Winemaker Notes
Pair with: An excellent aperitif. Or drink it with turbot, sea perch, monkfish,lobster, crayfish, seafood, pike-perch, pike, salmon, shellfish, scollops, and carpaccio of raw or marinated fish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is a real charmer in a way the basic Riesling from Hugel never was before. The fruit aromas practically leap out at you, ranging from pineapple to apple, citrus, peach and Mirabelle. Somehow this properly dry Riesling manages to taste full-bodied, fully ripe, yet also charming and refreshing. The acidity is lively, but the finish is silky in a way that’s not normal for wines of this category. Just over 50% estate fruit, just under 50% bought in (all from south of Colmar on limestone-clay or similar soils).
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Wine Enthusiast
Some riper stone fruit has joined with bright aspects of green apples and ripe lemon zest in this aromatic and exquisitely light-footed Riesling. Balanced and totally refreshing, it has a gloriously lip-smacking finish.
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Wine Spectator
A fresh, harmonious white, with a floral overtone and a crowd-pleasing mix of nectarine, chalky mineral, orange blossom and candied pink grapefruit zest. Drink now through 2020.
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
Small but mighty, this picturesque region in northeastern France is renowned for its white wines produced by passionate families whose winemaking roots span generations and even centuries. Nestled between the Vosges Mountains and the Rhine River, Alsace benefits from a sunny, dry climate and a long growing season. It is one of the most geologically diverse regions in the world — one of the many reasons why Alsace rocks!
Alsace wines include dry, mineral-driven Riesling, earthy Pinot Gris, refreshing Pinot Blanc, exuberant Gewurztraminer, elegant Pinot Noir, and more. From traditional-method sparkling wines to easy-drinking AOC Alsace, to complex Grand Cru bottlings from 51 distinct sites, and rich, late harvest wines, Alsace produces a wine for every occasion. Most Alsace wines are single-varietal bottlings and are labeled with the grape name. The region is also one of the greenest wine-producing areas in France, with 36% of its vineyard area certified organic.
Riesling, the region’s calling card, is dry, fresh and floral in its youth, developing complex mineral and flint character with age. Gewurztraminer is known for its signature spice and lychee aromatics. Pinot Gris is prized for its combination of crisp acidity and savory spice as well as ripe stone fruit flavors. Pinot Blanc is an affable food partner or porch sipper. Pinot Noir, the only red grape in AOC Alsace, is now authorized in three Grand Cru areas and is also used for Crémant d’Alsace sparkling rosé. Any bottle you choose will offer deliciousness, pleasure and value that is unprecedented in other wine regions.