Kept at 55F since purchase in 2010. This was very impressive. Mousse remained though lightened up a bit over the years. Went very well with potato chips, creme fraishe, and caviar. Excellent secondary notes coming out with lanolin and beeswax. Acidity still quite present and not as bracing. Residual sugars are there and there is a nice yellow apple and pear quality here. The finish has an interesting complexity and lasts for about 45 seconds. I think this will still get better, if you have the time and did not get one of the ox'ed bottles.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Unsure which release, discovered in a recent cellar cleanup, in least temp stable corner. . I had mixed results with these, some were premoxed, but at 19 I think we could just call it ox. This had only a hint of petillance, and some caramelly notes that said too old. Yet there was an interesting core underneath, a strong acid core, with flavors of ripe apple and honey (and yes, caramel). But I kept returning. B
Fresh nose of baked apple pie, stone, and lemons. Excellent acidity, energetic action. The fruit level here is so much fun, and it provides a compelling reason for sparkling wine from Vouvray as an alternative to Champagne. Long finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Last bottle of nearly two cases drunk during the past ten years. This has been a fabulous wine and friend. This last one was alas not one of the better bottles, it's slightly tired with no bubbles remaining but still generous bruised apple and quince fruit and vibrant acidity. We enjoyed it nonetheless.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Crisp, high acid, very dry, steely. When I first opened it, it was so tight I couldn't taste any fruit or much of anything else except the acid. I served a couple of glasses and capped the bottle. The next day it was like a different wine, still high acid and steely, but had opened up to show the fruit (dried apricots, pears).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
OK, lots of reports of premoxed ‘02 Petillant, but I’ve been mostly lucky, and streak continues. Biscuits, apples, and lime zest. There’s a little honey and nuts, but no oxidation. Pretty sure this was from first release. B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From memory, medium yellow gold, modest sparkle, I could not clearly pin the variety, but easily tasted as blanc de blancs. Not Champagne still an accomplished wine, vinous and savory, pommes and melon, clean long finish. Enjoyed with Thai seafood stew.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Score! No premox here. Zippy acids, delicate petillance, apples, citrus, and peach blossom, earth and a little mushroom note. Holds up well. Lovely bottle . A-
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Upon opening, so stone bone dry it's hard to understand. After a bit, a suspicion of fruit richness slips out and switches the wine from dumb to extremely racy. Over three days, quite delcious, with food and on its own. Lacks Champagne depth and body, but in every other respect, a sterling sparkler. 2nd release.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From first release. Still has impressive mousse, as if it was just released! Secondary notes now becoming prominent. I have one bottle left and think that holding it for 5 or more years wouldn't be a bad idea. Drinking great now but may have even better days ahead!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very good, fresh, sour, with characteristic light-ish petillance and acidic edge. Rounds somewhat with exposure to air. No signe of p'ox. Second release.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Deep yellow color and a slightly sherried nose indicating some oxidation. However, very fresh on the palate with clear marks of citrus, green fruits and brioche - still, though, with some oxidative marks. Pleasant to drink, interesting and unique. I wonder if this bottle was 100% as it should be.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From the second release (not the reserve). Shockingly fresh and juicy, stunningly good. Fruit, acids, modest petillance all riffing in harmony. A delightlful light fizz; much more straightforwardly pleasurable than the remembered last bottles of my first-release cache. Drink or hold.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
My purchase notes indicate that this is from the 2nd disgorgement from 2009. Agree with French 16 that there is not a lot of effervescence. However the acidity and the overall balance of the wine is impeccable. The fruit is classic Chenin from the Loire. Just a great bottle of wine. Excellent
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I was a little worried as there was scarcely a burp as I opened (not premox but flat?) but no, normal amount of bubbles, and actually a charming wine. Apple fruit with cinnamon and spice, a definite citrus zest note, just a hint of yeast roll. Good, chalky, full, and fun. B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Second release. Dry and sour on opening, but no sign of early oxidation. With air, some flesh manifests itself upon the boney structure, and the wine is very good, in a high-acid, low-pettilance, intense kind of way. I don't see imminent danger of this wine aging too quickly, but be patient when opening it, or decant it a while.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Have opened several bottles recently, mostly first release: two corked, but none prematurely oxidized. The wine is very good, tangy, tart, fascinating, with modest petillance but great acidity and good complexity. Excellent with fish and chicken dishes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very good. Petillance is modest now and mostly gone the second day, but the wine is still delicious and fresh with prominent Chenin acidy tang, pairing especially well with cheesy or slightly fatty fare.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Such a great showing, more intense effervescence than I recall from previous bottles, and a vivid stony mineral base beneath layers of bright quince, pear and citrus fruit and gentle wooly and nutty elements. So light on its feet with the barest hint of sweetness, and fantastic acidity keeping it very vibrant and precise, all too easy to drink.
I think this is known as the Réserve in the U.S. The cork came out too easily; but the fill was fine and so was the wine. It had maybe a little less fizz than it should, which was the only (very slight) sign of anything amiss. The wine was still young, fresh, deep, and beautiful. The scenery was pretty good, too, looking out at le Ventoux. Not bad for 11.50 Euros.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dorks 6/18/13. Brian's bottle. Musty nose, wet dog, applesauce and raw green cabbage. Bubbles lack persistence, seems older and a little tired. Good but not the showing we expected. I see notes re rapid aging--well, this was one!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
First release bottle: wanted to try another because of notes describing rapid aging. The Petillance is much diminished, true, but the flavors are very good, I find: still bready, slightly yeasty, a touch of caramel (good), Excellent, refreshing acidity. No oxidative notes. Accompanied a thrown together paella nearly to perfection. So the wine's character is changing, but imho it remains first-class.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Straw yellow in color. Bottle seems to be oxidizing or aging quicker than hoped. Bitter finish, bubbles very limited, vibrancy gone. Hope it was a bottle issue as I love this wine as a cool tool in my Champagne kit...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I opened this to check on reports of some advanced bottles. Not here! There’s a light note that could be a bit oxidative dancing around, but it doesn’t actually strike me as advanced at all- just a wooliness that is Chenin in all its funkiness. Pretty apple fruit, toast, lemon zest, good acids, long, retaste following night is fine. A-/B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brett's Birthday Tasting - 2013 (Weygandt Wines - Washington, D.C.): Aromas of white tea, green melon, salt and nougat. Brisk acid and minerals all over the place, I like the quince, lemon and honeycomb flavors, although they do taste like they're waning. A delicious wine, but this bottle seemed to be tiring a bit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brett's Birthday (Weygandt Wines - Washington, DC): Very loire chenin nose of caramel apples, roasted nuts, spice, and toffee. There is a fine bead to the palate of oxidative orchard fruits, backed by asian spice and lemon citrus acidity. Good, but it felt a bit tired. Drink. 87
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Needed some time in the glass to open up, but when it did… wow. Probably the best non-champagne sparkling wine I’ve had. A little but of effervescence in the glass, but certainly less than a normal sparkling wine, as you would expect with the petillant style. (More than I remember from the last bottle.)Continuing to show signs of development, with more of the apricot/savoury type flavors mixing in with the brighter fruits, but this still has a lot of acidic structure. If this is a representative bottle, this wine has years of positive development left. Not sure what to make with the bottle variation I’ve encountered with these regular Petillant bottlings… the last bottle seemed completely ready to drink, whereas this bottle, while great now, seems as if it has a lot of improvement yet to come. Drink now or hold, a tough call.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
First-release bottle, and not doing nearly as well right now as the second releases have been - this one just seemed kinda dull and flat, losing its effervescence but also losing its luster otherwise.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Leo's Blind Tasting Group - March '13 edition (Hearth, NYC): Rather delicate and understated with fresh citrus, pear and quince fruit accented by mineral and yeasty notes with a gentle but persistent bead. There's just a faint hint of sweetness here, bright acids that keep it quite fresh and it's very nice, though still very youthful and rather undeveloped.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The annual bottle on our son's birthday. Petillance is fading; mild oxidative flavor at first. Then rather refined, mellow, well-integrated Chinon fizz, with ample character, a bit of yeast, neat complexity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
First release bottle. It's still very young and fresh, though a little toastiness is starting to develop. Still plenty of fruit. Delicious and very easy to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very pretty, though this still feels incredibly youthful and fresh. Bright quince, apple and citrus fruit tinged with gentle yeasty and mineral notes; elegant, lively and refreshing, and a glass disappears all too quickly.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
So full of happy-happy-joy-joy the temptation is to slurp it down fast enough to get brain freeze. It's starting to show some deeper colors to the fruit complexion (as well as some flintiness) but it's no less vivid and edgy than it ever was. And it's held its effervescence, feels nearly as bubbly as a Champagne. Second-release bottle, sadly my last of those, hope the first release performs at the same level.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drinking nicely with a bit of air. Don't drink too cold. Bubbles slinking off into the background, a hint of bitterness on the finish contributes to the wine's complexity and character.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bacchanal at St. Chauncy; 1/15/2012-1/16/2012 (Cambridge, MA): Nuts, almonds, rather expansive membranous viscosity, sliding with shear forces and locking on with magnets, breaking through with tantalizing acidity, this wine is imposing yet fresh and springy and shines silver and gold. One recalls a meadow in the summer. A vast spine supports this delightful not-quite champagne. 92+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Another great showing of this wine. Paired with briney and sweet oysters, it did well but perhaps not as well as a strict brut from champagne. Lovely supple notes of pear, quince and honeycomb. It lacks some of the effervescenes of traditional champagne but that's to be expected from a loire petillant. Crisp on the palate with great acidity. The wine will continue to get better.
