Hugh Hamilton Pure Black 2018

This prestigious red wine originates from Australia, within the South Australia region and the acclaimed McLaren Vale subregion. Hugh Hamilton Wines represents Australia's oldest wine family dynasty, tracing its viticultural roots back to 1837 when the family planted the colony's first grape vines. Led by fifth and sixth generation winemakers Hugh and Mary Hamilton, the winery embraces a rebellious spirit while producing exceptionally crafted wines, sealing this flagship icon in black wax to commemorate their heritage.

Wine Description

This wine displays a deep black plum hue in the glass. The nose presents an extraordinarily complex and brooding bouquet showing dark rose florals, cold black tea, wet clay, roasted coffee, tar, and charred rosemary alongside hints of ripe plum, mudcake, and sweet tobacco. On the palate, it is dense, intense, and thunderously rolling, showing a powerful structure driven by mulberry, blackberry, black olive, and gravel minerality. The full body exhibits a wonderful balance of earthy depth and vibrant acidity, carrying through to a generous, lingering finish. The blend consists of 85% Shiraz and 15% Saperavi, aged for 19 months in French oak barrels. The wine features an alcohol by volume of 14.9% and is vegan friendly.

Food Pairing

The intense concentration, rich fruit, and dense structure of this wine make it a perfect match for hearty red meat dishes. It pairs exceptionally well with a seared Tomahawk steak or slow cooked cranberry glazed lamb shanks. For a vegetarian pairing, its subtle complexity and earthy notes complement a savory cranberry and pistachio nut roast.

Vintage Quality

The 2018 vintage in McLaren Vale yielded exceptional fruit concentration with impressive depth and length. Selected from over 400 individual barrels, only five were chosen to create this bottling, demonstrating the winemakers' commitment to extreme quality control and aging potential.

Accolades

93 Points - Wine Enthusiast

As the name implies, this inky beast of a wine—an unusual Shiraz-Saperavi blend—takes plenty of aeration before it squeaks out its blackberry, pepper, violet and Indian spice charm. It's tightly wound with fine-grained, muscular tannins. Despite its heft, it's balanced, set for the very long haul. You could open now with a decanter at hand, but if you've the patience, it should evolve intriguingly over the decades.