Product Information:
If you are after a stylish, top value Tasmanian Pinot. This is it. The 2023 Hughes & Hughes Pinot Noir comes from Coal River (20%), Derwent (70%), and Tamar (7%) Valleys and 3% of estate fruit in D’Entrecasteaux Channel in southern Tasmania. Under the Hughes & Hughes label Jonathan gets full licence to go experimental. For this wine he used 10% whole bunch, whole berry, natural yeasts and extended time on skins (16-21 days). Pressing directly to matured oak (8% new). Finally he blends the best parts before bottling unfined. Layered and lengthy. Always a joy to drink.
Maker:
Brothers Matthew and Jonathan Hughes have already enjoyed meteoric success with their acclaimed Mewstone Vineyard, established on the banks of the D’Entrecasteaux Channel in South Tasmania in 2011. Here they create expressive single site wines with a minimum of intervention in the winery. The vineyard is a former cherry orchard and with some new plantings going in this year will expanded to a final size of 5.2 hectares.
But for Jonathan to scratch his creative itch he also make wines under the Hughes & Hughes label. Selecting fruit from predominantly Southern Tasmania, the project gives the Jonathan a platform for creativity and experimentation in the cellar. Hughes & Hughes aims to produce bright wines with strong natural acidity, drinkability, that won't break the bank.
Philosophy:
Sourcing quality grapes from other local vineyards, the more daring Hughes & Hughes sees Jonathan bring together techniques he encountered from his world travels. It comes in three levels, the Tasmania blends, single-site expressions and the most playful of this range is lo-fi, living wines made without any sulphur adds.
The Tasmania blends seek to champion varietal expression. Building texture and complexity but not at the expense of enjoyment and purity. The winemaking can be a little experimental and playful. Your sneaky mid-weeky Pinot. As for the single sites expressions. These wines are chosen for their quality and expression of place - these are special parcels from growers that represent something a bit special. With the diverse growing conditions around Tasmania the brothers have a 6th sense for which patches will stand out after vintage. Once selected they are matured a little longer before bottling and release. Lastly the most wild expressions are made with a minimum of intervention in the winery. No added sulphur, no fining or filtering. Seasonal wines that explore texture and continue to evolve after bottling.
Hughes & Hughes are produced in small amounts means he can put a whole lot of love into these unique creations. Don't miss the opportunity to snap these up while you can.
Nose - Fragrant, Violets, Sappy
This is really pretty, fragrant and lifted on the nose. All red fruits, spice, violets, sap and a touch of bunchy funk.
Palate - Creamy, Red-Blue Fruit, Savoury
Creamy, red and blue fruit driven with plenty of crunchy, snappy fruit and texture.
Finish - Long, Layered, Spicy
The tannins are firm and shapely in this youthful, fleshy and delicious pinot noir. Long, layered and smart value.
(2022) This is really pretty, fragrant and lifted on the nose. All red fruits, spice, violets, sap and a touch of bunchy funk. Creamy, red and blue fruit driven with plenty of crunchy, snappy fruit and texture. The tannins are firm and shapely in this youthful, fleshy and delicious pinot noir. Long, layered and smart value. - Aaron Brasher, The Real Review, 93 Points.
The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Pinot Noir
Country - Australia
Region- Tasmania
Vintage - 2023
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 12.6%