I find it served best a touch on the warm side (privdes a lot more complexity on the nose).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Oh wow, so much different than the last bottle 9 months ago. Both from the 2nd release (not the reserve bottling). Darker golden in color, with just slight hints of spritz, almost leaning towards a still wine. Nice acidic spine, with noticeable secondary elements starting to creep onto the palate. Kind of amazed at how much this has advanced since release. Not sure if this is normal?? But if it is, start drinking these now. Fantastic bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Another great showing from the second release. Funky and flinty and with a more aggressive fizz than I remember. Still fresh and bright, ought to have many, many years ahead of it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I'm not good enough at organizing cellar to know whether this was first or second release, they're all mixed up now. Despite rumors of closing this bottle showed beautfully. Apple cobbler, dough, a little orange zest, soft petillance, very fine mousse, good acids. A-/B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Friday Night Loire Dinner (Ripple - Cleveland Park, Washington, D.C.): Really enjoyed the minerality on the palate - almost like liquid chalk. The stoniness combined nicely with lush, but fresh chenin fruit. Thought the balance was very impressive - and as a side note, enjoyed this more at a warmer temperature (we chilled it down after the first pour but it seemed to lose its personality at a lower temperature).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really lovely; fresh Chenin fruit combined with a savoury doughiness and toasty elements in a seamless, understated package that conveys flavour with a remarkable lightness of touch. Still very youthful, I'll keep my hands off others for some time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fantastic nose of lemon, honeysuckle, quinine, palate that does not disappoint, more wine with bubbles than bubbly, but what a wine with bubbles... lemon, chenin minerality (quinine, lanolin). Beautiful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Texturally nice on opening, but hard and bitter tasting. Needs a decant, then shows some flattering roundness and biscuity richness. Nice, but still young, I'd guess.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Excellent, complex nose: citrus, apple cider, yeast, mustiness. Intense palate, with a slight (definitely not cloying) sweetness. Fine bubbles. Medium finish. This is a really nice sparkler that compares well to much more expensive Champagnes. 90+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
91 points now, with plenty of potential. This wine is a bit thin when opened but after about an hour of air it really struts its stuff. Imagine a dry chenin blanc with a bit of frizzante and a wonderful complexity -- that is what this is. Apples, citrus, god acidity, light on its feet with minerality but simultaneously rich. Enjoy now or over what I'd imagine would be the next 20-30 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A bubbly starter to Thanksgiving dinner. No real sweetness but not aggressively dry either. There was white fruit, non-orange citrus, and spiciness. There was none of the yeasty brioche you get in chardonnay-based champagne. There was also a characteristic additonal flavor that you get in Vouvray, whether sweet or dry, that I cannot describe. The wine definitely, and gladly, lacked the bitterness I often get with extra-brut champagne. This had better balance of fruit, giving it a bit of apparent sweetness on the palate without any real sugar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose of wet stones and lemons. Small, diffuse bubbles. Fruit bursts on the palate with a nice, complementary acidity. One of the few wines I'm ready to drink again right away. Fantastic!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bright, creamy with a long lemony finish. Tiny, explosive bubbles. Yeasty. Hint of sweetness that is really nice, I prefer it to the stiff dryness of Champagne. Refreshing. Asa's favorite wine. B/B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very nice wine. Lemon, apple and minerals on the nose with little bit of apricot pit and funk. On the palate this is nice and rich with lots of citrus, apricots and hint of honey and minerals with small bubbles. Excellent acidity, ultra dry and long finish. Really nice wine good on its own but really shinned with food. Did not let it open up too much but it was good on pop-and-pour. 90-91
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is the 2nd disgorgement. Very nice, with deep, sweet fruit, fine richness and some toasty wool notes. Relatively scant perlage. still a mark below the 1st disgorgement for now, but this seems more generous than 6 months ago.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From the second release, which on the basis of this may finally be coming into its own after seriously lagging behind the way the original release showed for awhile. This comes across almost aggressively dry which leads to some austerity from a structural perspective, but in terms of flavor this is positively explosive - glorious bracing chenin fruit spackled with a toastiness that seems both mealy and coffee-like. I can't believe how much more expressive this has gotten in so short a time. Like my last bottle, though, the fizz is significantly softer than a Champagne - opens with more of a puff than a pop but still has a nice enough screech on the palate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Love it! The first day it was a bit round but full of juicy fruit with the minerality and acidity hidden in the background. On day 2 this jumps alive with lemon acidity. It's just so bright and vibrant. Lots of life. Drink and hold.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2nd bottling. While this is a little less brisk with less noticable acidity than the first, it's incredibly complex for what it is. Perhaps its a little round...and it could be more edgy, but it really is enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Spectacular wine for the $...carmel and lots of gras/viscosity....like a grand cru burg...good mouthfeel...the perception is that this is pure hedonistic goodness and doesn't really have the edgyness I want or even perceived acidity, but it was so long and so round and just do damn good for the $ that I will overlook the slight bit of flab...this was the 2nd bottling, as you might imagine from the description...I think the 1st had a bit more cut.....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rocks and fruit here. This elegant sparkler shows rich Chenin fruit but the real star here is the minerality. An initial burst of sour apples and frozen berries dissolves quickly on the palate into a granular attack of chalk and slate. Vigorous and refreshing. Probably the best alternative to Champagne I've found yet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I was surprised by this. Very yeasty, funky, and old world. Maybe a little mustiness as well. Went nicely with food - was interesting to try a sparkly, biodynamic, CB. There's just the slightest touch of honey on the nose, but it doesn't really extend to the pallet. Very interesting and good, but not sure I would buy again. Would be interesting to have some more age on this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful nose of yeasty, toasty bread, winesap apples, peaches, and tropical fruit. Same notes on the palate. Really, really fine bubbles. High acidity, long finish. Lovely. I plan on getting some more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I very much enjoyed this rich golden colored sparkler. Orchard fruits with plentiful on the nose with Fugi apple especially prominent. The palate had a nice chalky minerality to it, elements of saline, and tasty ripe apple. This went wonderfully with sushi, as I had hoped.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Golden yellow color in color. Aromas of chalk and orchard fruit dominate the nose, with a fainter yeast note. On the palate, finely beaded and vigorous, with sour red apple flavors providing counterpoint to the palpable chalky character that carries through from the nose. The dry extract of the chalk lingers on the palate for minutes. A very distinctive and original rendition of a sparkling wine, with a trace of crisp fruit sweetness emerging only on the chalky finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From the second release... I must say I have to agree with Keith L.'s note. A good bottle of wine, but I was expecting more. This definitely improved over the evening, would be wise to give this wine some air. Some signs of secondary development, particularly on the nose but it still seems very, very young with the apples and acidity dominating. I have high hopes for this, there is a lot going on here but I am am going to wait a few more years before trying the next bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From the second release batch. Less advanced than the first release in its flavor development, this is all youthful chenin fruit. But at the same time it seems a little more advanced in its mousse - the fizz here is much calmer and flatter. A very nice sparkler but not the Champagne-killer that my last bottle from the first release was - hope the other bottles show a little more. The leftovers the next day showed much deeper, advanced fruit but had lost almost all the fizz.