2005 Gewurztraminer Jubilee

Originating primarily in the clay-rich, Grand Cru-rated Sporen, Hugel’s 2005 Gewurztraminer Jubilee leads with litchi and bacon fat. In the mouth, it exhibits precisely the combination of opulent richness with juicy freshness that Marc Hugel says is his ideal but that one too seldom encounters in this variety. Honey, rose petal and litchi fill the mouth while hints of cress, white pepper, and Provencal herbs provide counterpoint. The merest hint of sweetness marries well with the floral and honied side of this wine and set off its pungency and spice in the finish. The Hugels – like the Beyers and Trimbachs – are true to tradition in their emphasis on dry-tasting wines across the varietal spectrum and in the release of their best wines only after a year or (usually) more of bottle age. As with Muscat, there is no “regular” bottling of Pinot Gris at Hugel, but rather one begins with a wine of primarily estate origins. In 1999 and 2003, Hugel elected to separately bottle the fruit of their oldest Pinot Noir vines (planted in 1966 in a parcel in the Pflostig known as “Les Neveux”). Importer: Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700.