Riesling SCHOELHAMMER 2014

This dry Riesling was grown in the Famille Hugel's famous Schoelhammer plot. With great ageing potential, it comes from the finest vineyard slope of Riquewihr, historically known as Schoenenberg.
Its triassic clay-marl terroir is farmed organically so as to best reveal the complexity of its rich sub-soil.
After extended bottle ageing in the family's historic cellars in Riquewihr, today this fine dry Riesling has achieved its first stage of development.
Only 3148 bottles of 750ml were produced.

Exceptionally mild winter, with practically no frost. Very early budburst around 21 March led to 2 months of anxiety but finally no spring frost. Flowering began very early, around 30 May, which usually means an extremely precocious harvest like 2003, but was uneven and spread over 2 weeks, giving a little coulure especially on Gewurztraminer. In July and early August, record rainfall (147mm) and cool temperatures finally delayed maturity. A very dry September (27mm) without excessive heat ensured slow maturation under ideal conditions. Harvest began on 16 September and ended on 16 October. Yields were very low, lower even than 2013 or 2010. Perfectly healthy grapes, high acidity and superb maturity mean 2014 will be a hallmark vintage, especially for Riesling. Very small yield of late harvest Gewurztraminer VT.

Produced in the finest plot of the Hugel estate in the heart of the grand cru Schoenenbourg. Schoelhammer covers a mere 6 300 square metres (67 800 square feet), 30 rows of vines dedicated to Riesling and organically farmed. Schoelhammer's specific vines grow on Triassic Keuper marl soil from the secondary era (marine sediments, c.200 million years) with a 45% clay content, planted at an altitude of 300 metres, facing due south, on a slope that averages 25 degrees.

The grapes are taken in small tubs to the presse, which is filled by gravity, without any pumping or other mechanical intervention.
After pressing, the must is decanted for a few hours, then fermented in temperature-controlled vats (at 18°C). The wine is racked just once, before natural clarification during the course of the winter. The following spring, the wine is lightly filtered just before bottling, and the bottles are then aged extensively in our cellars until released for sale.

Download here the brochure about Schoelhammer
Pronounced "shell hammer" : the coat of arms combines the fossils found in the Schoelhammer soil together with the hammer, a tool used every day by Emile Hugel (1869-1950), master-cooper and winegrower like his father.