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lots of quince, apple, and pear on the nose. The palate is quite malic with a spine of fine acidity running through it. Resolutely tart, salty, and dry, it does have a curious bitterness on the finish, probably as a result of the carbonation, which makes it quite interesting. Wish I bought more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Labor Day weekend chez Brad. (My place.): I'm not a big fan of Champagne and, in general, sparkling wines, but I do like sparkling Vouvray and Huet is the head of the class. I've had this wine eight or more times now and it never fails to impress. It's got tremendous depth and length while staying taut, racy and precise. Dry, with apple and slightly briny mineral flavors dominating, though yellow fruit and flowers join in the chorus. Just an invigorating petillant and my favorite after the '95. Solid A-.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Developed a bit past the primary appley stage but still incredibly tight and focused on opening. Fine but lively bubbles, crisp and clean, slowly opens to a pleasant touch of honey and wool, lots and lots of minerals, and very long. No rush opening this one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lovely smoky note on opening, then more typical chenin flavors with honeyed nose, but crisp, lean and dry in the mouth. Top notch sparkler, great with sushi rolls.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a stunning sparkler. Light golden yellow color. Green apple, maybe just the slightest hint of orange peel combined with a piercing minerality. Great purity here. A must buy at just below $30.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Showing an onion skin hue in the glass with a fine mousse and hints of green apples and minerals on the nose, this was a pleasure to taste. In the mouth there was brisk acidity followed by lingering flavors of freshly sliced apples, good minerality, and a lingering citrus note.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wonderful as (nearly) always, tried a 4 hour decant this time and thought it worked well. When this is on it's hard to imagine a wine I'm happier drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
In which Sharon Bowman cooks dinner for me: Huet, Palmer, Montevertine & more. (My place.): What the? Supposed Chenin Blanc hater Sharon brought this? I guess her reasoning was it's dry and has bubbles, something Ms. Bowman is particularly keen on. Yet, the wine Gods are keenly aware of her deepest feelings about Chenin and sent the dark angel of cork to lay waste to the bottle. NR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A year or two ago this was good. Now it's great. The pure apply fruit is now augmented by an incredible mineral depth crackling with metal shavings. Trumps most Champagne in complexity and in its piercing acuity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is by far the best sparkling wine I've ever had made outsite of champagne. It reminds me of a glimmering vintage bottling from a small chardonnay-based house like Vilmart. I drank this over two nights, and for the most part it got better as each hour passed. The bubbles are small and a little less numerous than in champagne. Bright yellow/gold in color, with an immediately inviting nose of grilled nuts and a touch of toast. The nose grew more doughy and rich with a touch of vanilla and cinnamon as the evening wore on. In the mouth it has bright acidity with this focused wine with apple and citrus (tangerine?) backed up by sweet doughy bread. The finish is long with the acidity carrying the high-notes along for a ride. Really brilliant stuff and with champagne costing what it does, a total steal. I suspect based on the acidity and structure that it should age very nicely for at the very least another decade+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
nice, bright, bits of biscuits with citris. good depth and plenty of acidity. great value and much more complete than other bubbles in the price range. tastes better than many Champers I've tasted in the $50-60 range. nicely balanced and deliciously dry.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium yellow with some amber. Yeast and apple on the nose. Crisp, excellent acidity, but prominent oxidative notes as well. Good but more advanced than I expected.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
An uncommon wine of uncommon beauty. The aroma reminds me of mustard seeds sauteed in clarified butter, along with deep honey wax and spiced apples. The mousse is fine and luscious, perfectly counteracting the precise acidity. An astonishing depth unfolds over the long finish: the round texture gives way first to very subtle bready notes and then to salty minerals, zingy ginger, and at its core, a platonic ideal of green apple.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Initially a rather sulfury nose, which took some time to blow off. Waxy, very gentle autolytic aromatics, with pleasing, refreshing lemony green apple, lanolin and salty mineral flavors on the palate. Somewhat scant bubbles, which dissipate sooner than expected. Surprisingly dry, with intense, razorlike acidity. Broadly textured, with richness and depth that deepen with exposure to air; don't drink this one too cold. This is a simply gorgeous Vouvray sec that happens to have bubbles. While impressive now it feels tight and painfully young; only slight evolution was apparent over three nights. Need to restock as I can't wait to see how this develops over the next ten to fifteen years. So glad to finally taste an "on" bottle of this. (Purchased at Terroir Wine Merchant)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bordeaux, CA Pinot and Couple of Others (PDH, New York City): I learned that petillant means "bubbly" but there were no bubbles here. I'll never understand these French wines. :) Acidic, clean, light, bright yellow in color. Not totally lacking fruit. Okay, but not repeat for me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
97 Voge Vielles Fontaines, 01 Texier Brezeme Vielles Vignes, Dashe, 02 Huet (Oakland, CA): This opened to accompany heirloom tomato, mozzarella, basil, olive oil. A terrific bargain of a sparkler, very crisp with lime, a hint of strawberry, minerals, and a touch of honey. Lots of acidity with a shortish finish. I believe this was about $17 or so and is terrific if you want some simple bubbles.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Apple, citrus, melon, and orange blossom on the nose. The palate is tangy, zippy, and vibrant. Clean finish with some citrus that is a little short. Paired nicely with Hamachi Crudo and Duck Prosciutto.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Aaaarggghhh, the family opened it for only a glass or two without me and then left it. Shockingly good on day three open, just left in the bottle. Still had some fizz.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
best sparkling wine from Vouvray that i've ever had, period. best sparkling wine that isn't champagne that i've ever had, period. gorgeous nose of apple and flowers, very rich and energetic. as broad and mouth filling as a champs, the same reach and cut on the palate, the same intensity. a chalky mineral sensation too, but underneath everything. just delicious wine, a real winner.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Thoroughly delicious. Setting may mean something: We drank this outside, in the cool of a lovely late spring DC evening watching the four-year-old girl dance in the setting sun after her own birthday party. Some Champagnes are better at this price, but not many. But don't spend too much time on the Champagne comparison. This is Chenin, Vouvray with sparkly bangles, all minerality and light lemony goodness. The nose is lively, yeasty, nutty with hints of spice and apples. Drink, wait, whatever. It's good. It was the perfect end to a long, wonderful day. Oh, and it went quite well with a late dinner of spicy bean soup.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A lovely surprise of sorts. There was a fine stream of small bubbles. Nose of chalk with faint pleasant citrus overtones. Bone dry, minerally, again just the lightest kiss of fruit which seemed to gain depth as it got a little warmer. Seemed a tad expensive in the store compared to comparably priced Champagne, but not at all once the bottle was quickly drained.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Huet fete part III: Schildknecht comes to town. (Dougherty's.): My first go at this recent release. Shows nice freshness and intensity with beautifully earthy mineral, yellow fruit and gingerbread flavors and aromas. Wonderful cut and focus with the slightly sharp edges balanced nicely by the fruit. Deep and refreshing with more there than I'm letting on. Probably my favorite Petillant since the '95 and given how well the next wine showed, it will almost certainly age better than I will. Solid A-.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dinner on the Lower east side; 10/4/2007-10/6/2007: A nice start to the evening with it's sheepskin and chalk nose, fine mousse but quite energetic in the mouth, lightly lemon curd and sublte walnutty with good focus and a long citrus finish. Revisited later in the evening showed better with the gentler fizz and offered a more enveloping mouthfeel but still young and tight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I have more Huet than any other producer and think they have long been undervalued. That said, this is a rip-off. Instead of a case, I'm standing pat with this lone bottle. Yes, it's quite good -- certainly miles better than the last release in 2000 -- but not better than a nice 1er Cru from Champagne.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
