Daniel Ricciardo x St Hugo
Should Ricciardo claim a podium finish in this Sunday’s anticipated Melbourne GP, all eyes will be on the celebration – and whether he reaches for some unique St Hugo glassware.
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If the shoe fits.
Well, Australian F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo’s new collection for St Hugo wines offers a new take on just that.
A second outing for Ricciardo and the acclaimed Barossa Valley winemaker, the collaboration sees the production of two new drops informing the new vintage release DR3 x St Hugo.
More on the wines later – because what’s the larger talking point here is the accompanying glassware, namely a decanter inspired by the McLaren driver’s well-known podium celebration, the ‘shoey’.
Yes, not only can you drink in some Danny Ric goodness but you can decant and pour from a glass recreation of the 32-year-old’s race shoe.
If nothing else, it’s playful. And fits (ahem) Ricciardo’s accessible and fun demeanour, one that makes him a favourite amongst fellow F1 drivers, teams and supporters.
The decanter, described as “aerodynamic with finely tuned curves” by Ricciardo, was designed by Sydney-based studio Vert Design and took 100 hours to complete.
A unique collector’s piece, each comes individually numbered and presented in a luxury display case along with a letter from Ricciardo and a certificate of authenticity. The decanter is a separate purchase from the wines and numbers are strictly limited.
“When St Hugo approached me with the idea of creating a piece to showcase our wines at their best, I was excited to see the creative inspiration, and so the Ricciardo Decanter was born,” adds Ricciardo.
As for the new DR3 x St Hugo release – it’s made up of a 2018 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and 2020 South Australia Shiraz. Both update the acclaimed St Hugo house style with a sense of liveliness and certainly help further push desired brand recognition (and uptake) amongst a younger wine audience.
“There is so much passion and craftsmanship that goes into winemaking and learning about the process has been incredible,” offers Ricciardo. “This year’s release has a lot more of my personal input and involvement in the blending process for the wine — I’ve thought about how I want people to experience this wine, balancing my love of full flavour and what I call the ‘explosion’ on your tastebuds, in a way that is delicious and makes you smile as you pour a glass.”
Adds Peter Munro, St Hugo chief winemaker: “Daniel’s creativity and consideration in understanding the nuances of winemaking is impressive and inspiring. He has an excellent intuition when it comes to flavour and the result is fruit-forward wines that reflect his personality – lively and joyful, open and approachable, but also serious at the core.”
In a wine world too often framed by stuffiness and overly haughty introspection – this is certainly a fun counter. Though we’ll perhaps pour direct from bottle.
The limited release DR3 x St Hugo wines and Ricciardo Decanter are available online only from today, April 4 2022; www.sthugo.com/dr3
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