Just east of Tours, on the right bank of the Loire, lies the plateau of Vouvray. Here Chenin Blanc is carefully cultivated in fields of ancient stone and crafted into some of the finest white wines on the planet.
The Domaine was an early adopter of biodynamics, and these vines — divided into the three vineyards Haut Lieu, Le Mont and Clos de Bourg — have been exceptionally well farmed for decades. They make the wine in ancient cellars dug out of the local limestone. When you visit, you can see roots from Le Mont’s vines breaking through the chalky white ceilings.
Unquestionably one of the most diverse grape varieties, Chenin Blanc can do it all. It shines in every style from bone dry to unctuously sweet, oaked or unoaked, still or sparkling and even as the base for fortified wines and spirits. Perhaps Chenin Blanc’s greatest asset is its ever-present acidity, maintained even under warm growing conditions. Showcasing its popularity in South Africa, today the country has double the acreage of Chenin Blanc planted compared to France since its arrival in the mid-1800’s. There is also a new wave of dedicated producers committed to restoring old Chenin vines.
Purchased in 1957, Le Mont lies on the esteemed Premiere Côte taking up 8 hectares. With less clay and more stone than Le Haut-Lieu, Le Mont yields young wines of intense minerality. The wines are the estate’s most restrained but develop the strongest perfume with age. The grapes are biodynamically farmed. All grapes harvested by hand, which enables picking by successive tries, each tri being a separate pass by the workers through the vineyard, ensuring only the best bunches of ripest grapes.
The grapes then undergo temperature-controlled fermentation in large, old, 600-liter oak barrels as well as stainless steel vats. They do not encourage malolactic fermentation, thus many Huet wines remain rich in malic acid, a character that brings an age-worthiness to the wines. The wine has a fine floral and fruity fragrance reminiscent of lilac, pear, and pineapple. While the acidity in 2022 vintage is a slightly gentler from previous vintages, it still has enough tension to sweep up the wine and hold it all together.