7/26/2023 - lesz Does not like this wine: 87 Points
very ocidized. totally different and not in a good way on the bottle i had 5 years ago.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/2/2023 - DaleW wrote:
Beat the premox odds on this one (unsure which release). Warm apple pie, wool, just a hint of caramel to express (proper age), gentle mousse. B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/6/2022 - Rossodio wrote: 93 Points
Kept at 55F since purchase in 2010. This was very impressive. Mousse remained though lightened up a bit over the years. Went very well with potato chips, creme fraishe, and caviar. Excellent secondary notes coming out with lanolin and beeswax. Acidity still quite present and not as bracing. Residual sugars are there and there is a nice yellow apple and pear quality here. The finish has an interesting complexity and lasts for about 45 seconds. I think this will still get better, if you have the time and did not get one of the ox'ed bottles.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/27/2022 - Sheila62 wrote:
no effervesence but this taste great with oxidative notes, yet ample fruit and acidity. This was great with our jamon iberico.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/11/2021 - DaleW wrote:
Unsure which release, discovered in a recent cellar cleanup, in least temp stable corner. . I had mixed results with these, some were premoxed, but at 19 I think we could just call it ox. This had only a hint of petillance, and some caramelly notes that said too old. Yet there was an interesting core underneath, a strong acid core, with flavors of ripe apple and honey (and yes, caramel). But I kept returning. B
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (1)
3/17/2018 - lesz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice bubbles, very enjoyable
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2017 - Doc90 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fresh nose of baked apple pie, stone, and lemons. Excellent acidity, energetic action. The fruit level here is so much fun, and it provides a compelling reason for sparkling wine from Vouvray as an alternative to Champagne. Long finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/12/2017 - 5laton wrote:
Last bottle of nearly two cases drunk during the past ten years. This has been a fabulous wine and friend. This last one was alas not one of the better bottles, it's slightly tired with no bubbles remaining but still generous bruised apple and quince fruit and vibrant acidity. We enjoyed it nonetheless.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/10/2017 - Bruce 1er wrote: 88 Points
Crisp, high acid, very dry, steely. When I first opened it, it was so tight I couldn't taste any fruit or much of anything else except the acid. I served a couple of glasses and capped the bottle. The next day it was like a different wine, still high acid and steely, but had opened up to show the fruit (dried apricots, pears).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/7/2017 - DaleW wrote:
OK, lots of reports of premoxed ‘02 Petillant, but I’ve been mostly lucky, and streak continues. Biscuits, apples, and lime zest. There’s a little honey and nuts, but no oxidation. Pretty sure this was from first release. B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2017 - fitzi wrote:
Deliciously sour. Just a hint of fizziness. Drink at cool room temperature - not straight from the cellar or refrigerator.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/25/2016 - SteveG wrote: 91 Points
From memory, medium yellow gold, modest sparkle, I could not clearly pin the variety, but easily tasted as blanc de blancs. Not Champagne still an accomplished wine, vinous and savory, pommes and melon, clean long finish. Enjoyed with Thai seafood stew.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2016 - DaleW wrote:
Score! No premox here. Zippy acids, delicate petillance, apples, citrus, and peach blossom, earth and a little mushroom note. Holds up well. Lovely bottle . A-
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2016 - AudunG wrote: 89 Points
Attractive aromas of bisquits and autolysis. Fresh and delicate in the mouth with a long finish. Champagne quality.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/19/2016 - gordoyflaca wrote: 92 Points
crusty citrus-lime with oystershell
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/15/2016 - jmht wrote: 91 Points
Elegant, but bubbles fading. Drink up.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/12/2016 - LoireFan wrote: 93 Points
LO2 disgorge. Great.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/10/2016 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Another totally oxidized bottle
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2016 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Sadly this was premoxed.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (4)
2/8/2016 - fitzi wrote:
Upon opening, so stone bone dry it's hard to understand. After a bit, a suspicion of fruit richness slips out and switches the wine from dumb to extremely racy. Over three days, quite delcious, with food and on its own. Lacks Champagne depth and body, but in every other respect, a sterling sparkler. 2nd release.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2015 - Rossodio Likes this wine: 92 Points
From first release. Still has impressive mousse, as if it was just released! Secondary notes now becoming prominent. I have one bottle left and think that holding it for 5 or more years wouldn't be a bad idea. Drinking great now but may have even better days ahead!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/24/2015 - brooklynJ&O wrote: 90 Points
seems to have lost most of its bubble. otherwise fantastic.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/21/2015 - 14frimaire wrote:
Beautiful
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/1/2015 - fitzi wrote:
Very good, fresh, sour, with characteristic light-ish petillance and acidic edge. Rounds somewhat with exposure to air. No signe of p'ox. Second release.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/30/2015 - pbaek wrote:
Deep yellow color and a slightly sherried nose indicating some oxidation. However, very fresh on the palate with clear marks of citrus, green fruits and brioche - still, though, with some oxidative marks. Pleasant to drink, interesting and unique. I wonder if this bottle was 100% as it should be.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/29/2015 - fitzi wrote:
From the second release (not the reserve). Shockingly fresh and juicy, stunningly good. Fruit, acids, modest petillance all riffing in harmony. A delightlful light fizz; much more straightforwardly pleasurable than the remembered last bottles of my first-release cache. Drink or hold.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/19/2015 - Sheila62 Likes this wine:
My purchase notes indicate that this is from the 2nd disgorgement from 2009. Agree with French 16 that there is not a lot of effervescence. However the acidity and the overall balance of the wine is impeccable. The fruit is classic Chenin from the Loire. Just a great bottle of wine. Excellent
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/27/2014 - french16 wrote:
Not a lot of effervescence, baked apple, brioche notes. Very delicious and rich but with a good enough acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/12/2014 - 14frimaire wrote:
Lovely. Pristine. Ten years too soon
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/5/2014 - DaleW wrote:
I was a little worried as there was scarcely a burp as I opened (not premox but flat?) but no, normal amount of bubbles, and actually a charming wine. Apple fruit with cinnamon and spice, a definite citrus zest note, just a hint of yeast roll. Good, chalky, full, and fun. B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/31/2014 - fitzi wrote:
Second release. Dry and sour on opening, but no sign of early oxidation. With air, some flesh manifests itself upon the boney structure, and the wine is very good, in a high-acid, low-pettilance, intense kind of way. I don't see imminent danger of this wine aging too quickly, but be patient when opening it, or decant it a while.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/28/2014 - 14frimaire wrote:
Moderately poxed
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2014 - manonthemoon wrote: flawed
Premoxed and tired.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2014 - isaacjamesbaker wrote:
Brett's B-Day Bash: Damn. Prematurely oxidized. Smells and tastes like old apple slices.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2014 - fitzi wrote:
Have opened several bottles recently, mostly first release: two corked, but none prematurely oxidized. The wine is very good, tangy, tart, fascinating, with modest petillance but great acidity and good complexity. Excellent with fish and chicken dishes.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2014 - 5laton wrote: flawed
Hideously corked.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/8/2014 - jmht wrote: 91 Points
Lemon, lanolin, camomile tea, honeysuckle, more of a wine with light bubbles than a sparkler.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/18/2014 - fitzi wrote:
Very good. Petillance is modest now and mostly gone the second day, but the wine is still delicious and fresh with prominent Chenin acidy tang, pairing especially well with cheesy or slightly fatty fare.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2013 - manonthemoon wrote: 90 Points
Took to a Thanksgiving Day dinner.
