Hugo Stewart’s path to viticulture began not in the vineyard, but on the family pig farm. For years, he ran Botleys, the Wiltshire farm passed down from his grandmother and uncle, raising pigs on its rolling chalky slopes. But a craving for change led Hugo to rent out the land and spend a year in France—a sabbatical that turned into a calling.
During his time abroad, a visit from his friend Paul Old sparked the idea that would reshape his life. Together, they co-founded Les Clos Perdus, a biodynamic winery in the Languedoc. Over the next decade, Hugo honed his approach to biodynamic viticulture—organic farming, guided by natural rhythms and lunar cycles—working with nature rather than against it, and deepening his respect for the land.
When Hugo returned to Wiltshire in 2015, he saw untapped potential in the south-facing chalk soils of his family’s land. He began planting a small parcel behind his house with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc. From the start, he was determined to farm organically and biodynamically, despite being told by every expert that it wouldn’t work. In a cool, rainy place like England, the conventional wisdom says you need every tool in the kit—fungicides, herbicides, chemical sprays—for your vines and grapes to survive.
But Hugo persisted. And after years of careful tending, his first harvest in 2018 caught the attention of winemaker Daniel Ham (formerly of Langham Estate), who convinced him to build a winery on-site, transforming an old barn in his back garden. Their partnership became Domaine Hugo: a place where vineyard and cellar speak the same language—integrity, restraint, and reverence for the land.
Everything is done with intention. Grapes are hand-harvested and pressed in a traditional Coquard basket press. Fermentations unfold naturally with native yeasts, in seasoned Burgundy barrels and clay amphora. There’s no new oak, no added sulfur, no filtration, and no pumps, just a pure, low-intervention approach that qualifies it as natural wine, too. The wines are bottled with no dosage, capturing a raw, electric expression of their chalky terroir.
Against all odds, Hugo’s vines didn’t just survive, they thrived. The fruit is so ripe and balanced, his sparkling wine doesn’t need a gram of added sugar.
Today, Domaine Hugo is the only English member of Renaissance des Appellations—Return to Terroir, the renowned biodynamic collective founded by Nicolas Joly. It’s a powerful testament to what’s possible on English soil: vibrant, textured wines made with intention, purity, and nothing added.
Hugo himself prefers to stay out of the spotlight, quietly working in the vineyard rather than chasing accolades. He’s never entered competitions, content to let the wines speak for themselves. But when Master of Wine Susie Barrie urged him to enter WineGB’s 2024 annual competition, he reluctantly agreed. The result? Hugo 2020 not only won a Gold Medal, it also took home the trophy for Best Classic Cuvée Vintage. A fitting recognition for a quietly radical English Wine Estate whose commitment to the land speaks louder than any spotlight ever could.
For more information visit: https://domainehugo.co.uk/
