André Hugel was an eleventh era member of Famille Hugel, one of many area’s most influential and highly-regarded wine households.
The Hugel household settled within the city of Riquewihr, situated within the coronary heart of Alsace, all the way in which again in 1639.
André ran Famille Hugel alongside together with his brothers, Jean and Georges, because it developed into one of many world’s prime producers.
It owns 30 hectares (ha) of prime plots within the Haut-Rhin space, half of that are categorised as Grand Cru, and it buys grapes from an extra 100ha of vineyards cultivated by accomplice growers.
Famille Hugel now produces round 100,000 circumstances per 12 months, and roughly 90% are exported to greater than 100 nations, making Hugel wines synonymous with Alsace all over the world.
André joined the household enterprise at a younger age after coaching in Beaune and Geisenheim. He was often known as a passionate champion of two of the property’s most iconic wines: Grossi Laüe – which suggests ‘greatest vineyards’ in Alsatian dialect – and Schoelhammer.
He served as president of the Riquewihr Archaeological Society from 1978 onwards, in addition to president of Museum of Alsace Wines and Vineyards for greater than 40 years.
André was additionally appointed Grand Grasp of the Confrérie St-Etienne wine guild in 1985, and he served as deputy mayor of Riquewihr from 1989 to 1995, and municipal councillor from 1995 to 2001.
He was a eager historian, with an encyclopaedic data of the area. His speciality was naturally winegrowing, however his analysis into Alsatians conscripted in opposition to their will into the German military in World Conflict II additionally featured in a number of publications.
‘He leaves us with the reminiscence of an extremely full life, unfailing devotion to the household historical past and limitless tenderness in the direction of his kids, grandchildren and great-grandchildren,’ mentioned the household in a press release.
‘Spending a number of, lazy hours within the picturesque streets of Riquewihr with André Hugel, and pushing open the doorways of our centuries-old cellars was like setting out on an exploration of the extraordinary terroirs of Alsace and the historical past of our fantastic area.’
André continued working till his final days, serving to to set the household enterprise on a affluent path lengthy into the long run.
His son Etienne, a revered determine within the area and the general public face of the vineyard, handed away in 2016. His different two sons, Jean-Philippe and Marc, proceed to supervise operations, whereas the thirteenth era can also be closely concerned.
