Gewurztraminer HUGEL 2008

The great speciality of our region. Only in Alsace does the aromatic expressiveness of this variety attain such summits.
Spicy and suave, it can be enjoyed on its own, but makes a marvellous accompaniment to all rich, spicy dishes, smoked fish, Orient

Presentation

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Originally from northern Italy, this is the emblematic grape of our region due to its slow maturation with cool nights giving its full varietal expression. Dry but intensely aromatic.
The vintage
Climatic conditions were a carbon-copy of the excellent 2007 vintage. Budburst at the end of April was quite late, but May was warm and sunny so flowering began on 15th June and took more than a fortnight to complete.
July and August were particularly cool with hardly any rise in temperature, but in mid-September the Indian Summer arrived without a drop of rain. The sky stayed bright but temperatures were relatively cool.
As a result, the grapes ripened slowly but fully, perfectly healthy and with excellent acidity.
The 2008 Alsace vintage was already born great but may prove to be exceptional.
In the vineyard
Harvested exclusively by hand from clay and limestone vineyards in a dozen of the most favoured localities in and around Riquewihr.
Winemaking
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.
The whole production of this wine is closed with DIAM the cork without the risk of cork taint.
Presentation
Photos of bottles and labels, 3 definitions, max 300dpi
Varietal
Gewürztraminer : 100%
Specifications
Alcohol content : : 13°85 % vol.
Residual Sugar : : 8.3 g/l
Tartaric acidity : : 4.03 g/l
pH : : 3.57
Age of vines : : 30 years old
Yield : : 50 hl/ha hL/ha

Advice

Video
Tasting notes by Serge Dubs, World's Best Sommelier 1989
Quite a deep straw yellow colour with youthful, pale green highlights, it is star-bright with fine, unctuous tears that trickle down the glass.

One is immediately overwhelmed by its graceful, charming perfume and aromas, from fresh-cut roses to the most mystic of oriental spices.

Silky, supple, soft and seductive, yet still dry and refreshing, it has body and structure, with an aromatic finish of juicy, flavourful grapes.

A wine to enjoy now or in the next 2 or 3 years, as an aperitif, served chilled at 8°C.

It will also match lightly spiced food : exotic, oriental, Chinese, Indonesian or Indian, as well as cheese : blue, munster or maroilles.
24 July 2009