Ric Red 2021

Pamela Chiles rated this wine as 90/100 with the following review:

Ric Red ("Secret Sauce") is a classic GSM blend from South Australia.
Bright ruby in the glass. On the nose: ripe, sweet cherry, warm spice, blackberry, light toasty oak. On the palate: more super ripe black cherry, dried currant, spice, licorice and quite a zing of acidity with a slightly charred-bitter, red cherry finish. Very racy, very cool!

A superb food wine. Pair with anything on the barbie: burgers, grilled veg, steak etc.

Rachelle O'Connor rated this wine as 93/100 with the following review:

This red wine « secret » blend (Grenache, Shiraz, Mataro) is simply scrumptious. It’s perfumed nose is enticing and bold, layered and lingering flavours of ripe cherry, raspberry, silky spice and cracked pepper on the palate show the wine’s elegance and sophisticated craftsmanship. Formula 1 Daniel Ricciardo teams up with Barossa Valley’s St. Hugo chief winemaker (since 2018), Peter Munro. This wine is bold and bursting with personality and character similar to Daniel himself whose famous trademark «Shoey » always gets the fans racing with pure excitement. The label is bright and vibrant, with the artwork created by Daniel’s long time friend and helmet designer Ornamental Conifer. This wine was a huge hit for Canada Day celebrations on July 1st, which also marked the birthday of Daniel Ricciardo! Tasted July 1 2024

Matt Steeves rated this wine as 92/100 with the following review:

St. Hugo has been crafting fine wines since their first vintage in 1980. While South Australia and the Barossa Valley are renowned for producing terrific Shiraz, Grenache has gained great attention and become a favourite varietal star as of late, contributing both floral and spicy characteristics in the wines.

Now cue F1 legend Daniel Ricciardo and his collaboration with St. Hugo where they've teamed up to produce Ric Red - Secret Sauce - shhhh, it's a blend of Grenache, Shiraz, and Mataro from South Australia, but neither the label or I told you that if anyone asks... ;) The blend delivers a deeply coloured, very inviting and approachable wine with great intensity. Loads of dark fruit, plum, pepper, fig, blueberry pastries, and a touch of floral. The palate is silky smooth with refreshing dark fruit medley persisting on the long and elegant finish. A terrific wine for enjoying with BBQ fare, particularly smoky burgers or pulled pork on a bun, even BBQ chicken kebabs with Caesar salad (I tried it, it was great). Enjoy now and over the next three F1 seasons. Tasted July 2024. 92 points. Matt Steeves - www.quercusvino.ca

Lori Kilmartin WSET3 rated this wine as 92/100 with the following review:

I’ve always been a NASCAR fan but may have to switch to F1! Love this collab with Formula One Driver Daniel Ricciardo and wine maker Peter Munro from St Hugo Winery in Australia!
The “Secret Sauce” blend (also referenced on the label) is said to represent Daniel’s character- bold and confident! A trait any race car driver and certainly Daniel exudes!
And exude it does - this blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Mataro are stars of the Barossa Valley!
Dark fruit, leather, spice, cigar and pepper on the nose draw you in! Flavours of blackberry, ripe cherry and white pepper. Full body (14% alc.) with nicely balanced acidity and tannins.
Pair this with a celebration dinner of medium-rare steak after an F1 race, or any night really! Tasted June 30/2024

Craig Haynes rated this wine as 92/100 with the following review:

Ric Red is a collab between St. Hugo, a winery in Australia’s famed Barossa Valley, and Italian-Australian Formula 1 driver Daniel Ricciardo, and its a full bodied expression of Shiraz, Gernache, and Mourvèdre. It has charisma IMO.

For me the aromas steal the show, evoking blackberries and dark cherries in a freshness frequency boosted with doses of flowers, mint, white pepper, and savouryness. All replay as delicious flavours. This red's mouthfeel appeal adds more goodness to the tasting experience: round, lush, downright dry, mild mannered tannins.

Senses satisfied. Pour me some more, please.

Open a bottle for yourself. Enjoy.

