Famille Hugel
Riesling VENDANGE TARDIVE 2015
Great specialty for several generations of the Hugel family, who drafted the law on late harvest.
Wine with great power and longevity to taste religiously by itself during a special occasion.
Wine with great power and longevity to taste religiously by itself during a special occasion.
Specifications
Alcohol content : 12.7 % vol.
Residual Sugar : 53.9 g/l
Tartaric acidity : 7.83 g/l
pH : 3
Age of vines : 43 years old
Yield : 30 hL/ha
Presentation
Quick View
These wines made from overripe grapes are picked well after the classic vintage and in the greatest years only. The action of noble rot (botrytis cinerea) gives them an almost unlimited ability to age. They are part of the elite of the greatest wines in France.
The vintage
2015 will go down as an exceptional vintage for the whole of France with one of the hottest and driest summers since 2003 and a quality reminding us of vintages like 1945 or 1976!
Spring was pleasant and sunny and the vines budded slightly later than usual, around the 13th April, but blossomed during the first weeks of June, an early sign of an early vintage. This was to expect considering heat wave and the record low rain falls, 30mm between 4 May and 24 July!
Riquewihr and its clay soils seem to have escaped the worst and the heavy rain that came in mid-August saved the crop just in time.
We started grape-picking on the 10 September, three days later than the rest of the Alsace, and the first grapes to arrive in the winery gave every indication of an exceptional vintage. Only one day of rain disrupted the harvest, which was already well underway at the time. A nice outbreak of botrytis meant the most part of our Riesling de Schoenenbourg were harvested in late harvest, and once again the Engelkritt (Angels' Vine) won us not one but two "Sélection de Grains Nobles" for this grape variety, the most concentrated being at a potential of 23°!
Spring was pleasant and sunny and the vines budded slightly later than usual, around the 13th April, but blossomed during the first weeks of June, an early sign of an early vintage. This was to expect considering heat wave and the record low rain falls, 30mm between 4 May and 24 July!
Riquewihr and its clay soils seem to have escaped the worst and the heavy rain that came in mid-August saved the crop just in time.
We started grape-picking on the 10 September, three days later than the rest of the Alsace, and the first grapes to arrive in the winery gave every indication of an exceptional vintage. Only one day of rain disrupted the harvest, which was already well underway at the time. A nice outbreak of botrytis meant the most part of our Riesling de Schoenenbourg were harvested in late harvest, and once again the Engelkritt (Angels' Vine) won us not one but two "Sélection de Grains Nobles" for this grape variety, the most concentrated being at a potential of 23°!
In the vineyard
Produced from over-ripened grapes in a selection of the oldest plots of the Hugel estate in the heart of the grand cru Schoenenbourg. This fantastic historical terroir has been almost exclusively devoted to Riesling for centuries.
Keuper, marl, dolomite and gypsum, rich in fertilising agents, overlaid with fine layers of quaternary siliceous gravel, Vosges sandstone and Muschelkalk, with at its eastern extremity outcrops of Lias marl limestones.
Keuper, marl, dolomite and gypsum, rich in fertilising agents, overlaid with fine layers of quaternary siliceous gravel, Vosges sandstone and Muschelkalk, with at its eastern extremity outcrops of Lias marl limestones.
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 extensively 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 extensively 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.
Presentation
Geology and terroirs of Riquewihr
Varietal
Riesling : 100%
Specifications
Alcohol content : : 12.7 % vol.
Residual Sugar : : 53.9 g/l
Tartaric acidity : : 7.83 g/l
pH : : 3
Age of vines : : 43 years old
Yield : : 30 hL/ha
Advice
Video
Tasting
This Riesling has a shimmering robe with green and pale straw-yellow reflections. Its bouquet is both complex and expressive, revealing fruity and floral aromas (grapefruit, citron, hawthorn, lemon balm) with a hint of Sichuan pepper. A slight overripeness adds depth and elegance.
On the palate, the attack is bright and crisp, offering beautiful tension and balanced concentration without heaviness. The finish is ample, aromatic, and flavorful.
In its youth, it pairs well as an aperitif or with fruit-based desserts. After 4 to 5 years, it will gain complexity and complement foie gras, creamy river fish dishes, poultry, veal, or cheese. Best enjoyed between 8 and 15 years, served at 8°C.
On the palate, the attack is bright and crisp, offering beautiful tension and balanced concentration without heaviness. The finish is ample, aromatic, and flavorful.
In its youth, it pairs well as an aperitif or with fruit-based desserts. After 4 to 5 years, it will gain complexity and complement foie gras, creamy river fish dishes, poultry, veal, or cheese. Best enjoyed between 8 and 15 years, served at 8°C.
Reviews
""Forget dessert and go for this riesling, which is one of the world’s best energy drinks!"" [+]
Jamessuckling.com, Stuart Pigott
