Owner Jean Frédéric Hugel was our host. We toured the winery, which is situated right in the center of Riquewihr, and then sat down for a most impressive tasting, including a wine fom 1945.
I had established contact with Jean Frédéric at the 5. Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, Washington State. See: 5. Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, Washington State: Overview
Hugel is represented in the US by Frederic Wildmann.
Hugel
Hugel is one of the major producers of Alsace wine, and has been an important force in the Alsace wine industry in its developments during the second half of the 20th century. For over 370 years and with 13-family generations the Hugel family has unrivaled experience and knowledge of Alsace vineyards and winemaking. Known today for their passion and modern outlook, the dynamic Hugel family, located in the picture-postcard fortified village of Riquewihr, has earned a worldwide reputation for their Alsace wines.
Hugel was founded in Riquewihr in 1639 by Hans Ulrich Hugel, who was a Swiss national who left his home country during the Thirty Years' War. It has remained in the hands of the Hugel family since then. As a logotype, they use a family crest which was carved in 1672, to decorate the doorway of a house built in Riquewihr by one of Hans Ulrich's sons
In 1902, Hugel moved to its present location in the centre of Riquewihr.
Hugel produces its high-end wines from its own vineyards, and also operates a négociant business, which sources additional grapes under long-term contract from various growers. Hugel is highly export-oriented, with almost 80 percent of the wines produced being exported.
Wine Cellar
After receiving us in the small tasting room in the corner of the old Maison Hugel building in the center of Riquewihr, Jean Frédéric Hugel took us on a fascinating tour of the Hugel wine cellar.
Wine Dude: Hugel makes about one million bottles of wine annually, exporting them to over 100 countries, and is fond of testing out new tech in the cellar (to wit: they claim to be the first company in the world to employ a robo-palette). But that cellar dates from 1543, and happens to be near the center of the improbably precious town of Riquewihr. The oldest barrel therein dates back to the early 1700s (full disclosure: I might have crawled inside of it… also, they generate some downright impressive tartrate deposits). The combination of relatively large production, modern touches, and ancient surroundings requires the careful use of their restricted (and highly regulated) space.
Vineyards
Hugel holds slightly over 25 hectares, all located around Riquewihr. More than half Hugel’s 25 hectares are in what the Hugel family now calls Grossi Laüe vineyards, which translated from Alsatian dialect means Great Growth, the equivalent of “Grand Cru” in Burgundy or “Grosses Gewächs” in Germany. This nomenclature change underscores the Hugel family’s proud ownership of these finest estate vineyards. In particular the Schoenenbourg Grossi Laüe and Sporen Grossi Laüe vineyards are a special source of pride, planted to Riesling and Gerwürtztraminer, with small parcels of Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir.
In addition, grapes from over 100 hectares of Alsace vineyards are bought in for the négociant business.
When we arrived in Riquewihr and parked the car, we could watch the pickers of Hugel inaction in a Hugel vineyard.
The Wine Portfolio
Hugel's range of wines consist of the following levels:
Gentil Hugel - a blend like the “Edelzwicker” but only allowed for blending the four noble grapes of Alsace: Riesling, Pinot Gris, Muscat, Gewürztraminer
Hugel Classic - basic level wines produced from bought grapes. Includes most Alsace varieties and some blends.
Hugel Estate - A new selection "parcellaire" of carefully chosen plots of the Famille Hugel estate situated in Riquewihr in its most prestigious crus. Most of the plots chosen for this new wine are being converted into organic viticulture
Hugel Tradition - intermediate level wines, from the four "noble" white grapes
Hugel Jubilée - top level dry wines from Hugel's own vineyards
Hugel Grossi Laüe - Grossi Laüe signifies the finest vineyards in Alsace dialect and represents an equivalent to the German Grosses Gewächs or the Burgundian Grand Cru
Hugel Vendange Tardive - late harvest wines
Hugel Sélection de Grains Nobles - wines from botrytised grapes
Tasting
The visit ended with a most impressive tasting, including a wine fom 1945.
The Wines we Tasted
2016 Hugel Gentil
The perfect introduction to Alsace wines as it combines the qualities of all our white varietals.
This wine revives an ancient Alsace tradition that wines assembled from noble grape varieties were called "Gentil". Gentil "Hugel" allies the suave, spicy flavour of Gewurztraminer, the body of Pinot Gris, the finesse of Riesling, the grapiness of Muscat and the refreshing character of Pinot Blanc and Sylvaner.
2010 Hugel Pinot Noir Grossi Laüe
Grossi Laüe signifies the finest vineyards in Alsace dialect and represents an equivalent to the German Grosses Gewächs or the Burgundian Grand Cru. A Pinot Noir with real minerality, profound and deep which year after year comes closer to that of a Côte d'Or !The heart of this Pinot Noir comes from a vineyard planted in 1966 in our family estate in the Pflosting slope. The grapes are destemmed and macerated for about 2 weeks, with manual immersion of the cap (pigeage) to ensure the best possible extraction. The wine is matured for almost 10 months in small oak barriques, which are partially renewed each year.
2008 Hugel Pinot Noir Jubilée
Climatic conditions were a carbon-copy of the excellent 2007 vintage.
1983 Hugel Pinot Noir Jubilée
2011 Hugel Riesling Grossi Laüe
Produced in a selection of the finest plots of the Hugel estate in the heart of the grand cru Schoenenbourg. This fantastic historical terroir has been almost exclusively devoted to Riesling for centuries. Keuper, marl, dolomite and gypsum, rich in fertilising agents, overlaid with fine layers of quaternary siliceous gravel, Vosges sandstone and Muschelkalk, with at its eastern extremity outcrops of Lias marl limestones.
2013 Hugel Riesling Estate
2015 Hugel Riesling Classic
This is the Famille Hugel signature wine. This dry Riesling stands out for its finesse and frankness and is the ideal partner to fish and seafood thanks to its wonderful balance and elegance.
2009 Hugel Riesling Schoelhammer
As far back as family memories go, the Schoelhammer, at the heart of the historic Schoenenbourg vineyard which overlooks Riquewihr, has always been amongst our most favoured single vineyards. From 2007 we decided that the Riesling from this exceptional site, traditionally vinified apart, also merited to be bottled separately. Schoelhammer seeks to reveal the unique character of a dry, mineral Riesling from a marl-rich terroir, deep and suave in style, and which takes time to express itself fully.
1945 Hugel Riesling Réserve Exceptionnelle
Most Impressive Line-up
Thanks very much Jean Frédéric for a great visit including a most impressive tasting.
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