Vouvray
Based in the Touraine district of the Loire, the 2,000-hectare Vouvray appellation covers a range of dry, through off-dry, sweet to sparkling styles. Its Chenin Blanc vineyards give the wines vibrant acidity and a stony, floral and at times waxy character. Under perfect skies, the producers aim for moelleux sweet wines, hand-harvested by trie, often imbued with noble rot and rich with residual sugar.
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Vincent Carême,
Ready, but will keep,
This fabulous, bone-dry Vouvray is from one of the appellation’s brightest stars. On the nose, expect aromas of orchard fruit, lanolin and a seductive hint of peach (indicative of the warm 2018 vintage). The palate is textured and generous, in part thanks to the time this cuvée spent in oak. At the same time, there’s no mistaking the shimmering acidity and mineral core that are hallmarks of Vincent’s wines, and which make this age-worthy, yet hugely enjoyable now with shellfish or as an apéritif. Drink now to 2023.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (autumn 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (autumn 2019)
Vincent Carême,
Ready, but will keep,
This is an outstanding traditional-method sparkler from the wonderful Vincent and Tania Carême, standard-bearers for the appellation of Vouvray. Made from 100% Chenin Blanc (from parcels certified organic), it’s aged for 18 months on its lees prior to disgorgement. Trim and tense in its youth, the ’15 has acquired extra body and complexity with time in the bottle – the complex nose now includes aromas of honey, ripe citrus and freshly baked apple turnovers. A delicious and original apéritif. Drink now to 2021.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)
Vincent Carême,
Ready, but will keep,
This is an outstanding traditional-method sparkler from the wonderful Vincent and Tania Carême, standard-bearers for the appellation of Vouvray. Made from 100% Chenin Blanc (from parcels certified organic), it’s aged for 18 months on its lees prior to disgorgement. Trim and tense in its youth, it gains body and complexity with time in bottle – the complex nose now includes aromas of honey, ripe citrus and freshly baked apple turnovers. A delicious and original apéritif. Drink now to 2021.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (November 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (November 2019)
Vincent Carême,
Ready, but will keep,
Vincent is a young producer, and he’s going places. This sparkling Chenin Blanc is made in the méthode ancestrale. Partly fermented in tank, the wine is then put into bottle with some residual sugar, where the fermentation continues, with no further yeast or sugar added. Unlike some producers, Vincent does disgorge the wine – meaning it is clearer than many of its trendy Pét Nat counterparts. The results are delicious: an apple-and-honey nose leads to a nervy palate with a line of citrus and minerality, softened by a hint of sweetness. Try it as an apéritif or with Asian cuisine.
Vincent Carême,
Ready, but will keep,
This complex, multi-layered wine gains its fizz from the ancestrale, rather than Champagne or traditional method, but Vincent opts to disgorge it after 18 months to remove some of the sediment. The nose is expansive, with aromas including honey and baked apple, while the palate is precise and bone dry. There’s a cooling thread of freshly squeezed lemon from the attack to the end of the long, mineral finish.
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (November 2019)
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (November 2019)
Domaine Gaston Huet,
Ready, but will keep,
Gaston Huet and his wife built up a domaine with a formidable reputation over the years following its creation by Victor Huet, his father, in 1928. Gaston, war hero and one-time mayor of Vouvray, managed the family domaine from 1947 until his death in 2002. This wine comes from the original vineyard, Le Haut-Lieu (literally meaning “the high place”) which surrounds the house and extends for some nine hectares. Its wines are opulent and approachable when young but are genuine vins de garde and benefit from long-term ageing.
Burnished gold in colour, the nose is full of spiced orange, cloves, a touch of quince and lemon rind, and hints of anise. This wine is lovely and mouth-filling and yet has surprisingly high acidity and a dryness that gives the wine a beautiful mouth-watering snap.
Burnished gold in colour, the nose is full of spiced orange, cloves, a touch of quince and lemon rind, and hints of anise. This wine is lovely and mouth-filling and yet has surprisingly high acidity and a dryness that gives the wine a beautiful mouth-watering snap.
