By David Ellis from vintnews.
According to company history, St Huberts vineyard was one of the first wineries in the Yarra Valley in 1862 and was named after the Patron Saint of the Hunt, a 7th century English nobleman who turned a life of pleasures to one of helping the needy after confronting a magnificent stag between whose antlers hung a hauntingly shiny Cross.
The company adds, while the winery’s founder was a Mr de Castella whose first name also just happened to be Hubert, he chose to name his winery after the Patron Saint and not simply Hubert after himself. By the late 1800s it had grown to be the largest winery in the Yarra Valley, but after WWI and the following Great Depression it was turned into something more profitable, dairying, which continued until the Yarra rose to wine prominence once more in the 1960s, with St Huberts again a pioneer.
Today this premium cool-climate maker is hailed world-wide, and a new label just released and appropriately named The Stag, is fast winning praise from all quarters. Taste in particular the 2016 The Stag Chardonnay, which is wonderfully vibrant with citrus and pear flavours, lively acidity and a mouth-pleasing freshness. At just $20, it’s a really great drop to simply enjoy on its own, or to pair with salmon fish cakes.
One to Note: Rosé is a wine we usually think of for enjoyment in our warmer months, one to put on the table under a Summer’s sun and share with family and friends over seafood and salads, or maybe pork sausages off the barbie. But rosé is equally for enjoying in our colder months as well, and both with main courses and desserts – for mains it’s hard to beat Thai chicken in a coconut curry sauce, and for desserts to share with warm winter fruit tarts and pies.
One that’s ideal for such occasions is Blossom Hill’s 2015 Rosé that absolutely bursts with juicy fruit flavours – think lush and vibrant fresh-picked strawberries, cherries and watermelon – and which makes it perfect with those wintertime main and dessert suggestions. And the more so with its price tag of just $13.
