2025 Hughes & Hughes Solstice

The 2025 Solstice is Hughes & Hughes doing what they do best – breaking rules and making it taste great anyway. It’s a novello-style red made from a wild mix of Pinot Noir, Dornfelder, Syrah, Baco Noir and Tempranillo, all layered in the fermenter over a few chaotic weeks.

It started with Baco and Tempranillo berries, then Syrah went in nine days later, a week after that whole-bunch Pinot for a bit of carbonic lift, and finally Dornfelder at the press. It’s not a process you’ll find in any winemaking book, but that’s kind of the point. Pressed to tank to finish ferment and malo, then bottled unfined, unfiltered and with zero sulphur.

The result is juicy, bright and alive – red fruits, spice, a bit of earth and plenty of energy. Light enough to chill, complex enough to think about, it’s more about vibe than variety.