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As the sights and sounds of Summer beckon, there is no better time to discover another chapter in the Barossa story.
Just minutes from Tanunda, the home of St Hugo, with its luxurious wine lounge and 50 seat restaurant, is picture perfect among the vines, creating a sense of sophistication and refinement where intimate fine dining and bespoke wine tasting experiences enthral the senses.
Wine ambassador, Tim Redman says St Hugo’s food and wine philosophy is unique.
“Our wine is the showpiece here,” he says.
He describes how executive chef Mark McNamara and his team start with the wine and discover the aromatics and nuances in a tasting alongside a selection of ingredients.
This collaboration of creative minds finds the perfect combination to enhance and complement the chosen wine and the resulting dish is included in new four and eight course set menus.
“When the sun’s out and there’s a bit of a cool breeze, it’s a beautiful space to be.” – Tim Redman
Whether it’s enjoying the Chef’s Table dining experience where guests can talk to Mark and the team as they work in the kitchen, or taking a tour of the property, St Hugo is all about relaxing, slowing down and enjoying the finer things in life.
Tim says the Past, Present and Future tour is a beautiful way to start the St Hugo journey.
It can be enjoyed before or after lunch, or perhaps before dinner is served on a Friday or Saturday night.
“It involves going for a walk through the property here and talking about the history of St. Hugo as a label and also the property here, how it dates back to 1839,” Tim explains.
“From there, we’ll take you downstairs to the private tasting area and work our way through back vintages of our Shiraz and Cabernet – the past; and our current releases – the present. Then we look at a future release, a wine that is still in development so you can see all three side by side and see how the wine progresses with time.
“You also discover how each vintage can be a little bit different and how the winemaker goes about creating our expression of St Hugo.”
The luxurious wine lounge and its adjacent deck offer another setting to enjoy the views beyond. There is no rush here, the stresses of the world are left behind.
“We offer a sit down tasting and let you take your time with the wines when we talk you through. A paddle comes out with four wines… that way you can really take your time, assess each one an get talking about them with us.
“We are happy to guide people through what they would like to try.”
The Expressions of St Hugo wine flight is a perfect introduction for those unfamiliar with the label, and the Private Collection flight includes wines exclusive to the home of St Hugo, telling the story of select vineyards both here the Barossa the Coonawarra.
“We’ve also got our two flagship wines, the Vetus Purum range available for tasting.” For those in a celebratory mood, St Hugo welcome bigger groups looking to enjoy a more social gathering this festive season.
“The Courtyard Grill experience is perfect for a group of 15-20,” says Tim.
“In the restaurant we have a maximum of 12 at a table because we want to maintain the intimacy. But, if you are looking for that celebratory occasion, chefs wheel out the barbecue downstairs and cook outdoors.” The atmosphere here is what Summer is all about.
“You are able to enjoy your food at your own leisurely pace and select from any of our wines,” Tim says.
“When the sun’s out and there’s a bit of a cool breeze, it’s a beautiful space to be.”
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