Famille Hugel
Pinot Gris ESTATE 2018
A new selection "parcellaire" of carefully chosen plots of the Famille Hugel estate situated in Riquewihr in its most prestigious crus. Most of the plots chosen for this new wine are being converted into Organic viticulture. The unique clay soils of Riquewihr, in and around the Sporen give a characteristic density to wines from this remarkable terroir. A wine of depth and of patience.
Specifications
Alcohol content : 14.86 % vol.
Residual Sugar : 8 g/l
Tartaric acidity : 5.88 g/l
pH : 3.30
Presentation
The vintage
If the short crop of 2017 caused a lot of frustration, 2018 wiped it out completely with a mythical year. This cult vintage to be took a while to start, though, with a late budding on April 10th. But the warm conditions, continued long after the end of harvest treated the vine to offer us an unprecedentedly early vintage. Blooming completed on June 5th after 10 days! Ultra-fast canopy development had us run behind our vines all season long. Harvest started on September 5th (record early date) with quite a few gems made; the Pinot Noirs and the sweet wines are the true stars of this remarkable vintage. 2018 is a warm year, but without excess. 2018 vintage will be a great one!
In the vineyard
Grapes carefully selected from within the Hugel Family estate including a high proportion from the Pflostig, strongly influenced by the chalky soils of Riquewihr.
The grapes have been handpicked into small containers such that they arrive intact to the press.
The grapes have been handpicked into small containers such that they arrive intact to the press.
Winemaking
Gravity feed presses, no pumping or other handling.
After a few hours of decanting the must is then transferred to vats for fermentation at a carefully controlled temperature (18 to 24°C). Part of the wine (around 30%) was fermented in six to ten wine Burgundy barrels; this gives the wine body without the addition of any oaky character. A single racking before winter allowing the wine to clarify naturally without any artificial cold treatment. The wine is then lightly filtered in spring before bottling. The bottles are then laid down in our cellars before commercialization. The whole of the vintage was corked with DIAM, the cork without cork taint.
After a few hours of decanting the must is then transferred to vats for fermentation at a carefully controlled temperature (18 to 24°C). Part of the wine (around 30%) was fermented in six to ten wine Burgundy barrels; this gives the wine body without the addition of any oaky character. A single racking before winter allowing the wine to clarify naturally without any artificial cold treatment. The wine is then lightly filtered in spring before bottling. The bottles are then laid down in our cellars before commercialization. The whole of the vintage was corked with DIAM, the cork without cork taint.
Varietal
Pinot gris : 100%
Specifications
Alcohol content : : 14.86 % vol.
Residual Sugar : : 8 g/l
Tartaric acidity : : 5.88 g/l
pH : : 3.30
Advice
Tasting
The first highlights of the robe are the typical pale gold of a wine becoming older and wiser. The aromas are immediately present: powerful, strong, musky, opening on to yellow fruit and revealing the sense of depth that indicates the maturity of the harvest and its noble origins. There is also a certain patina, hints of noble wood to show that this is a Pinot Gris that has been given the time to achieve its best. The flavour is full-bodied, generous and remarkable for the almost chalky mineral character of the Riquewihr soil which is structured by a delicate acidity that makes this a very refined and noble wine. There are also the subtle notes of ageing that now fit perfectly and complete this wine which still has more to offer.
