Hugel Classic Riesling (375ML half-bottle) 2016
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Winemaker Notes
Would make an excellent aperitif. Best served with turbot, sea bass, monk-fish, lobster, king prawns, seafood, sander, pike, salmon, scallops, marinated or raw fish carpaccio, goat's cheese.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Glints of very ripe, juicy pear and clementine on the nose turn into aromatic mandarin on the lively, open and absolutely fruit-laden palate that has both the juiciness and tartness of ripe citrus. Despite the light body the fruit fills mouth and mind. The finish is dry, clean, fresh and has a tropical echo.
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Wine Spectator
A sleek, minerally, light-bodied white, with lemon peel and petrol accents to the well-cut flavors of apricot, acacia blossom, sliced almond and pine forest, followed by a mouthwatering finish. Drink now through 2028.
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James Suckling
An extremely attractive young dry riesling brimming with lemon, pear and vanilla-bean aromas. Quite a sleek profile with crisp acidity, but it also has a lot of charm and some positive tannins that adds interest at the finish. Drink now or in 2019 and 2020. 50% from estate fruit and 50% bought-in grapes, where most of them are from limestone-marl soils, as well as some from granite.
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Decanter
Riesling grapes from 12 plots surrounding Riquewihr make up this wine. It's a fresh, limey expression backed by potent acidity. The palate is youthful and tight but with good intensity, showing some richer streaks of stone fruit and mango behind the tangy lime. A deliciously dry, well-priced entry not just to Alsatian Riesling but also to the Hugel style. Drinking Window 2018 - 2024
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In the cellars, the oldest of which dates back to 1551, can be seen rows of oak wine casks, over one hundred years old, crafted by the forefathers of the present generation of Hugels now running the company. Near them is the oldest cask in the world still in use: the Sainte Caterine, which has a capacity of 8,800 litres. It was built in 1715, the year in which Louis XIV died.
The company has always maintained its family character and is determined to keep it that way. The vineyards are owned and farmed by individual members of the family whereas the company owns the buildings and machinery.
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.
With its fairytale aesthetic, Germanic influence and strong emphasis on white wines, Alsace is one of France’s most unique viticultural regions. This hotly contested stretch of land running north to south on France’s northeastern border has spent much of its existence as German territory. Nestled in the rain shadow of the Vosges mountains, it is one of the driest regions of France but enjoys a long and cool growing season. Autumn humidity facilitates the development of “noble rot” for the production of late-picked sweet wines, Vendange Tardive and Sélection de Grains Nobles.
The best wines of Alsace can be described as aromatic and honeyed, even when completely dry. The region’s “noble” varieties, the only ones permitted within Alsace’s 51 Grands Crus vineyards, are Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, and Pinot Gris.
Riesling is Alsace’s main specialty. In its youth, Alsace Riesling is dry, fresh and floral, but develops complex mineral and flint character with age. Gewurztraminer is known for its signature spice and lychee aromatics, and is often utilized for late harvest wines. Pinot Gris is prized for its combination of crisp acidity and savory spice as well as ripe stone fruit flavors. Muscat, vinified dry, tastes of ripe green grapes and fresh rose petal.
Other varieties grown here include Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois, Chasselas, Sylvaner and Pinot Noir—the only red grape permitted in Alsace and mainly used for sparkling rosé known as Crémant d’Alsace. Most Alsace wines are single-varietal bottlings and unlike other French regions, are also labeled with the variety name.