more fresh than my last bottle, went very well and had more nuttiness.
Very solid bottle of vino
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/1/2013 - DaleW wrote:
No premOx here, very fresh. ,Apples and lemon zest, baked bread, soft petillance, good length. A-/B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/8/2013 - salil wrote: 93 Points
Such a great showing, more intense effervescence than I recall from previous bottles, and a vivid stony mineral base beneath layers of bright quince, pear and citrus fruit and gentle wooly and nutty elements. So light on its feet with the barest hint of sweetness, and fantastic acidity keeping it very vibrant and precise, all too easy to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
7/28/2013 - jsherdc Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very few bubbles. Advanced chenin characteristics (wool). Mild oxidation. Much better with food than alone. day 1:89
Tried again a few days later and it had improved! Score Upgraded to 90.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/30/2013 - 14frimaire wrote:
I think this is known as the Réserve in the U.S. The cork came out too easily; but the fill was fine and so was the wine. It had maybe a little less fizz than it should, which was the only (very slight) sign of anything amiss. The wine was still young, fresh, deep, and beautiful. The scenery was pretty good, too, looking out at le Ventoux. Not bad for 11.50 Euros.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/19/2013 - Neecies wrote: flawed
Dorks 6/18/13. Brian's bottle. Musty nose, wet dog, applesauce and raw green cabbage. Bubbles lack persistence, seems older and a little tired. Good but not the showing we expected. I see notes re rapid aging--well, this was one!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/2/2013 - fitzi wrote:
First release bottle: wanted to try another because of notes describing rapid aging. The Petillance is much diminished, true, but the flavors are very good, I find: still bready, slightly yeasty, a touch of caramel (good), Excellent, refreshing acidity. No oxidative notes. Accompanied a thrown together paella nearly to perfection. So the wine's character is changing, but imho it remains first-class.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/1/2013 - ledwards wrote: 85 Points
Straw yellow in color. Bottle seems to be oxidizing or aging quicker than hoped. Bitter finish, bubbles very limited, vibrancy gone. Hope it was a bottle issue as I love this wine as a cool tool in my Champagne kit...
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/19/2013 - DaleW wrote:
I opened this to check on reports of some advanced bottles. Not here! There’s a light note that could be a bit oxidative dancing around, but it doesn’t actually strike me as advanced at all- just a wooliness that is Chenin in all its funkiness. Pretty apple fruit, toast, lemon zest, good acids, long, retaste following night is fine. A-/B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/17/2013 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 89 Points
Brett's Birthday Tasting - 2013 (Weygandt Wines - Washington, D.C.): Aromas of white tea, green melon, salt and nougat. Brisk acid and minerals all over the place, I like the quince, lemon and honeycomb flavors, although they do taste like they're waning. A delicious wine, but this bottle seemed to be tiring a bit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/16/2013 - manonthemoon wrote: 88 Points
N honey, lemon, yeast, nuttiness
P almond, yeast, citrus, honey
F average light on the vigor and cut
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/16/2013 - Rob and Meg wrote: 87 Points
Brett's Birthday (Weygandt Wines - Washington, DC): Very loire chenin nose of caramel apples, roasted nuts, spice, and toffee. There is a fine bead to the palate of oxidative orchard fruits, backed by asian spice and lemon citrus acidity. Good, but it felt a bit tired. Drink. 87
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/15/2013 - Chris Newport wrote:
Needed some time in the glass to open up, but when it did… wow. Probably the best non-champagne sparkling wine I’ve had. A little but of effervescence in the glass, but certainly less than a normal sparkling wine, as you would expect with the petillant style. (More than I remember from the last bottle.)Continuing to show signs of development, with more of the apricot/savoury type flavors mixing in with the brighter fruits, but this still has a lot of acidic structure. If this is a representative bottle, this wine has years of positive development left. Not sure what to make with the bottle variation I’ve encountered with these regular Petillant bottlings… the last bottle seemed completely ready to drink, whereas this bottle, while great now, seems as if it has a lot of improvement yet to come. Drink now or hold, a tough call.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2013 - Keith Levenberg wrote:
First-release bottle, and not doing nearly as well right now as the second releases have been - this one just seemed kinda dull and flat, losing its effervescence but also losing its luster otherwise.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/24/2013 - salil wrote: 91 Points
Leo's Blind Tasting Group - March '13 edition (Hearth, NYC): Rather delicate and understated with fresh citrus, pear and quince fruit accented by mineral and yeasty notes with a gentle but persistent bead. There's just a faint hint of sweetness here, bright acids that keep it quite fresh and it's very nice, though still very youthful and rather undeveloped.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/24/2013 - WarnerNL wrote: 89 Points
Taste very good, explicit chenin blanc, not so much bubbles anymore
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/24/2013 - WarnerNL wrote: 89 Points
Taste ver good, explicit chenin blanc, not so much bubbles anymore
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/17/2013 - fitzi wrote:
The annual bottle on our son's birthday. Petillance is fading; mild oxidative flavor at first. Then rather refined, mellow, well-integrated Chinon fizz, with ample character, a bit of yeast, neat complexity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2012 - marc d Likes this wine:
So very good, honey, a little smoke, quince and apple fruit, dry, minerals galore. Best bottle yet of the 02.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2012 - jmht wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful as always, bubbles losing oomph, and now the wine is more apparent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/23/2012 - Rieslingfan wrote: 92 Points
First release bottle. It's still very young and fresh, though a little toastiness is starting to develop. Still plenty of fruit. Delicious and very easy to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2012 - salil wrote: 91 Points
Very pretty, though this still feels incredibly youthful and fresh. Bright quince, apple and citrus fruit tinged with gentle yeasty and mineral notes; elegant, lively and refreshing, and a glass disappears all too quickly.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/8/2012 - jmht wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful as always, more wine than bubbly now, petillance is fading but minerals and vinous quality of chinon sparkles and shines.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/31/2012 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 97 Points
So full of happy-happy-joy-joy the temptation is to slurp it down fast enough to get brain freeze. It's starting to show some deeper colors to the fruit complexion (as well as some flintiness) but it's no less vivid and edgy than it ever was. And it's held its effervescence, feels nearly as bubbly as a Champagne. Second-release bottle, sadly my last of those, hope the first release performs at the same level.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/12/2012 - fitzi wrote:
Drinking nicely with a bit of air. Don't drink too cold. Bubbles slinking off into the background, a hint of bitterness on the finish contributes to the wine's complexity and character.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/15/2012 - bpj87 wrote: 92 Points
Bacchanal at St. Chauncy; 1/15/2012-1/16/2012 (Cambridge, MA): Nuts, almonds, rather expansive membranous viscosity, sliding with shear forces and locking on with magnets, breaking through with tantalizing acidity, this wine is imposing yet fresh and springy and shines silver and gold. One recalls a meadow in the summer. A vast spine supports this delightful not-quite champagne. 92+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/8/2012 - mdavis wrote:
Great vintage of this -
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/7/2012 - pbaek wrote:
Great bottle. Green fruit, apple and pear, soft and smooth with a nice mineral touch. Drinking well now, but will keep.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2011 - Faryan wrote: 91 Points
Another great showing of this wine. Paired with briney and sweet oysters, it did well but perhaps not as well as a strict brut from champagne. Lovely supple notes of pear, quince and honeycomb. It lacks some of the effervescenes of traditional champagne but that's to be expected from a loire petillant. Crisp on the palate with great acidity. The wine will continue to get better.
