dazzling 2019 vintage of the traditional method sparkling! 

A slightly cooler year than the 2018 and 2020 vintages that bookended this release, the 19 boasts a thrilling acidity and profound length: a wine that has evolved beautifully with its extended ageing. 

From an easeful vintage, nice rain, no disease, good yields - it’s apparent that this is a wine that true to its origins, much more so than much autolysis-leaning Champagne. One feels the chalk here, 2019 in particular is so direct and on-target.

As always: fruit biodynamically farmed, hand harvested. The entire field blend was basket-pressed, spontaneous fermentation and ageing in Burgundy barrels for 11 months before tirage. Aged 18 months on the lees until disgorgement in February 2022 - now a further 30 months ageing in bottle. Zero dosage.

Pics of a very cheerful Paris Barghchi and Hugo last week, just waiting for a bit more sun for ripening vintage '24!

FOR WHOLESALE ENQUIRIES: HELLO@WINESUTB.COM

 

A Field (Trip) in England: Domaine Hugo & Offbeat, July 2024

 

A beautiful visit (on an otherwise drizzly July day) to see Hugo, Nicola, Daniel & Paris in Wiltshire on Monday!

It's always a privilege to take the teams from restaurants, shops and bars to visit growers & winemakers. Travelling less than 100 miles in a couple of rented minivans to bring passionate, like-minded people together to share ideas, stories, food, and wine remains quite the thrill.

It's a vital part of what we do: to offer the opportunity to learn about the commitment to soil health, biodiversity, and winemaking happening on our doorstep.

Monday was a chance to take a wander through the vines and see how the 2024 vintage is progressing (less rain, more sun, please); to taste the latest Domaine Hugo and Offbeat releases, and to enjoy lunch together in the shelter of the winery: salads from the garden, very good hummus, homemade bread, and the second biggest love on the farm: cheese!

A big thanks to the guys for having us down on Monday, and a huge thanks to the teams from Gnarly Vines, Ducksoup, Primeur, Westerns Laundry, Gladwells, Klose & Soan, Highbury Library, Joyce, Salthouse, Jolene, Carmel and Ploussard for joining us for the day!

WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING WINES AVAILABLE FROM EACH PROJECT NOW:

DOMAINE HUGO

SPARKLING

2020 - Hugo - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Gris

2021 - Botley's Col Fondo - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Gris

WHITE

2020 - Two Times A Half - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Gris

PIQUETTE

2023 - Loose Juice 2 - Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Honey

CIDER

2022 - Sunbeams and Rainbows - Orchard Nlend

WINE/CIDER HYBRID

2021 - Combo - Apples, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay

WHITE

2021 - Field Notes 3 - Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay

2020 - Many Moons - Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay

RED

NV Magic Number - Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc

FOR WHOLESALE ENQUIRIES: HELLO@WINESUTB.COM

 

Real Wine Fair 2024

 

In little over a week we're very pleased to be taking part in the 2024 edition of the Real Wine Fair!

Here's who will be joining us this year:

Andi Weigand will be pouring a full range of his juicy 2022 wines, farmed on the keuper slopes of Iphofen, Franconia - the land where Silvaner (and techno) reign supreme.

Vincent Alexis will be on hand to pour through multiple vintages from his Barouillet domaine, a rare chance to try his experimental cuvees alongside heavy-hitting crowd favourites.

Hugo Stewart will be on hand to represent the eponymous Domaine Hugo, pouring his pure, invigorating sparkling wines and if we're lucky, he may have a little of his very limited still cuvée: Two Times A Half under the table!

Nicola & Daniel Ham will be pouring through all their new Offbeat releases, wines with prolonged foudre ageing, experimental macerations and cider/wine hybrids - we can't wait for you to try these!

Looking at the map for this year's RWF, it looks like Andi will be waving distance from the UK growers in the Main Gallery, with Vincent a few tables behind, splashing wines around the sea of France.

Let us know if you're attending on either the 28th or 29th so we can introduce you to the growers! Looking forward to seeing you all there.

If you haven't booked yet, you can do so via the button:

 

Still Life: New from Domaine Hugo

 

DOMAINE HUGO - HUGO STEWART & DANIEL HAM
ENGLAND, SOUTH WEST, WILTSHIRE

Here's a rare one from Domaine Hugo! A wine we've been eagerly anticipating since we were first lucky enough to try it, we're pleased to be releasing the one-off cuvee: TWO TIMES A HALF

After the blend for the 2020 traditional method was finalised, Hugo & Dan kept aside two barrels of the wine. Either for a future experiment or as reserve for another vintage, it never hurts to have spare wine tucked away.

With the barrels not being topped up over their 2 years of ageing, a little flor had begun to develop. Enjoying the progression of the wine so much, they decided to bottle some as a limited release: half of each barrel (hence the name)was assembled and bottled on August 12, 2022, whilst the other halves were combined and saved as reserve wine for the future.

With a total of only one barrel (or two half-barrels...) produced, we can welcome the first still wine to be released from the Domaine Hugo project! Individually labelled with handmade paper produced from textile scraps in Manchester. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Available now!

FOR WHOLESALE ENQUIRIES: HELLO@WINESUTB.COM

Hugo portrait by Bryan McComb
Paper by Lauren Smith
Label by Ben Walker

 

An English Grower's Dinner at Spring

We're thrilled to announce the first in a series of collaborations between some of this country’s finest restaurants and our UK growers. Over two dates, Domaine Hugo and Spring will be collaborating: for a Grower’s Dinner with Fern Verrow in the restaurant, and an event in the biodynamic Wiltshire vines later this summer.

Read more

A Tasting with Hugo Stewart

The debut tasting of Domaine Hugo on Monday 23rd August. We'll be at Elliots and Antidote with Hugo pouring to give as many of you as possible a chance to taste the first wines from these biodynamically farmed Wiltshire vineyards.

Read more

Introducing Domaine Hugo

Hugo Stewart's farming story doesn't begin with fruit, but with pigs. The family farm; Botley's, had belonged to his grandmother and uncle, before the responsibility fell to him. So pigs it was, until twenty years ago. Needing a change of scenery he rented the farm out to a neighbour so he could spend a year in France. Or so he thought.

Read more