Domaine Gaston Huet,
Ready, but will keep,
An intriguing nose that draws you in, Caramel, honey, straw and wet wool are all here. Sweet, even luscious on the palate, but with great acidity that stops it being cloying. Full-bodied and rich, notes of toffee and sugar cane honey are balanced by that wonderful acidity, making it clean on the finish. Truly exceptional.
Chris Pollington, Account Manager
First things first – 1989 is a stunning vintage, one of the best in the 20th Century for the Huet wines. Essai relates to a 1ha vineyard parcel of Le Clos du Bourg which the Huet family decided to apply biodynamic principles. There is a distinctly greater level of development and general largesse to the palate here over the ‘usual’ 1989 Moelleux. This is an expansive and mouth filling wine, lusciously sweet and tropical this has decades of age ahead of it but perfectly balanced meaning it can be enjoyed now. .
Gary Owen, Account Manager
Chris Pollington, Account Manager
First things first – 1989 is a stunning vintage, one of the best in the 20th Century for the Huet wines. Essai relates to a 1ha vineyard parcel of Le Clos du Bourg which the Huet family decided to apply biodynamic principles. There is a distinctly greater level of development and general largesse to the palate here over the ‘usual’ 1989 Moelleux. This is an expansive and mouth filling wine, lusciously sweet and tropical this has decades of age ahead of it but perfectly balanced meaning it can be enjoyed now. .
Gary Owen, Account Manager
Domaine Gaston Huet,
Ready, but will keep,
Gaston Huet and his wife built up a domaine with a formidable reputation over the years following its creation by Victor Huet, his father, in 1928. Gaston, war hero and one-time mayor of Vouvray, managed the family domaine from 1947 until his death in 2002. This wine comes from the original vineyard, Le Haut-Lieu (literally meaning “the high place”) which surrounds the house and extends for some nine hectares. Its wines are opulent and approachable when young but are genuine vins de garde and benefit from long-term ageing.
A big, deep, rich honeyed bouquet leaps from the glass. The palate is, unsurprisingly, youthful, but is also wonderfully luscious. There’s plenty of sweet, mouth-filling fruit and enough acidity to make one involuntarily drool. Drink it now or tuck away for decades.
A big, deep, rich honeyed bouquet leaps from the glass. The palate is, unsurprisingly, youthful, but is also wonderfully luscious. There’s plenty of sweet, mouth-filling fruit and enough acidity to make one involuntarily drool. Drink it now or tuck away for decades.
Domaine Gaston Huet,
Ready, but will keep,
Gaston Huet and his wife built up a domaine with a formidable reputation over the years following its creation by Victor Huet, his father, in 1928. Gaston, war hero and one-time mayor of Vouvray, managed the family domaine from 1947 until his death in 2002. This wine comes from Huet’s most famous vineyard, Le Mont. It is from this site’s green-tinged soils and late-harvesting vines which Gaston produced his longest-lived and arguably most famous wines.
This is a jam-packed glassful with waxy lemons and fresh orange peel on the nose, then a bitter toffee character. The combination of ripe nectarine sweetness with refreshing acidity delivers a perfectly judged and beautifully balanced wine. Quite simply, you can taste the care taken in producing this wine.
This is a jam-packed glassful with waxy lemons and fresh orange peel on the nose, then a bitter toffee character. The combination of ripe nectarine sweetness with refreshing acidity delivers a perfectly judged and beautifully balanced wine. Quite simply, you can taste the care taken in producing this wine.
Domaine Gaston Huet,
Ready, but will keep,
Gaston Huet and his wife built up a domaine with a formidable reputation over the years following its creation by Victor Huet, his father, in 1928. Gaston, war hero and one-time mayor of Vouvray, managed the family domaine from 1947 until his death in 2002. This wine comes from the Clos du Bourg, a vineyard purchased by Gaston in 1953. It is the oldest site in Vouvray, dating back to the eighth century. The allure of this vineyard is not entirely contained within its neat and historic walls, but moreover its reputation for producing formidable sweet wines.
