Reviews

The Wine Advocate 93/100

Delicate, vibrant aromas of pear and white peach mingled with spring blossoms introduce the 2024 Vouvray Le Mont Sec. Medium- to full-bodied, it is both dense and lively, built around a fleshy core of fruit, bright acidity and a slightly incisive texture that carries through to a long, ethereal and finely saline finish. Purer and more mineral than Clos du Bourg, this is a crystalline expression of Vouvray—even within the framework of this challenging vintage. Residual sugar: 7.5 grams per liter. Visiting Vouvray without a stop at Domaine Huet—or at least a walk through its vineyards—is unthinkable. Established in 1928, the estate has long stood as one of the Loire’s benchmarks. After the death of Gaston Huet, who also served as Vouvray’s long-time mayor, the domaine was purchased in 2003 by Anthony Hwang. Until 2012, it was managed by Huet’s son-in-law, Noël Pinguet, who introduced biodynamics in the late 1980s and secured certification in 1993—making Huet a pioneer of the practice in the Loire Valley. Since 2012, Sarah Hwang, Anthony’s daughter, has led the estate alongside winemaker Benjamin Joliveau. Viticulture here remains anchored in biodynamics. Soils are meticulously tended, with close attention to achieving proper ripeness rather than chasing sugar or alcohol. “Alcohol level is inconsequential,” notes Sarah Hwang. “What we seek is true ripeness to express the terroirs.” That philosophy guides the domaine’s style: Chenin vinified without intrusive oak or artifice, with the character of the sites determining whether the result is sec, demi-sec, moelleux or sparkling. The portfolio revolves around three celebrated lieux-dits. Le Haut-Lieu, the domaine’s original holding, first acquired in 1928, has grown from 5.5 to nearly 15 hectares. Its deep clay soils on the plateau yield supple, approachable wines. Clos du Bourg, on clay over limestone, produces more incisive, structured expressions, with weight and freshness in equal measure. Le Mont, a nine-hectare parcel rich in flint, delivers the most introverted wines in youth—taut, sometimes austere, but capable of remarkable depth and longevity with age. The 2024 vintage tested even the most experienced growers. Cool, unsettled weather created significant mildew pressure, while coulure marred flowering. At Huet, Sarah Hwang responded with shorter élevage in neutral barrels and no lees contact, a decision designed to preserve balance. The resulting wines emphasize brisk acidity, cushioned by seven to eight grams per liter of residual sugar—achieving a softer, more harmonious profile than the growing season might have suggested. Domaine Huet remains a pillar of Vouvray and a touchstone for Chenin Blanc worldwide, a domaine where viticulture, philosophy and place converge in bottles of extraordinary clarity and longevity.