The New York Times’ Mark Bittman said it best in his “The Drinker’s Manifesto”: “Life is complicated, and drinking for health is a lame rationalization, but drinking itself… well, we do it because we like it.”
This has always been my maxim when drinking—indulge to a point when conversations flow easier, when even the lamest of jokes by friends becomes the epitome of wittiness. But don’t get drunk to the point of unruliness. It’s all for fun, and wine for me brings all these good things out. I drink wine without the fuss, without the drama. Planet Grapes Wine Bar and Restaurant was made for people like me.
I recently attended its wine-tasting event in its new branch at the River Park, Alabang, near Festival Mall.
The host was Etienne Hugel himself, 12th-generation coproprietor for Hugel & Fils, a wine-production company in Riquewihr, Alsace, France. The Hugel family has been making wine in Riquewihr since 1639.
‘Rich town’
The family company, Hugel et Fils, was established in 1639. Before that, the town of Riquewihr was called by its German name, Reichenweier; the town is at the very edge of the border between France and Germany. Reichenweier means “rich town” in German; it was so named because even in the 17th century, the town was already known far and wide for its wine, and the expansive vineyards around it made the commune and the families living in it very rich.
The town is separated from Germany by the Rhine and from France by the Vosges mountains; its political affiliation today is French, but Riquewihr is still culturally mixed.
The wine-growing towns in Alsace are known as some of the most beautiful and well-preserved medieval places in Europe. Its half-timbered houses built 500 to 600 years ago are still perfectly preserved. The beautifully crafted wood carvings adorning their still-used medieval houses are perfectly preserved in the very dry climate.
“Alsace is the driest wine region in France. This unique climate, along with a long growing season, enables the grapes to ripen slowly to full maturity, giving the wine great finesse of aroma and unequalled intensity,” noted Etienne.
The dryness, Etienne added, is perfect for vineyards—their yields are consistent, and the quality is easily maintained.
The concept of terroir was also explained by Etienne. Terroir is the belief and assumption that the geography, climate, and the quality and kind of soil where a wine grape—or any other agricultural product for that matter such as cheese, chocolate, coffee, etc.—is grown, imparts a unique tasting signature to the product.
Alsace is blessed with low rainfall and high levels of summer sunshine, with soil varieties of limestone, granite, clay and volcanic. The wine region is predominantly known for its white wines.
Unique tasting notes
With Etienne’s guidance, we tasted five of the wines. Each has its own unique tasting notes, but, as Planet Grapes’ motto is “wine without the drama,” I’ll just say it: Hugel wines are the best white wines I have ever tasted. It is a wonder that Hugel wines are here only now.
Romy Sia, proprietor of Planet Grapes, invited Etienne to the Philippines.
The first wine we tasted was the Gentil Hugel—a blend of several varieties of the “noble” grape. Etienne said that it was the perfect introduction to Alsace wines. The flavor was light, fresh and you could taste floral and fruit-driven notes as well.
The second wine was the Riesling Hugel. True to the Hugel family tradition, the wine was very dry, lively and enjoyable.
Tasting the wines after Etienne explained the long history and family tradition makes it an intimate and enjoyable experience.
The Riesling wine is a perfect way to start a meal, or as aperitif.
The third wine was also a Riesling Hugel, but it is the Jubilee Hugel edition of the Riesling—produced in 2008 and made from the grapes taken from the finest plots of the Hugel Estate. The terroir of these estates, Etienne said, has been exclusively devoted to Riesling for centuries.
You could taste the huge difference between the normal Hugel Riesling and the special Jubilee Riesling—the white wine has a pale gold color compared with the standard Riesling. It has a classic dry wine character with tasting notes of apricot and peach. You can pair it with almost anything—shellfish, seafood, smoked fish, herring, eel, etc.
The fourth wine was the Pinot Gris. This has the greatest aging potential. It is best paired with white meats and fish in sauce. Rich and full, but still dry, the bouquet is a well-balanced aroma of honey, apricot, almond, liquorice.
The last was definitely the best—the Gewurztraminer 2012. It is the great pride and specialty of the Alsace region. The Alsatians claim that only in their terroir does the gewurztraminer grape variety reach the peak of its ultimate aromatic expression.
Etienne said that the Hugel Gewurztraminer is a perfect pair to Filipino dishes as well— spicy dishes, smoked fish, and rich sauces and thick aromatic flavors. The wine is soft, aromatic, and has a deeply scented bouquet.
The Hugel wines are available exclusively at Planet Grapes. The modern wine retail store and restaurant-bar first opened at Tuscany in McKinley Hill, Taguig City. Other stores are at Ayala Center Cebu, Shangri-La Plaza Mall North Wing, Mandaluyong City, and the River Park, Festival Supermall, Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
Visit planetgrapes.com.ph.