I find it served best a touch on the warm side (privdes a lot more complexity on the nose).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/15/2011 - Rossodio Likes this wine: 91 Points
Old World Versus New World, and a Birthday Celebration (Ross's Condo, New Orleans): As usual, this petillant Chenin Blanc from Huet drank wonderfully, with green apple and pear notes and a very lightly honeyed finish. Should age very nicely in the cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/15/2011 - Chris Newport wrote:
Oh wow, so much different than the last bottle 9 months ago. Both from the 2nd release (not the reserve bottling). Darker golden in color, with just slight hints of spritz, almost leaning towards a still wine. Nice acidic spine, with noticeable secondary elements starting to creep onto the palate. Kind of amazed at how much this has advanced since release. Not sure if this is normal?? But if it is, start drinking these now. Fantastic bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/5/2011 - bg2167 wrote: 87 Points
A little funk, a lot of flint and tons of rocks.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/4/2011 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 94 Points
Another great showing from the second release. Funky and flinty and with a more aggressive fizz than I remember. Still fresh and bright, ought to have many, many years ahead of it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/11/2011 - DaleW wrote:
I'm not good enough at organizing cellar to know whether this was first or second release, they're all mixed up now. Despite rumors of closing this bottle showed beautfully. Apple cobbler, dough, a little orange zest, soft petillance, very fine mousse, good acids. A-/B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/30/2011 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 90 Points
Loire Wine Dinner; 7/29/2011-7/30/2011 (Ripple - Cleveland Park - Washington, DC): this sparkling vouvray was a great way to start the evening. gorgeous nose of nougat and lemons. linear palate, great acid and weight. chalky mouthfeel with lush white peach flavors. long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/29/2011 - manonthemoon wrote: 89 Points
Loire Wine for Summer and Tooch; 7/29/2011-8/2/2011 (Ripple, Washington, DC): Really nice sparkling wine. Citrus and yeast and a little nuttiness on the nose. Little more nuttiness on the palate than on the nose. Solid option for the price.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/29/2011 - tooch wrote: 91 Points
Friday Night Loire Dinner (Ripple - Cleveland Park, Washington, D.C.): Really enjoyed the minerality on the palate - almost like liquid chalk. The stoniness combined nicely with lush, but fresh chenin fruit. Thought the balance was very impressive - and as a side note, enjoyed this more at a warmer temperature (we chilled it down after the first pour but it seemed to lose its personality at a lower temperature).
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/16/2011 - salil wrote: 91 Points
Really lovely; fresh Chenin fruit combined with a savoury doughiness and toasty elements in a seamless, understated package that conveys flavour with a remarkable lightness of touch. Still very youthful, I'll keep my hands off others for some time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/7/2011 - BradKNYC wrote:
An impromptu dinner at Christine's with Suzanne, Kate and Jay. (Christine's): Showing more open than previous bottles and drinking very nicely. The usual quince and mineral with a fine bead. Crisp and lively with good length. Always a nice way to kick things off. B+/A-.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/7/2011 - jmht wrote: 91 Points
Fantastic nose of lemon, honeysuckle, quinine, palate that does not disappoint, more wine with bubbles than bubbly, but what a wine with bubbles... lemon, chenin minerality (quinine, lanolin). Beautiful.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/14/2011 - brooklynguy wrote: flawed
corked.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/9/2011 - rrdoucet wrote:
Second time I had this. Let me down this time. Flat. However, amazing Chenin blanc fruit. Still well worth drinking despite the lack of bubbles.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/14/2011 - fitzi wrote:
Texturally nice on opening, but hard and bitter tasting. Needs a decant, then shows some flattering roundness and biscuity richness. Nice, but still young, I'd guess.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/22/2011 - the godfather wrote:
I think there was a hint of corkiness, but clearly nice stuff
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/7/2011 - chayward wrote: 90 Points
Excellent, complex nose: citrus, apple cider, yeast, mustiness. Intense palate, with a slight (definitely not cloying) sweetness. Fine bubbles. Medium finish. This is a really nice sparkler that compares well to much more expensive Champagnes. 90+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2010 - Rossodio wrote: 91 Points
91 points now, with plenty of potential. This wine is a bit thin when opened but after about an hour of air it really struts its stuff. Imagine a dry chenin blanc with a bit of frizzante and a wonderful complexity -- that is what this is. Apples, citrus, god acidity, light on its feet with minerality but simultaneously rich. Enjoy now or over what I'd imagine would be the next 20-30 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/25/2010 - J @ y H @ c k wrote: 90 Points
A bubbly starter to Thanksgiving dinner. No real sweetness but not aggressively dry either. There was white fruit, non-orange citrus, and spiciness. There was none of the yeasty brioche you get in chardonnay-based champagne. There was also a characteristic additonal flavor that you get in Vouvray, whether sweet or dry, that I cannot describe. The wine definitely, and gladly, lacked the bitterness I often get with extra-brut champagne. This had better balance of fruit, giving it a bit of apparent sweetness on the palate without any real sugar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/1/2010 - CTuttle wrote: 93 Points
Nose of wet stones and lemons. Small, diffuse bubbles. Fruit bursts on the palate with a nice, complementary acidity. One of the few wines I'm ready to drink again right away. Fantastic!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/28/2010 - MRichman wrote:
Bright, creamy with a long lemony finish. Tiny, explosive bubbles. Yeasty. Hint of sweetness that is really nice, I prefer it to the stiff dryness of Champagne. Refreshing. Asa's favorite wine.
