New Release Huet Vouvray, Mostly 2016

• 2013 Domaine Huet Vouvray Pétillant Brut

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray Pétillant

  Light, moderate froth. Cidery nose, medium weight, off dry, clean, bright apple fruit, excellent acidity, and a touch of brioche. I can't recall enjoying Huet's basic sparkler as much as this one. Delightful.

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• 2009 Domaine Huet Vouvray Pétillant Réserve Brut

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray Pétillant

  Deeper color and lower pitched pear than the '13 Petillant. Less lively as well. Off dry entry, medium weight, then soil filled finish. Although I don't know the origin of the grapes for this cuvée, the structure and earthiness make me think of Clos du Bourg. Honestly, tonight I preferred the freshness and directness of the younger, less expensive wine, but this would probably show better with food.

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• 2016 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Haut-Lieu

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray

  Not much in the way of aromatics. Something is missing in the concentration and texture too. Much more earth than fruit. Good acidity, not austere, just dilute and not that interesting.

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• 2016 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Mont

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray

  More fruit driven than the Haut Lieu with typical pear. This feels more complete and has a layer of Chenin Blanc glycerine that its stablemate does not, but again, the concentration and definition of fruit do not wow you.

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• 2016 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Clos du Bourg

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray

  About the same weight as Le Mont and fruit that is very much in the pear register. Perhaps slightly higher acidity made it more backward than the 2 other Secs. More of a synthesis of front end fruit and back end soil than the more fruit-driven Le Mont.

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• 2016 Domaine Huet Vouvray Demi-Sec Clos du Bourg

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray

  While the weight and feel of this were not terribly different than the Clos du Bourg Sec, its lowish amount of residual sugar did make the balance better. I still don't see this reaching the same level that this bottling can achieve in vintages such as 2002, 2005, and 2015. It is just missing a little snap and excitement.

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• 2016 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux 1ère Trie Clos du Bourg

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray

  Of course, the deepest color of the bunch. Some orange and quince on the nose without much botrytis. It is a bit more honeyed in the mouth with moderate sweetness and a little honey. Very elegant and light for a 1ère Trie wine. Excellent acidity, persistent finish.

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Granted, these wines had just landed on the west coast, and there is always the possibility that they will show much differently (and better) in a few months, but I did not love these wines tonight. In most of them, acidity seemed average, and the concentration and mouth feel less than what I would expect. The Clos du Bourg 1ère Trie was the best of the bunch but doesn't strike me as one for the ages. If my impressions turn out to be accurate, amongst recent vintages, 2014 and 2015 might be better bets, the former in a more classic mold, the latter for its richness and power.