PS - The bottle label's artwork has some eye appeal going on (and the liquid inside the bottle does, too). It's a creation of race car helmet artist Ornamental Conifer. Note the stylistic reference to Daniel Ricciardo in the lower right hand corner. His initials plus his Formula 1 car's number ("3").

Melanie Lloyd rated this wine as 90/100 with the following review:

A full-bodied and robust Red made from a blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvèdre. The nose presents notes of ripe blueberries, red licorice and violet, with hints of cigar box and pepper. The palate unveils rich, stewed dark berry and tart plum notes with a touch of cocoa. The tannins are smooth, leading to a long espresso finish. This wine is a perfect match for grilled steak. 

Note: Allow the wine to breathe prior to enjoying. 

Tasted June 2024

Lynn van der Linde rated this wine as 92/100 with the following review:

Time for a pit stop! Three Barossa Valley grapes blended to best represent the bold and adventurous race car driver, Daniel Riccardo, #3. I was honestly expecting this to be a lot more fruit forward, but was pleasantly surprised by the elegance and balance found in the glass. Aromas of black cherries, fresh cut herbs, and leather push through to a velvety mouthfeel and a black cherry flavour finish. Try this with wood fired pizza!
Tasted June 2024.

Simon Chen rated this wine as 90/100 with the following review:

This 'secret sauce' blend of St. Hugo is such a food friendly wine. It's aromatic, floral, and full of red fruits. I Pnp without any decanting, and the wine was juicy, medium+ acidity, soft tannin and the part I like the most is it didn't have too much alcohol burn on the finish. Definitely a wine that you can just open at any time of the day and start enjoying with your friends and families. I paired with some BBQ chicken wings and pepproni pizzas.

Heather Wall rated this wine as 93/100 with the following review:

Wave the checkered flag! Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo and St. Hugo Wines of Australia team up once again to create a delicious red wine blend crafted with southern Australian fruit. This is the Ric Red DR3 2021 and it does not disappoint. Full-bodied, smooth tannins, smoky cigar lounge, cologne, ripe berries and fresh herbs.
The palate is a lovely surprise. Silky, soft perfume, black cherry, sweet dipped cigar, underbrush, vanilla and cloves. A sultry explosion of the senses as it crosses the finish line.
This Secret Sauce may be locked up in a vault, but I think it’s a collaboration built on a passion for wine and a desire to win! Fire up the barbecue!
Perfect Father's Day wine.
Decanted 30 minutes.

Jennifer Havers rated this wine as 92/100 with the following review:

This wine has me speeding home to fire up the BBQ. This is a continued collaboration between St. Hugo Winery and Australian racecar driver Daniel Ricciardo.
Ricciardo has collaborated with St. Hugo on several wines, and takes a hands-on approach, being involved with everything from the blend of the grapes, the tasting notes, and even providing a racing boot used to design a custom decanter for the wine. What a cool idea!
The wine itself is a blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro, however the blend itself is a secret (Hence the nickname of this wine being Secret Sauce!) The wine is deeply coloured, with intense fruit aromas of plum, blueberry and raspberry. Other notes on the nose include notes of dried herbs, violets, and a hint of pepper. Full bodied on the palate with rounded tannins, medium+ acidity, and rich and plush berry notes, and a touch of spice on the lengthy finish.
Complete with an eye-catching label designed by Ricciardo's long time friend and helmet designer, Ornamental Conifer, this wine is sure to impress and be enjoyed, maybe at a fun Father's Day BBQ with gourmet burgers and sweet and smoky pork ribs.

Jane Staples rated this wine as 92/100 with the following review:

Ric Red is big, bold and saucy, a showcase for the Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro grapes that grow so well in the Barossa Valley, Australia. Ricciardo, famous Formula 1 racing driver, has collaborated with St. Hugo Wines with his signature passion and precision to produce this sexy, saucy wine. Lots going on in that glass; dark fruit and spicy aromas - think ripe dark berries, plums, licorice and white pepper, with a spicy palate that bursts with flavour and a long, spiced fruit finish. This will be a big hit this barbeque season!
Tasted June, 2024