An intense gold colour, there is plenty on offer on the nose: lanolin, caramel and apple crumble to name but a few notes. Gloriously honeyed on the palate, there is a streak of vibrant freshness that stops any cloying sweetness. The finish is incredibly long and persistent. Wonderful!
An intense gold colour, there is plenty on offer on the nose: lanolin, caramel and apple crumble to name but a few notes. Gloriously honeyed on the palate, there is a streak of vibrant freshness that stops any cloying sweetness. The finish is incredibly long and persistent. Wonderful!
Domaine Gaston Huet,
Ready, but will improve,
1989 Vouvray, Le Clos du Bourg, Moelleux Première Trie, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Le Haut-Lieu, Moelleux, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Le Mont Moelleux, Première Trie, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Le Mont, Moelleux, Fin Pressée, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Le Clos du Bourg, Moelleux Essai, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Haut Lieu, Moelleux, Première Trie, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Le Haut-Lieu, Moelleux, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Le Mont Moelleux, Première Trie, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Le Mont, Moelleux, Fin Pressée, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Le Clos du Bourg, Moelleux Essai, Domaine Huet
1989 Vouvray, Haut Lieu, Moelleux, Première Trie, Domaine Huet
Domaine Gaston Huet,
Ready, but will improve,
For those tasked with working the land, it is a rarity when nature’s bounty bestows a set of perfect conditions for cultivation. In the words of Noel Pinguet himself, 1989 was just such a year. This mixed case explores the nuances of style, sweetness and site, in a vintage where quality is both unquestionable and unparalleled.
This case comprises one bottle each of:
1989 Le Haut-Lieu, Molleux
1989 Le Mont Molleux, 1er Trie
1989 Le Haut-Lieu, Molleux, 1er Trie
1989 Le Clos du Bourg, Molleux 1er Trie
1989 Le Mont, Molleux, Fin Pressée
1989 Le Clos du Bourg, Molleux Essai.
This case comprises one bottle each of:
1989 Le Haut-Lieu, Molleux
1989 Le Mont Molleux, 1er Trie
1989 Le Haut-Lieu, Molleux, 1er Trie
1989 Le Clos du Bourg, Molleux 1er Trie
1989 Le Mont, Molleux, Fin Pressée
1989 Le Clos du Bourg, Molleux Essai.
Domaine Gaston Huet,
Ready, but will keep,
Such was the quality of the 1989 vintage the Huet family decided to create a number of special cuvees of their Moelleux, Le Clos du Bourg. The ‘Fin Pressee’ designation here is used to identify this cuvee as one where the juice has been left overnight to macerate on the skins – essentially a red winemaking red wine technique. What this process adds to an already beautiful and fantastic wine is additional structure and texture.
It is capacious and opulent but as with all Huet wines it is delineated, refreshing and wonderfully enjoyable. This wine verges on being the perfect desert wine, complex enough to stand up on its own and dominate the table and conversation, but also with the ability to complement a whole range of dishes. .
Gary Owen, Account Manager
It is capacious and opulent but as with all Huet wines it is delineated, refreshing and wonderfully enjoyable. This wine verges on being the perfect desert wine, complex enough to stand up on its own and dominate the table and conversation, but also with the ability to complement a whole range of dishes. .
Gary Owen, Account Manager
Domaine Gaston Huet,
Ready, but will keep,
This wine is an education in the nervous energy and fine line which can exist between wines which have luscious tropical fruit and vibrant, linear acidity. Sweet, certainly true to the Moelleux label but with very high, refreshing acidity this is eminently drinkable. Still on the young side at the moment and very capable of several more years in the cellar. .
Gary Owen, Account Manager
Gary Owen, Account Manager
Will Heslop, Burgundy Buying Assistant (summer 2019)