Talking Wine – June 2016
How sad to hear of the death of Etienne Hugel from the famous Alsace family. He died suddenly of a heart attack at the age of only 49. I remember interviewing him at our Head Office and this can still be found on a YouTube clip. He was a charming modest man who was extraordinarily well travelled having been the export director for the family firm for many years. Hugel is one of the very best names in Alsace and if you are not familiar with Alsatian wines why not use his untimely passing as an excuse to discover the charms of the Gewurztramer grape variety. Neither too German nor French in style the wines have an extraordinary pungency with flavours of spice and lychee and can be drunk on their own or as a great accompaniment to stronger pate or fois gras.