Legendary Alsace producer Jean Hugel died yesterday at the age of 84.
For over 60 years Jean Frederic Hugel was one of his native region's greatest champions.
After the Second World War Hugel studied at both Montpellier and Bordeaux before returning home.
He ran the family wine business – founded around 1639 – with his two brothers, Georges and André, from 1948 until 1997, when his nephews Jean Philippe, Marc and Etienne took over daily management of the company.
Hugel wrote what eventually became legislation regulating the production of Alsace wines. These were finally recognized officially in 1984 and have become some of the strictest of all French wine appellation laws.
Affectionately known throughout the wine community as 'Johnny', he was outspoken, and firm in his beliefs. 'It is sad to see French growers are following this trend,' he once said of his fellow winemakers' use of oak and its by-products. 'They are timber merchants who forget to be winegrowers.'
But he was no ascetic – one of his best-known pronouncements was, 'People who like wine are nicer people than those who do not like wine.'
Paul Symington of Symington Family Estates said, 'In the wine trade around the world, very few reach the level of affection and respect that Johnny earned from all over his lifetime.'
Alsace expert Tom Stevenson said, 'Johnny Hugel was the single most important person in the development of Alsace wine industry throughout the 20th century.'
Hugel is survived by his wife Simone, who was alongside him at his Riquewihr home, their daughters Dominique and Judith, and four grandchildren: Sylvie, Jean, Etienne, and Michel.
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Just a single reflection of the esteem in which Johnny was held by his family. Hugel's (Tokay) Pinot Gris SGN (Selection des Grains Nobles) is one of the world's longest-lived white wines, with the potential of a century in good vintages. The 1983 is justly celebrated as a great wine; I gather that a small number of bottles were given a lower sulphur dose than normal so that Johnny, who did so much for the SGN concept, could have the opportunity to appreciate it in his lifetime. I certainly hope he did. Hugo Rose MW, UK
I was fortunate to have met Johhny Hugel once, in 2000. A young winemaking student from South Africa on my first wine-related trip to Europe, I was enchanted by this passionate and knowledgeable man. Johnny, you were the reason I fell in love with Riesling, thank you for that precious gift! Our deepest condolences to the Hugel family and the Alsace region, they have lost one of the greatest wine legends.
Elmari Swart M.Sc, RSA
From the moment I met Johnny Hugel in the summer of 1965, sent to Hugel as a “trainee” for a week, his personality and generosity never ceased to warm my heart. Much later, he recounted that a particular “foudre” of SGN just didn't seem to want to finish its fermentation, probably after the heatwave 1976 vintage. His brother, the winemaker, was at a loss for a solution. Johnny's answer was, during his daily tours of the cellar, to raise his hat to that particular barrel. The fermentation slowly completed itself. His 80th birthday lunch at Le Gavroche, packed to bursting, was one of the greatest meals of all time. Johnny Hugel was right that people who like wine are nicer than people who do not. He was one of the very, very best of the many, many good guys whose life is in wine.
Steven Spurrier, UK
David Furer's warm report of the sad death of Johnny Hugel was a fitting tribute to a Wine Trade legend.
I still have very fond memories of a superb private lunch with the Hugel family in Riquewihr in 1971, hosted by Johnny's parents but with all the 'boys' present. Old Madame Hugel's outstanding Sauerkraut and delicious Blueberry Tarte, coupled with their wines and eau-de-vies were a remarkable contribution to a lunch which began just before mid-day and ended shortly before 7pm. The 'joie de vivre' shown by that family made a lasting impression on a (then) young man and instilled a life-long penchant for les vins d'Alsace.
Martin de Rusett, Kent, UK
Safe journey JH…my first & only boss..thank you for the proper job & blessings to your family, i´ll never forget the 1976 Hugel wine tasting in Riquewihr, it set a standard that has rarely been surpassed in my 30years of wine trade, & left me a benchmark of good vinous-intention that has not been matched, inter-tobacco, since.
Willy H, Buenos Aires
In the Summer of 1974 Johnny Hugel visited New Orleans. I was a new lad in the trade, and if you have been to New Orleans in July you never forget it. I worked for Jackie Quillen at her Wine & Cheese Company. Johnny came to the store and we did a tasting in the old summer kitchen of the 1830's building, Jackie's husband found a pirogue (cajun canoe) and we filled it with ice, Gulf Shrimp & Oysters. Johnny poured his new Cuvee les Amours, Rieslings and Gewurtztraminer. It was like a Petit Mardi Gras, with New Orleans Social elite enjoying the fete and Jean Hugel. He enjoyed wine and life, and it showed. He was a great Ambassador for Alsace and a charming guy. It was nearly the Stone Ages of the Wine Trade--1974, so much has changed, but Johnny will always be remembered as a Bon Vivant and gentleman.
Rick Geyer, New Jersey
As a young trainee on my Vintners Scholarship in 1970 I arrived to work for
Johnny Hugel who in his inimitable way took much time and made every effort
to ensure I learned by doing the really hard work, guiding and steering me
and always giving me encouragement and advice which has proved to be as
relevant today as it was all those years ago. What a giant of the Wine
World! Only two weeks ago Etienne very generously opened a bottle of
Riesling Jubilee 1970 for myself and the visiting Wine Committee of which I
was a part. It, like Johnny, had aged really well combining complexity,
freshness and persistence with a richness of texture and fruit. How
privileged we all are to have known him.
Philip Goodband MW, UK
I never had the fortune to meet Johnny. But it was only a matter of weeks ago that Etienne was in Macao tutoring a tasting, among the endless parade of great wines were the 35 and 61 VT Riesling that Johnny had 'nurtured'. They left me completely speechless. Johnny will certainly be missed! My peaceful wishes to the family!
Simon Tam, China
If my recollection of Tom Stevenson's great book on Alsace is correct, M. Hugel was indeed instrumental in drafting the AOC & Grand Cru legislations for Alsace, but he became so disenchanted with the intense politicking (which resulted, for example, in the Brand vineyard growing from its tiny historic borders (about 5 ha.) to over 50 ha, including land that had NEVER been planted to grapes) that he left the expert body/commission in disgust. Given this sad fact, it is very hard to accept your claim that Alsace's "have become some of the strictest of all French wine appellation laws." If that were the case, I don't think we'd see Alsace 'Grand Crus' being peddled in the market for $US 20. If the same politicking had gone on in Burgundy back when the Cistercian monks were determining which plots yielded superior fruit, Bonnes Mares would likely comprise the whole commune of Morey-St. Denis. RIP Jean!
Michael Donohue
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