B/B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/8/2010 - dke wrote: 90 Points
Very nice wine. Lemon, apple and minerals on the nose with little bit of apricot pit and funk. On the palate this is nice and rich with lots of citrus, apricots and hint of honey and minerals with small bubbles. Excellent acidity, ultra dry and long finish. Really nice wine good on its own but really shinned with food. Did not let it open up too much but it was good on pop-and-pour. 90-91
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/11/2010 - 5laton wrote:
This is the 2nd disgorgement. Very nice, with deep, sweet fruit, fine richness and some toasty wool notes. Relatively scant perlage. still a mark below the 1st disgorgement for now, but this seems more generous than 6 months ago.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/7/2010 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 95 Points
From the second release, which on the basis of this may finally be coming into its own after seriously lagging behind the way the original release showed for awhile. This comes across almost aggressively dry which leads to some austerity from a structural perspective, but in terms of flavor this is positively explosive - glorious bracing chenin fruit spackled with a toastiness that seems both mealy and coffee-like. I can't believe how much more expressive this has gotten in so short a time. Like my last bottle, though, the fizz is significantly softer than a Champagne - opens with more of a puff than a pop but still has a nice enough screech on the palate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/10/2010 - BillB656 Likes this wine:
Love it! The first day it was a bit round but full of juicy fruit with the minerality and acidity hidden in the background. On day 2 this jumps alive with lemon acidity. It's just so bright and vibrant. Lots of life. Drink and hold.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/6/2010 - mdavis wrote:
2nd bottling. While this is a little less brisk with less noticable acidity than the first, it's incredibly complex for what it is. Perhaps its a little round...and it could be more edgy, but it really is enjoyable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/16/2010 - salil wrote: 91 Points
Lovely; subtle and understated with gentle apple and yellow fruits, faintly nutty and yeasty with richness and a sense of real lightness and elegance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/15/2010 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Much too easy to drink. Gentle mousse, plenty of fruit and a nice kick of finishing acidity. Very young right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/15/2010 - Milhous wrote:
such interesting stuff. sharpness mellows after 30 min of air. Great ringer at a young champagne tasting
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2010 - mdavis wrote:
Forgot to mention, there is definitely some residual RS in the 2nd bottling...I'd guess 15-30 grams ish.....definitely NOT brut naturale.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2010 - mdavis wrote:
Spectacular wine for the $...carmel and lots of gras/viscosity....like a grand cru burg...good mouthfeel...the perception is that this is pure hedonistic goodness and doesn't really have the edgyness I want or even perceived acidity, but it was so long and so round and just do damn good for the $ that I will overlook the slight bit of flab...this was the 2nd bottling, as you might imagine from the description...I think the 1st had a bit more cut.....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/16/2010 - Paul Lin wrote: flawed
Blind Bubble Bash (Cohen residence - Irvine, CA): Curious synthetic/chemical nose. Unpleasant on the palate.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2010 - Old_Winyards wrote:
Nicely made. Mineral driven, some honeycrisp apple, but even a bit austere presently.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/5/2010 - rc@ughey wrote: 92 Points
Rocks and fruit here. This elegant sparkler shows rich Chenin fruit but the real star here is the minerality. An initial burst of sour apples and frozen berries dissolves quickly on the palate into a granular attack of chalk and slate. Vigorous and refreshing. Probably the best alternative to Champagne I've found yet.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/28/2010 - brooklynguy wrote:
very woolly, incredibly pure and fresh, some salty minerals, a great showing. texture is silk.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/21/2010 - marc d wrote:
From the latest release. Good bottle, expressive, minerals more than fruit, slightly off dry. Easy to drink.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/13/2010 - drwine2001 wrote:
Three Organic French Producers-Gresser, Careme, and Janin (Terroir, San Francisco): Light, minimal effervescence. Off dry, excellent acidity, and very long, rock-laden finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/12/2010 - TimOn12 wrote: 95 Points
This wine is amazing - and for the price, unbeatable i think. my 2nd and last bottle and i so wish i had more. fresh apples on buttered toast!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/6/2010 - christyler wrote: 90 Points
I was surprised by this. Very yeasty, funky, and old world. Maybe a little mustiness as well. Went nicely with food - was interesting to try a sparkly, biodynamic, CB. There's just the slightest touch of honey on the nose, but it doesn't really extend to the pallet. Very interesting and good, but not sure I would buy again. Would be interesting to have some more age on this.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2010 - amgryger wrote:
Beautiful nose of yeasty, toasty bread, winesap apples, peaches, and tropical fruit. Same notes on the palate. Really, really fine bubbles. High acidity, long finish. Lovely. I plan on getting some more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/28/2010 - CADomer wrote: 90 Points
I very much enjoyed this rich golden colored sparkler. Orchard fruits with plentiful on the nose with Fugi apple especially prominent. The palate had a nice chalky minerality to it, elements of saline, and tasty ripe apple. This went wonderfully with sushi, as I had hoped.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/8/2010 - CSteefel wrote: 91 Points
Golden yellow color in color. Aromas of chalk and orchard fruit dominate the nose, with a fainter yeast note. On the palate, finely beaded and vigorous, with sour red apple flavors providing counterpoint to the palpable chalky character that carries through from the nose. The dry extract of the chalk lingers on the palate for minutes. A very distinctive and original rendition of a sparkling wine, with a trace of crisp fruit sweetness emerging only on the chalky finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2010 - Chris Newport wrote:
From the second release... I must say I have to agree with Keith L.'s note. A good bottle of wine, but I was expecting more. This definitely improved over the evening, would be wise to give this wine some air. Some signs of secondary development, particularly on the nose but it still seems very, very young with the apples and acidity dominating. I have high hopes for this, there is a lot going on here but I am am going to wait a few more years before trying the next bottle.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2009 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 89 Points
From the second release batch. Less advanced than the first release in its flavor development, this is all youthful chenin fruit. But at the same time it seems a little more advanced in its mousse - the fizz here is much calmer and flatter. A very nice sparkler but not the Champagne-killer that my last bottle from the first release was - hope the other bottles show a little more. The leftovers the next day showed much deeper, advanced fruit but had lost almost all the fizz.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/29/2009 - LoireFan wrote: 91 Points
Maybe 92. Best Loire sparkling wine I've had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2009 - ylkim30 wrote:
Lots of quince, apple, and pear on the nose. The palate is quite malic with a spine of fine acidity running through it. Resolutely tart, salty, and dry, it does have a curious bitterness on the finish, probably as a result of the carbonation, which makes it quite interesting. Wish I bought more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2009 - 14frimaire wrote:
An original release, this was singing. In a really lovely place, showing nice development already.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/6/2009 - BradKNYC wrote:
Labor Day weekend chez Brad. (My place.): I'm not a big fan of Champagne and, in general, sparkling wines, but I do like sparkling Vouvray and Huet is the head of the class. I've had this wine eight or more times now and it never fails to impress. It's got tremendous depth and length while staying taut, racy and precise. Dry, with apple and slightly briny mineral flavors dominating, though yellow fruit and flowers join in the chorus. Just an invigorating petillant and my favorite after the '95. Solid A-.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/23/2009 - bubbachumps wrote: 91 Points
A nice alternative to champagne. A fruitier nose and less bubbles, but still a quality wine. Lacks the finesse and backbone of a vintage champagne.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/3/2009 - BillB656 wrote:
Developed a bit past the primary appley stage but still incredibly tight and focused on opening. Fine but lively bubbles, crisp and clean, slowly opens to a pleasant touch of honey and wool, lots and lots of minerals, and very long. No rush opening this one.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/14/2009 - marc d wrote:
Lovely smoky note on opening, then more typical chenin flavors with honeyed nose, but crisp, lean and dry in the mouth.
Top notch sparkler, great with sushi rolls.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2009 - pbaek wrote:
This is a stunning sparkler. Light golden yellow color. Green apple, maybe just the slightest hint of orange peel combined with a piercing minerality. Great purity here. A must buy at just below $30.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/8/2009 - Kirk Grant wrote: 89 Points
Showing an onion skin hue in the glass with a fine mousse and hints of green apples and minerals on the nose, this was a pleasure to taste. In the mouth there was brisk acidity followed by lingering flavors of freshly sliced apples, good minerality, and a lingering citrus note.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/25/2009 - 5laton wrote:
Wonderful as (nearly) always, tried a 4 hour decant this time and thought it worked well. When this is on it's hard to imagine a wine I'm happier drinking.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/24/2009 - BradKNYC wrote: flawed
In which Sharon Bowman cooks dinner for me: Huet, Palmer, Montevertine & more. (My place.): What the? Supposed Chenin Blanc hater Sharon brought this? I guess her reasoning was it's dry and has bubbles, something Ms. Bowman is particularly keen on. Yet, the wine Gods are keenly aware of her deepest feelings about Chenin and sent the dark angel of cork to lay waste to the bottle. NR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/18/2009 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 96 Points
A year or two ago this was good. Now it's great. The pure apply fruit is now augmented by an incredible mineral depth crackling with metal shavings. Trumps most Champagne in complexity and in its piercing acuity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/22/2009 - DaleW wrote:
Lovely bubbly with yeast, honey and citrus flavors. Comparatively full, bright acids, long, minerally. This is infanticide but it's fun anyway. A-
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2009 - Aaron Finkel wrote: 94 Points
This is by far the best sparkling wine I've ever had made outsite of champagne. It reminds me of a glimmering vintage bottling from a small chardonnay-based house like Vilmart.
