May 12, 2011 – Domaine Huët Tasting with Sarah Hwang, Lower Falls Wine, Newton Lower Falls, MA
This was a great opportunity to taste through a lineup of wines - both recent and a few older ones - from this legendary producer, whose wines never fail to impress me. A big thanks to Sarah Hwang, who was a very friendly and knowledgeable host; and to the staff at Lower Falls Wine for organizing this event.
2005 Vouvray Pétillant Brut
The second time that I have had this vintage; it is a really nice medium-bodied sparkler, as good as anything outside of Champagne in my opinion. Foreau and Chidaine make very good Chenin-based sparklers, but Huët’s Pétillant is on another level to me. Very elegant, nicely balanced, dry, with a distinctly Chenin-y nose, and attractive minerality. It will be very interesting to see how this develops over the next several years.
2009 Vouvray Sec Le Haut-Lieu
Peachy/mineral nose. Full-bodied, just off-dry, very elegant, creamy yet satiny, with really nice acidity. Shows mineral/apple/stone fruit notes. Excellent.
2009 Vouvray Demi-Sec Le Haut-Lieu
Both of these demi-secs were real standouts. Very fresh floral nose here. Full, lightly round, lightly sweet, with very good underlying acidity. The peach, apricot, and melon fruit notes have such purity here, and mesh really nicely with the minerality and all of the floral aromas. Outstanding.
2008 Vouvray Demi-Sec Le Mont
Sarah mentioned that this is one of her favorite wines, and I can certainly understand why. Nutty (not at all oxidative, though)/mineral nose. Full, just lightly sweet, with nearly perfect tension, and an incredibly elegant, lightly creamy, gossamer texture. Quite mineral, and showing floral, melon, stone fruit, and whipped cream notes. Outstanding; a jewel from the “lesser” 2008 vintage.
2009 Vouvray Moelleux Le Mont
Another wine that I had once before already. Full, lightly round; moderately sweet, with the same finesse and elegant minerality of the sec and demi-sec wines. Excellent.
2009 Vouvray Cuvée Constance
From 500 ml bottle. Unmistakable botrytis on the nose. Full, sweet, though not as viscous as something that one might expect from a wine with such a high level of residual sugar, thanks to virtually perfect acidity and balance. Quite focused, with brilliant minerality, and very pure aromas/flavors of white flowers, apricots, and honey. Outstanding.
1989 Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg 1ère Trie
Full-bodied, showing some more mature notes, but also having the acidity and structure to live a lot longer. Seamlessly combines notes of honey, minerals, lanolin, tropical fruits, apricots, lychees, coffee, and baking spices, while maintaining impressive balance and focus. Outstanding.
1997 Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg 1ère Trie
From 375 ml bottle. Full, moderately sweet, well balanced, with honey, coffee, peach, tropical, floral, mineral, and brown spice notes. Excellent.
1997 Vouvray Cuvée Constance
From 500 ml bottle. Showing more freshness and youth than the previous wine, with impressive focus and purity, and a panoply of aromas and flavors: floral, lanolin, honey, stone and tropical fruits, hints of herbs and spices… there is so much going on here, plus incredible balance, tension, focus, and structure. Outstanding.
. I notice that you have placed a "tréma" over the "e" in Huet. I have usually heard the name pronounced as if there were one but as you can see from the estate's website 