Gewurztraminer Hugel (Domaine) Vendange Tardive 2007

Lot presentation

Gewurztraminer Hugel (Domaine) Vendange Tardive 2007

The wine

This Gewürztraminer cuvée has a very pure and generous bouquet, expressing lots of flavour and elegance. Ideally served at 8°C, it pairs perfectly with baked or pan-fried fish in cream. A descendent of North-Italy, this emblematic grape variety benefits from its long maturation under cool nights which bring out wonderfully expressive and unusual flavours in the fruit. This cuvée has been subject to minutely careful winegrowing on the clay soils of the estate.

Hugel is a family operation that has been making wines since 1639; production is currently managed by the eleventh and twelfth generations, in the form of Jean-Philippe, Marc and Étienne, who endeavour to uphold the Hugel style developed by their ancestors. Their activities are divided between a wine merchant business and production in their own name, from the 26 hectare vineyard, located entirely in Riquewihr in the most prestigious crus and planted with traditional varieties in the following proportions: 40% Riesling, 40% Gewurztraminer, 15% (Tokay) Pinot Gris and 5% Pinot Noir. The oldest vines (around 60 years old) are from the family nursery. Hugel produces wine with rigorous respect for the environment: no fertilizers, very low yields, and green harvests at the end of July. The wine merchant activity is supplied solely by the purchase of grapes, from 115 hectares that are managed by growers under contract. All of the harvests are manual and will remain so. Hugel produces 110,000 cases of wine every year, 85% of which are exported. In order to preserve the wines' freshness and character, Hugel starts bottling in the spring. The Jubilee, VT and SGN cuvées are only produced in the best years, from the Domaine Viticole Hugel's Grands Crus vines. It is largely the Hugel family who have instigated the revival of this kind of wine. ssert wines in the world. Furthermore they have an almost unlimited longevity.