Pinot Gris Tokay Réserve Personnelle Jubilee Hugel 1979 (White)

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.

The Jubilee range classifies the wines which come from the finest vineyards in the Hugel estates and are produced exclusively in the best vintage years. The grapes are harvested at peak ripeness from some of the oldest vines in the domaine and the resulting wine is powerful and dry, requiring a long cellaring to reveal its extraordinary complex potential; the Tokay Pinot Gris rivals the most prestigious dry white wines in France. In its youth this wine is unassuming with a closed bouquet, but after 5-8 years it begins to reach its optimum drinking age; wearing an intensely golden hue it has a complex nose of fleshly fruit – peach, mirabelles and pineapple – with a hint of violet. It is robust and rounded with a good length in the mouth, opening out to express a highly distinctive richness with lightly smoked, woody flavours. After a longer period in the cellar, spiced, smoky notes precede the honeyed aromas of dried fruits.

Consult price estimate for: Hugel