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Wine drinkers from around the world love the whites from the Alsace region of France due to the rather unique character and depth-of-flavor they have. Many regions try and copy them but they’re never truly equaled – Alsace’s terroir and history help that region produce some of the most complex white wines you’ll find anywhere and Hugel has been producing wines there since the 1600s.

Before I get into this, I really want to stress how important – here in America – it is to have quality importers. Frederick Wildman and Sons out of New York are one of this nation’s great importers and have been bringing us all great wines for a long time. Generally speaking, if you see their label on an imported wine, you know it’s going to be good – so seek them out and make sure you support them when you can as we should all endeavor to help support those who support our desire to drink kick-ass wines.

2007 Hugel Riesling – W.E.P. Rating: 100%

Technical Data:

• Region: Alsace
• Grapes: 100% Riesling
• Alcohol: 12%
• Enclosure: DIAM Corks
• Price: $20

Nose: Sourpatch candy, a musty old leather-bound book w/ that sour leather smell. Sort of like one that’s been stuck inside an old locker up in the attic for 20years or more.

Taste: Green apples with grapefruit for days – Stellar acidity across the mid-palate which does a nice job of cleaning your tongue with some blue-stone and flint overtones. Good finish on this wine – a total winner of a pick for shellfish or sea bass.

2007 Gentil “Hugel” – W.E.P. Rating: 120%

Technical Data:

• Region: Alsace
• Grapes: Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Sylvaner
• Alcohol: 12.5%
• Enclosure: DIAM Corks
• Price: $20
  

Nose: Classic alsace with that nice blue-stone and flintiness. I get some gorgeous notes of pineapple, lemon peel and chalk dust.

Taste: This is where Alsace gets me – just about every time. The initial attack on teh palate is almost overwhelming (in a good way). It has a certain muskiness to it that I enjoy on an epic scale. As I sip this I’m taken away to a mental image of sitting up in a mountainous chalet, over-looking a valley of spring blossoms with a river flowing through it. Sound corney? Perhaps, but it’s how I roll and it’s what this wine is doing to me. If you’ve never experienced alsace, then you seriously need to try this wine.

Winery Website: www.hugel.com

All to many “New World” wine drinkers have never heard of the gorgeous Alsace region of France which started making world-class wines long before the United States was even a pipe-dream. To this day, it still offers up some of the more interesting white wines you’ll find anywhere in the world. If you like lots of minerality, good fruit and ultra-food-friendly wines than you’ll definitely want to seek out wines from this region.

For those not too familliar with this region, here’s a map of where it lies within France – you can click on the map to see a close-up of the Alsace regions.

We got theses wines in awhile ago because we felt that each one presents not only an affordably way to check out Alsace but also have a long history of doing so. 

2006 Trimbach Riesling: W.E.P. Rating:  85%

Technical Data:

• Alcohol by Volume : 13.25 %
• Residual sugar: 0.9 g./l
• Total acidity in tartaric acid: 7,6 g./l
• Price: $18

Nose: Lemons, steel wool, hints of grapefruit, kiwi and stone.

Taste: Cut open a meyer’s lemon and add a touch of ricola, limestone, river-rock and grapefruit – that’s what’s going on in this wine to me. It has very sharp acidity which means it’ll play nice with a number of food possibilities. 

2006 Hugel Riesling: W.E.P. Rating: 70%

Technical Data:

• Grape type: 100% Riesling
• Alcohol: 12.5%
• Price: $18

Nose: Steel-laced river-rocks, lemon peel, limestone and some grass.

Taste: Wheatgrass, steelies rolling around on the tongue with a good amount of musk, grapefruit and lemon zest. A very short finish which almost seems to evaporate off the tongue – way too short.

Conclusion:
As always, don’t listen to me or my opinion without first trying these wines yourself – it’s my goal to get everyone excited about trying wines from all over the world – so please seek these out so you can make up your own mind.