Riesling Schoelhammer 2009
Famille Hugel
“As far back as family memories go, the Schoelhammer, at the heart of the historic Schoenenbourg vineyard which overlooks Riquewihr, has always been amongst our most favoured single vineyards. From 2007 we decided that the Riesling from this exceptional site, traditionally vinified apart, also merited to be bottled separately. Schoelhammer seeks to reveal the unique character of a dry, mineral Riesling from a marl-rich terroir, deep and suave in style, and which takes time to express itself fully.” -Etienne Hugel
Terroir: Produced from the finest plot of the Hugel estate in the heart of the grand cru Schoenenbourg vineyard. Schoelhammer covers a mere 30 rows of vines dedicated to Riesling and organically farmed. Schoelhammer’s specific vines grow on Triassic Keuper marl soil from the secondary era (marine sediments, c.200 million years) with a 45% clay content, planted at an altitude of 1000 feet, facing due south, on a slope that averages 25 degrees. Harvest date : 11 October 2007.
Vinification: The grapes are hand harvested and taken in small crates to the press which is 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 (at 64°F). 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 extensively in Hugel’s cellars until released for sale.
Additional Information
Not only a fabulous vintage in Alsace but, just like in 1990, also a great vintage all over Europe.
2009 was an emotional vintage for us too, without the benevolent presence of “Uncle Johnny”, but with a strong symbol as the two young cousins, Jean Frédéric and Marc André, both born in 1989, worked together at their first harvest.
This was a rich but harmonious vintage, with record levels of ripeness, enabling us to produce a full range of wines including, for the first time since 2001, both Riesling VT and SGN.
The bouquet is deep, complex and very expressive, while the palate is overwhelmed by myriad tastes and sensations. The wine flows over the palate, filling the mouth with a richly generous yet invigorating freshness. The spirited character and breeding of Riesling is allied to the complexity, depth, richness and minerality of the unique Schoelhammer terroir, the quintessence of the Schoenenbourg.
Technical Details
- Appellation: Alsace
- Winemaker: Marc Hugel
- Sustainability: Organic Practices
- Soil: Triassic Keuper marl
- Avg Vine Age: 20+ years
- Yield: 31 hl/ha
- Alcohol: 13.7%
- Ttl Acidity: 7.85 g/l
- Residual Sugar: 2.7 g/l
- Sizes Available: 750ml
- Pack Size: 6/750ml
- Varietals: 100% Riesling
Recent Press
-
Score: 92 Points
Wine Spectator Author: Alison Napjus
Date: Monday, December 31, 2018"Fine and creamy, with a pleasing salinity that offers a counterpoint to the juicy profile of ripe yellow peach, blood orange granita and ground ginger flavors, with a hint of honeycomb. Offers a fresh, focused finish. Drink now through 2029. 450 cases made." -
Score: 95 Points
Decanter Author: Stephen Brook
Date: Friday, June 15, 2018"2009 was a warm year capped by an Indian summer, producing rich and healthy grapes. Many wines had less acidity than usual, however the clay components in this vineyard helped to preserve acidity, and so the wine is surprisingly taut. There's a lean lime nose that's subdued but elegant, with a slight smokiness. The attack is spicy and pungent, with mouthwatering acidity and delicious tangy apple and apricot fruit. There's enough tension to ensure a long life ahead." -
Score: 99 Points
JamesSuckling.com Author: James Suckling
Date: Tuesday, May 1, 2018"Almost absurdly fresh for its age. The spicy and mineral complexity is just beginning to emerge from the cloak of ripe tree fruits. This is as graceful as it is concentrated and as pristine as it is powerful. The best vintage of this wine so far released and the shining star of the vintage. Delicious now, but probably has a couple of decades ahead of it if you can resist its fascination now." -
Score: 92 Points
The Wine Advocate Author: Stephan Reinhardt
Date: Thursday, June 15, 2017"The 2009 Riesling Schoelhammer opens clear, minerally and with intense fruit (lemon) aromas on the nose intermixed with crushed-stone flavors. Full-bodied, rich and firmly structured, this is a tension-filled, pure and salty Riesling. It is long and complex in the finish and quite tropical in its fruit expression."
