2007 Gewurztraminer Vendange Tardive

The Hugel 2007 Gewurztraminer Vendange Tardive leads with sweet pea and rose petal very much as do the its non-V.T. counterparts in this collection. To this are added spiced pear; liquid lily and gardenia; as well as honey, caramel, and nougat – backed by evidently high residual sugar – that render the wine more confectionary than one would have suspected from the nose. Still, for polish, purity, and refined ennoblement, this is hard to beat; what’s more, it retains an element of welcome juiciness that keeps pace with the finishing sweetness, and a sense of transparency to vibrant mingling of myriad floral and spice nuances. Here is one of those 2007s that manages to be soothing as well as stimulating; a wine you can wallow in, yet sure to prompt meditation, and worth following for 20 or more years. Jean “Johnny” Hugel – a man without whom the reputation and evolution of Alsace wine since the end of the Second World War is unimaginable – died last summer. His wit will be irreplaceable, but his spirit and insights will continue to guide and inspire not only his family’s 371 year old firm, but – with luck, at least – the future development of Alsace wine as a whole. Not surprisingly, the Hugels were thrilled with their results in 2007, but as Marc Hugel points out “twenty years or more ago, a rot- and mildew-prone summer like 2007’s would have spelled disaster.” As for what would have become of 2006 “in the old days” even with the best will in the world, the Hugels preferred not to dwell on that. “I have to be honest,” relates Etienne Hugel, “in 2006, when I saw the grapes that came in toward the end from the estate – not to mention the purchased grapes – I said, ‘Mark, we aren’t going to be able to sell that!’. We scarified the fruit from less well-drained soils and picked those last. And we ended up selling off one third of our grapes.” That said, from a widely-distributed, combined estate-negociant like Hugel, a vintage such as 2006 with its extensive declassification offers a wide range of consumers the potential to drink wine from top estate sites at a lower price. And as it is, Hugel – like their best-known friendly competitor in the U.S. market, Trimbach – has hardly been resting on their laurels or neglecting the quality of their basic (or, as they prefer “classic”) bottlings: on the contrary, these are becoming steadily better and more consistent. Importer: Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700

95 g/l RS Paler than most. Light nose with some restraint and good balance on the palate. Yes there is sweetness but there is also acidity. Long and reasonably subtle. Lychee compote. Satisfying balance. (JR)

“SGN-like maturity results in a very ripe nose, with honey and orange peel aromas. Rich palate, with strong sweetness balanced by a strong acidity. Long finish, with flavours of exotic fruits. Harmonious with to drink now over dessert or pair with mature cheeses after five more years in the cellar. Drink 2015-2027.”