Le Mont Moelleux 1ère Trie 2022

A nobly sweet Vouvray of fine, elegant, almost delicate character. It opens with broom and jasmine, apple blossom, ash and stone, then reveals fresh and ripe stone fruit with its skin, grapefruit and kumquat with their zest, and finally nuts, tobacco and herbs. With air, the dark, spicy, stony side emerges beneath the fragrant surface.

Le Mont lies east of the estate on the first plateau of Vouvray, the Première Côte, facing south and sitting directly above the historic tuffeau cellars. Already mentioned in the 15th century, the nine hectares have been solely owned by Domaine Huet since 1957, when they were acquired by Gaston Huet. The topsoil, several metres deep, consists of gravelly flint, at places as large as a fist and known locally as perron, set in deep green clay over Turonian tuffeau limestone.

Pure Chenin Blanc. Harvest began on 8 September 2022, the second-earliest date in the estate's history, and lasted six weeks, as heat and drought had caused the grapes to ripen very unevenly. 24 pickers sorted through numerous passes, pressing was gentle, fermentation spontaneous; malolactic fermentation remained the exception in a handful of barrels. Ageing took place in used demi-muids. 11.5% ABV, 100 g/l residual sugar.

Full and intense, with dense fruit poised between sweet and tart, tightly woven, spicy, juicy and smoky, yet never heavy. Rather than driven by forceful acidity, it is carried by a sparkling minerality. Already harmonious now, it is built to develop over decades.

Braised turbot with potatoes and mushrooms in Vouvray and cream, tandoori swordfish steaks or veal fillet with morel cream sauce.

The Moelleux 1ère Trie is made only in exceptional years, since the weather decides whether botrytis develops. Gaston Huet introduced biodynamic farming in the late 1980s, and the entire estate has been Demeter-certified since 1993. Since 2020, the wines have been overseen by Benjamin Joliveau, a native of Vouvray.