I drank this over two nights, and for the most part it got better as each hour passed.
The bubbles are small and a little less numerous than in champagne. Bright yellow/gold in color, with an immediately inviting nose of grilled nuts and a touch of toast. The nose grew more doughy and rich with a touch of vanilla and cinnamon as the evening wore on.
In the mouth it has bright acidity with this focused wine with apple and citrus (tangerine?) backed up by sweet doughy bread. The finish is long with the acidity carrying the high-notes along for a ride. Really brilliant stuff and with champagne costing what it does, a total steal.
I suspect based on the acidity and structure that it should age very nicely for at the very least another decade+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/16/2009 - br wrote:
nice, bright, bits of biscuits with citris. good depth and plenty of acidity. great value and much more complete than other bubbles in the price range. tastes better than many Champers I've tasted in the $50-60 range. nicely balanced and deliciously dry.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/7/2009 - TheFoodieTraveler wrote: 90 Points
very nice - was worried it was going to be too sweet but no. Good pairing with ceviche, typically a hard dish to pair with.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/9/2009 - drwine2001 wrote:
Medium yellow with some amber. Yeast and apple on the nose. Crisp, excellent acidity, but prominent oxidative notes as well. Good but more advanced than I expected.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2008 - bajayngo wrote: 91 Points
Wish I had taken some detailed notes on this as I really enjoyed it and there was a lot going on. Unfortunately I didn't.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/5/2008 - Wicker Parker wrote:
An uncommon wine of uncommon beauty. The aroma reminds me of mustard seeds sauteed in clarified butter, along with deep honey wax and spiced apples. The mousse is fine and luscious, perfectly counteracting the precise acidity. An astonishing depth unfolds over the long finish: the round texture gives way first to very subtle bready notes and then to salty minerals, zingy ginger, and at its core, a platonic ideal of green apple.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/17/2008 - 5laton wrote: 92 Points
Initially a rather sulfury nose, which took some time to blow off. Waxy, very gentle autolytic aromatics, with pleasing, refreshing lemony green apple, lanolin and salty mineral flavors on the palate. Somewhat scant bubbles, which dissipate sooner than expected. Surprisingly dry, with intense, razorlike acidity. Broadly textured, with richness and depth that deepen with exposure to air; don't drink this one too cold. This is a simply gorgeous Vouvray sec that happens to have bubbles. While impressive now it feels tight and painfully young; only slight evolution was apparent over three nights. Need to restock as I can't wait to see how this develops over the next ten to fifteen years. So glad to finally taste an "on" bottle of this. (Purchased at Terroir Wine Merchant)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/25/2008 - Cheryl wrote:
Bordeaux, CA Pinot and Couple of Others (PDH, New York City): I learned that petillant means "bubbly" but there were no bubbles here. I'll never understand these French wines. :) Acidic, clean, light, bright yellow in color. Not totally lacking fruit. Okay, but not repeat for me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/5/2008 - tonyvelebil wrote: 87 Points
97 Voge Vielles Fontaines, 01 Texier Brezeme Vielles Vignes, Dashe, 02 Huet (Oakland, CA): This opened to accompany heirloom tomato, mozzarella, basil, olive oil. A terrific bargain of a sparkler, very crisp with lime, a hint of strawberry, minerals, and a touch of honey. Lots of acidity with a shortish finish. I believe this was about $17 or so and is terrific if you want some simple bubbles.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/4/2008 - kris.h wrote: 88 Points
Apple, citrus, melon, and orange blossom on the nose. The palate is tangy, zippy, and vibrant. Clean finish with some citrus that is a little short. Paired nicely with Hamachi Crudo and Duck Prosciutto.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/28/2008 - jmht wrote: 91 Points
Outstanding nose of honey and lemon zest, palate of lemon, chestnut, dried honey, minerals, great balance, fine bead.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/22/2008 - 14frimaire wrote:
Aaaarggghhh, the family opened it for only a glass or two without me and then left it. Shockingly good on day three open, just left in the bottle. Still had some fizz.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/7/2008 - 5laton wrote: flawed
Ripe and soft, almost caramel-y, with no backbone. Definitely not right. (Purchased at San Francisco Wine Trading Company)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/7/2008 - brooklynguy wrote: 92 Points
best sparkling wine from Vouvray that i've ever had, period. best sparkling wine that isn't champagne that i've ever had, period. gorgeous nose of apple and flowers, very rich and energetic. as broad and mouth filling as a champs, the same reach and cut on the palate, the same intensity. a chalky mineral sensation too, but underneath everything. just delicious wine, a real winner.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/24/2008 - Junior wrote:
Thoroughly delicious. Setting may mean something: We drank this outside, in the cool of a lovely late spring DC evening watching the four-year-old girl dance in the setting sun after her own birthday party. Some Champagnes are better at this price, but not many. But don't spend too much time on the Champagne comparison. This is Chenin, Vouvray with sparkly bangles, all minerality and light lemony goodness. The nose is lively, yeasty, nutty with hints of spice and apples. Drink, wait, whatever. It's good. It was the perfect end to a long, wonderful day. Oh, and it went quite well with a late dinner of spicy bean soup.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/16/2008 - burningstarIV wrote: 90 Points
50+4+12+17+7=89
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2007 - burningstarIV wrote:
50+4+12+16+7=89
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/16/2007 - DaleW wrote:
One of my offerings, this was young and a bit tight, but showing lots of potential. A-/B+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2007 - bevetroppo wrote: 89 Points
A lovely surprise of sorts. There was a fine stream of small bubbles. Nose of chalk with faint pleasant citrus overtones. Bone dry, minerally, again just the lightest kiss of fruit which seemed to gain depth as it got a little warmer. Seemed a tad expensive in the store compared to comparably priced Champagne, but not at all once the bottle was quickly drained.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/9/2007 - BradKNYC wrote:
Huet fete part III: Schildknecht comes to town. (Dougherty's.): My first go at this recent release. Shows nice freshness and intensity with beautifully earthy mineral, yellow fruit and gingerbread flavors and aromas. Wonderful cut and focus with the slightly sharp edges balanced nicely by the fruit. Deep and refreshing with more there than I'm letting on. Probably my favorite Petillant since the '95 and given how well the next wine showed, it will almost certainly age better than I will. Solid A-.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/4/2007 - Spencer wrote: 89 Points
Crisp, balanced, lively. Very nice sparkling wine and a decent value.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/4/2007 - Gregory Dal Piaz wrote: 88 Points
Dinner on the Lower east side; 10/4/2007-10/6/2007: A nice start to the evening with it's sheepskin and chalk nose, fine mousse but quite energetic in the mouth, lightly lemon curd and sublte walnutty with good focus and a long citrus finish. Revisited later in the evening showed better with the gentler fizz and offered a more enveloping mouthfeel but still young and tight.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/24/2007 - 14frimaire wrote:
I have more Huet than any other producer and think they have long been undervalued. That said, this is a rip-off. Instead of a case, I'm standing pat with this lone bottle. Yes, it's quite good -- certainly miles better than the last release in 2000 -- but not better than a nice 1er Cru from Champagne.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment