Gentil “HUGEL” 2007

2007 VINTAGE:

In Alsace, the 2007 vintage was full of surprises, but pleasant surprises !
For those who love elegant, pure, well balanced wines, 2007 was a benchmark vintage. Having enjoyed the longest period of maturation for the past 25 years, the grapes were perfectly ripe and healthy.
On the Schoenenbourg, our best Riesling vineyards were harvested at an average ripeness of 13.8% potential, while on the Sporen, Gewurztraminer Vendange Tardive easily reached 17.8%.
In Alsace, the amount of VT and SGN wines produced provides an excellent indication of the overall quality of any year, and so 2007 has all the makings of a great Alsace vintage.

VINIFICATION:

Classic “Hugel” wines are made exclusively from grapes purchased from winegrowers under long-term contract, in a dozen of the most favoured localities around Riquewihr.
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 Sylvaner.
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.

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

Youthful pale green in colour, very brilliant, it has a nice clean, open bouquet, elegant and fresh, perfumed with aromas of spring blossom, jasmine, white rose, green apple and white peach.
Fresh and dry on the palate, it is crisp and irresistibly easy to enjoy, thanks to a refreshing and agreeably aromatic finish.
A wine to drink now or within 2 years, at 8°C, with all sea or river fish : smoked, marinated, poached, steamed, grilled or in sauce, with shellfish, and also on its own. It would go well with Indonesian and Asian cuisines.
1 June 2008