Famille Hugel
Gewurztraminer Classic 2016
The spice of Alsace and one of Famille Hugel's signature wines. It is both aromatic and extroverted through its floral and spicy notes. Gewurztraminer is an invitation to accompany a variety of spicy Asian dishes as well as smoked salmon and strong cheeses.
Specifications
Alcohol content : 13.21° % vol.
Residual Sugar : 13.8 g/l
Tartaric acidity : 4.22 g/l
pH : 3.53
Age of vines : 30 years old
Yield : 55 hl/ha hL/ha
Presentation
Quick View
Originally from northern Italy, this is the emblematic grape of our region due to its slow maturation with cool nights giving its full varietal expression. Dry but intensely aromatic.
The vintage
After three years of extremely low yields, we can at last say 2016 has been a generous vintage! Unlike most of France, which has been severely hit by hail and frost, Alsace was probably the luckiest of the major wine regions this year. The vintage can really be divided in two halves as weather, which caused us great concern initially, then took a turn for the better around the end of June.
Spring did not unfold without incident, with a few frost alerts in April and even in the beginning of May, followed by the wettest month of June (157mm) in decades! Careful monitoring of the vineyards was key with an outbreak of mildew, extremely rare in the region.
The only window of bright sun during Spring came at the end of June, just in time for a perfect and, for the least, complete blossoming between June 17 and 21.
Summer came out very dry and hot and harvest saw dry and cool conditions (only three real days of rain in seven weeks) resulting in perfect sanitary status across all grape varieties. Due to the late vintage, harvesting started extremely slowly on September 27, one of the latest and longest campaigns of the recent years.
2016 is the first vintage in over a decade that hasn’t seen the production of any botrytis wines at Hugel; due to the late vintage and the optimum health of the grapes, noble rot did not develop, resulting in a classic vintage for dry wines only.
Spring did not unfold without incident, with a few frost alerts in April and even in the beginning of May, followed by the wettest month of June (157mm) in decades! Careful monitoring of the vineyards was key with an outbreak of mildew, extremely rare in the region.
The only window of bright sun during Spring came at the end of June, just in time for a perfect and, for the least, complete blossoming between June 17 and 21.
Summer came out very dry and hot and harvest saw dry and cool conditions (only three real days of rain in seven weeks) resulting in perfect sanitary status across all grape varieties. Due to the late vintage, harvesting started extremely slowly on September 27, one of the latest and longest campaigns of the recent years.
2016 is the first vintage in over a decade that hasn’t seen the production of any botrytis wines at Hugel; due to the late vintage and the optimum health of the grapes, noble rot did not develop, resulting in a classic vintage for dry wines only.
In the vineyard
The grapes are taken in small tubs to the presses, which are 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 barrels or vats (at 18 to 24°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 in our cellars until released for sale.
The whole production of this wine is closed with DIAM the cork without the risk of cork taint.
After pressing, the must is decanted for a few hours, then fermented in temperature-controlled barrels or vats (at 18 to 24°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 in our cellars until released for sale.
The whole production of this wine is closed with DIAM the cork without the risk of cork taint.
Winemaking
The grapes are taken in small tubs to the presses, which are 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 barrels or vats (at 18 to 24°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 in our cellars until released for sale.
The whole production of this wine is closed with DIAM the cork without the risk of cork taint.
After pressing, the must is decanted for a few hours, then fermented in temperature-controlled barrels or vats (at 18 to 24°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 in our cellars until released for sale.
The whole production of this wine is closed with DIAM the cork without the risk of cork taint.
Varietal
Gewürztraminer : 100%
Specifications
Alcohol content : : 13.21° % vol.
Residual Sugar : : 13.8 g/l
Tartaric acidity : : 4.22 g/l
pH : : 3.53
Age of vines : : 30 years old
Yield : : 55 hl/ha hL/ha
Advice
Video
Tasting notes by Serge Dubs, World's Best Sommelier 1989
Youthfulness in every sense. This wine has an excellent smart, joyful, sparkling fresh and dynamic clear pastel yellow colour with pale pistachio and matcha green tea highlights accompanied with rich and lively legs.
The nose is both precise and dizzying, with all of the expression of an authentic Gewurztraminer, full of aroma and exuberance and as light-footed and sprightly as a ballerina.
It has a refined set of aromas including hawthorn blossom, freesia, lily, tropical fruit, persimmon, mango and spices such as ginger, Szechuan pepper; all of this with a perfectly refined equilibrium.
On the palate we find a harmony that is in keeping with its full yet light touch and the after-taste is smooth, aromatic, scented and refreshing inviting you to keep drinking.
This wine should be consumed straight away to make the most of its typical pure and precise Gewurztraminer youthfulness.
Ideal for aperitifs of teatime, of just for drinking for the sheer pleasure of enjoying a good wine.
Goes well with Moroccan, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean or Mexican dishes that combine sweet and sour, spices, chillies. Spiced game of fish terrines.
Best served at 8° C. Consume now or lay down for 3 to 5 years.
The nose is both precise and dizzying, with all of the expression of an authentic Gewurztraminer, full of aroma and exuberance and as light-footed and sprightly as a ballerina.
It has a refined set of aromas including hawthorn blossom, freesia, lily, tropical fruit, persimmon, mango and spices such as ginger, Szechuan pepper; all of this with a perfectly refined equilibrium.
On the palate we find a harmony that is in keeping with its full yet light touch and the after-taste is smooth, aromatic, scented and refreshing inviting you to keep drinking.
This wine should be consumed straight away to make the most of its typical pure and precise Gewurztraminer youthfulness.
Ideal for aperitifs of teatime, of just for drinking for the sheer pleasure of enjoying a good wine.
Goes well with Moroccan, Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean or Mexican dishes that combine sweet and sour, spices, chillies. Spiced game of fish terrines.
Best served at 8° C. Consume now or lay down for 3 to 5 years.
