wine tasting guide vintage wine riesling pinot gris gewurztraminer riquewihr alsace wine: hugel

TASTING NOTES

Riesling "HUGEL" 2004 JUBILEE

2004 VINTAGE:

The years go by, but each is different from the last. After a 2003 vintage that was one of the earliest ever recorded, but with greatly reduced volumes and low acidity, 2004 was a much more "normal" vintage. The grapes were remarkably healthy to begin with, levels of acidity were excellent, and a comfortable volume was forecast.
After a generally damp summer, exceptionally fine weather in September sealed the destiny of this vintage, before conditions deteriorated from mid-October onwards. A vintage without late-harvest VT or SGN wines for us, but with fine, classic wines of great aromatic purity.

VINIFICATION:

Our Riesling JUBILEE comes from the historic HUGEL family estates in the heart of the Grand Cru Schoenenbourg slope. As for the rest of our production, our grapes are harvested exclusively by hand.
The grapes are taken in small tubs to the presses, which are filled by gravity, without any pumping or other mechanical intervention. After pressing, the must is decanted for a few hours, then fermented in temperature-controlled barrels or vats (at 18 to 24°C). The wine is racked just once, before natural clarification during the course of the winter.
The following spring, the wine is lightly filtered just before bottling, and the bottles are then aged in our cellars until released for sale.

TASTING NOTES:
(by Serge Dubs, World's Best Sommelier 1989)

Youthfully lively but intense in colour, with reflections that vary from light green to yellow to straw gold, its structure is bright and crystal clear.
The bouquet is full, harmonious and nicely balanced, with a subtle touch of freshness that reveals its youth yet displays exceptional fruit and floral characteristics : white peach, gooseberry, green fig, a touch of muscatel, with verbena, lime-blossom and hop. It has sufficient reserve to hint at its ageing potential.
Despite being a dry wine, it richly envelopes the palate. It is well structured, distinguished, full of character, with exactly enough acidity to ensure elegant, balanced taste and harmony. Everything incites us to enjoy this wine while it is so enchantingly youthful, yet it is obvious that, with time, it will develop the full palette of aromatic, mineral flavours that enhance all Rieslings from the finest vineyards.
Enjoy this wine in 4 to 10 years time with freshwater or seawater fish, grilled, poached or in cream sauce, with langoustine, lobster or crayfish. A supremely gastronomic wine.
29 July 2006

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