Rating:
91
James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com
Such a fresh and juicy Alsace pinot noir with plenty of strawberries and raspberries. The slight sappiness to the tannins adds to the impression of freshness. As it aerates it gains some earthy complexity on the mid-palate and softens at the end. Still very youthful. Drink now.
Product Description:
Famille Hugel, also known as Hugel & Fils, is a winery and negociant based in Riquewihr, Alsace. The family-owned winery has been making wine for almost 400 years. It is known for wines made from the six noble grape varieties of Alsace – Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Sylvaner and Muscat, as well as Pinot Noir.
The Hugel & Fils portfolio is wide, with several different ranges satisfying a number of price points. The Classic range has varietal wines based on all the classic Alsace varieties. The Estate range comprises varietal wines made from Riesling and Gewürztraminer, grown exclusively on clay marl soils around Riquewihr. The next tier up is the Jubilee and then Tradition ranges, culminating in the Schoelhammer Riesling, made from a small plot in the heart of the Schoenenbourg Grand Cru vineyard.
The estate was established by Frédéric Hugel in 1902. After a period of devastation wrought by the phylloxera louse in Alsace in the late 19th Century, Hugel began to replant vines, and bottled the resultant wines under his own name. Today, the family owns around 75 acres (30 ha) of vines, around half of which are in grand cru vineyards.
Made from the famous grape variety of Burgundy, this agreeable red wine presents a distinctive Alsace character. Supple, with intense fruit, it can be drunk with charcuterie, red meat and cheese.
