Nugan Estate: Awesome Australian Wines!

 by Tobin Sharp

Nugan Estate is a premium producer of estate grown wine based in Griffith, New South Wales, Australia.

It is part of the Nugan Group, which was founded in 1940 on fruit and vegetable packing and expanded in the 1970s into juice production – later becoming one of the largest exporters of niche juice products to Asia. In 1993 Nugan Group further diversified its operations planting vineyards and selling fruit under contract. From there, winemaking was a natural progression.

Today Nugan Estate owns 590 hectares of vineyards in Australia’s finest wine growing regions of Riverina, King Valley and McLaren Vale – making it the 18th largest vineyard holders in Australia. In addition, Nugan Estate sources premium quality grape from the renowned Coonawarra region.

Family operated by Michelle, Matthew and Tiffany Nugan, Nugan Estate is one of Australia’s Top 20 Wine Exporters and is complemented by a premium wine portfolio, extra virgin olive oil and the award winning Griffith restaurant, Michelin.

Matt Nugan visited our shop not too long ago on a promo tour and, lucky for us, brought his wines along for us to sample. Impressed would be an understatement when it comes to our reaction on the quality of his family wines and their more-than-fair (downright bargain!) pricing. Stunned? That might be it. The wines were fantastic, showcasing Aussie terroir and the amount of sunshine they get (Beautiful ripe fruit? Yes, please!). In American parlance, a clear home run-- in Aussie, an easy "sixer" (in cricket terms, of course!).

Nugan Estate 2012 Riverina "Drover's Hut" Chardonnay $14.95 [378098]
Easy-drinking, balanced, clean Chardonnay. The nose shows tropical fruits, orchard fruits, sweet brown spices and a touch of lemon grass. Great viscosity on the palate with flavors of more stone fruits, mango, white peach, lots of Fuji apple, and a touch of minerality in the finish. Enjoy with or without food-- pairs perfectly with sunny days and easy company.

ANTONIO GALLONI 90 POINTS - "Light yellow. Ripe nectarine, melon and tangerine on the fragrant nose and in the mouth. In a lush, open-knit style, with a jolt of bracing acidity adding lift and focus. Picks up a stony, almost Chablis-like hint of minerality on the finish, which lingers with very good tenacity and focus."
 

Nugan Estate 2013 Riverina "Stomper's" Cabernet Sauvignon $14.95 [381848]
Cherry fruit fills the nose as touches of olive tapenade, black licorice and ripe rapsberry fill in the gaps, all surmounted by a layer of mint and hint of tobacco-- enticing and fairly complex for this price niveau. The palate is lush and loaded with cherries and raspberries but not cloying. Savory touches of forest floor, spice box and black pepper add to the ripe red fruits. The finish is clean and uplifting as bracing acidity and brisk tannins keep it looking up. A great warm weather red, keep a few bottles of "Stomper's" handy when the grill comes out and the company arrives.

ANTONIO GALLONI 90 POINTS - "Brilliant ruby. Fresh, spice-tinged dark berries and cherry on the nose, with notes of floral oils and cured tobacco adding complexity. Bright cherry and blackcurrant flavors show good depth as well as vivacity, with a jolt of black pepper adding spicy bite. Finishes floral and gently sweet, leaving a hint of candied rose behind."

 

 Nugan Estate 2012 Coonawarra "Alcira Vineyard" Cabernet Sauvignon $21.98 [378428]
Eucalyptus and mint, two classic descriptors for the Aussie terroir, are clearly in the nose as hints of pencil lead and fennel are surmounted by dark red fruits, jammy raspberry and cassis: beautiful, rich and deep. The tannins in this "Alcira" Cab are fine and silky, uplifting broad flavors of dark cherries, cassis and cacao. A pinch of spice and earth lead to a long, smooth finish with, again, lasting deep, dark red fruits.

Nugan Estate 2012 Riverina "Scruffy's" Shiraz $14.95 [378497]
Concentrated raspberry and boysenberry fruit fill the nose, almost a jammy, fruit-leather version, as bits of red licorice, mint, cherry cola and herbal woodiness create a fine supporting cast of scents. In the mouth, fresh fruits reign, sweet berries, cherries and raspberries; light herbals, black tea and incense weave their way between the sweet fruit, adding depth and richness. Easy to quaff, perfectly delightful, great for Spring and Summer.

ANTONIO GALLONI 90 POINTS - "Dark purple. Spicy blackcurrant and cherry aromas are complemented by Asian spices and floral oils. Lively and precise on the palate, offering gently sweet, incisive dark fruit flavors and a hint of spicecake. Finishes on a gentle tannic note, with very good clarity and an echo of candied flowers."

Nugan Estate 2013 Alfredo "Second Pass" Shiraz $19.95 [381882]
The "Second Pass" Shiraz is sourced from the Nugan family’s premium vineyards in Australia. After fermentation, the wine was pressed onto the pomace and yeast lees of our premium “Alfredo” Dry Grape Shiraz adding to the wines’ intensity, á la the Ripasso style found in Italy's Valpolicella region. Thereafter, the wine was matured in French and American oak for 12 months resulting in a wine of concentration and quality.

Dark berries, mint leaf and herbal wood fills the nose as more scents reverberate: black licorice, strawberry tea, mixed brown spices, dark perfumed florals. Sweet fruit buoyed by lush tannins start on the palate with more layers growing with each sip: cherries and berries meet breakfast tea and violet petals, rhubarb, tobacco, dark chocolate and brown earth. Sweet, rich, complex. The tannins and excellent acidity keep it aloft and light on the palate even with all its richness of flavor. Great with grilled meats (from lamb to cow) and game, strong hard cheeses.

ANTONIO GALLONI 92 POINTS - "Inky purple. Heady, expansive aromas of dark fruit liqueur, potpourri and incense, with a hint of smoky minerality adding vivacity. Offers juicy, penetrating cherry and dark berry flavors and an exotic floral pastille quality that builds in the glass. Shows excellent clarity and thrust on the finish, with silky tannins coming in late."