2012 Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut-Lieu Sec

Domaine Huet is one of Vouvray’s most venerable producers, and its Chenin Blanc is, year in and year out, a gold standard for the appellation. Older wines from this domaine are also found under the label Gaston Huet and S.A. Huet. The estate was founded in 1928 by Victor Huet, a Parisian restaurateur whose fragile health prompted him to leave Paris for the life of a country vigneron. His son Gaston carried on the legacy for more than 55 years, expanding the estate and fine tuning the estate’s unmistakable style. Gaston’s son-in-law Noel Pinguet joined the business in 1971. Together the men shifted the 95-acre estate to biodynamic farming in the 1980s and earned international acclaim for their wines. Gaston died in 2002 and Pinguet took over estate management in tandem with an American business partner, Anthony Hwang. Today the estate is run by Jean-Bernard Berthomé and the Hwang family. The domaine’s various Vouvrays are widely admired. Wine Advocate has noted that “Domaine Huet in Vouvray is one of the few world class producers in the Loire Valley.”

Vouvray is on the right bank of the Loire River, in one of the most picturesque and photographed regions of France. It is close to the city of Tours and the many famous châteaux of the Loire Valley. The appellation takes its name from the commune of Vouvray and it was awarded appellation d’origine contrôlée status in 1936. The 5,000 vineyard acres within the appellation are almost exclusively planted to Chenin Blanc, though the white grape Arbois is permitted. The Chenin Blanc wines of Vouvray are noted for their naturally high acidity, and the wines can be made in a variety of styles from dry to sweet, and sparkling wines are also allowed. The wines are also notable for their ability to age. Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley’s finest producers are highly prized by wine enthusiasts with a taste for distinctive whites.

This light-bodied white wine grape has zest and versatility depending on its style. It is grown extensively in South Africa, where wineries produce dry wines. Traditional French Chenin Blancs are sweet. It is closest to Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc.