The history of Hugel goes back to 1639, when the winery was first established in the Alsace town of Riquewihr. To this day it remains entirely family owned, currently being managed by the 12th generation of the Hugel family.
Vineyards have been present in Alsace for at least 2000 years, taking advantage of the dry conditions (this is the second-driest wine region in France), which allow the grapes to mature slowly and develop great finesse. The Hugel cellars are part of this history, pioneering late-harvest Alsace wines and helping to draft the laws governing their production.
Heritage is still to the fore here, with the cellars housed in beautiful 16th-century buildings in the centre of medieval Riquewihr. Some of the oak barrels are more than a hundred years old, including the notable Saint Caterine cask from 1715 which has been certified as the world’s oldest working cask by Guinness World Records.
These days, the family owns 30 hectares of top-quality vineyard in Riquewihr, and buys in grapes from another 100 hectares. This leads to a production of more than 100,000 cases per year, with the majority being exported around the world. The wines are developed to express the distinct character of each grape, with no additional sweetening or oaking.
In recognition of their efforts, the Hugel family have been made members of Primum Familiae Vini, an exclusive global association that brings together some of the world’s most renowned wine dynasties.
