Domaine Huet "Vouvray Petillant" Loire Valley, France 2019

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THE WINE: 100% Chenin Blanc. All grapes harvested by hand. Noel Pinguet was one of the first French vignerons to adopt biodynamic viticulture and credit biodynamics with enhancing the personalities of the estate's terroirs. Bottled before primary fermentation is finished, resulting in a lower pressure sparkling wine - pétillant - because only a portion of the fermentation occurs inside the bottle. The wine ages for a minimum of three years before being disgorged. If dosage is added, the domaine uses past vintages of demi-sec, moelleux or even moelleux 1ere trie as dosage. Among the great values in sparkling wine and competes in pedigree, texture and flavor with many Champagnes. Shows trues versatility of Chenin and provides endless drinking pleasure.

THE PRODUCER: Since its founding in 1928, Vouvray’s Domaine Huët has been the standard-bearer for great, ageworthy Chenin Blanc. And to this day, year after year, the estate produces some of the world’s most compelling white wines—and in a remarkable range that spans sparkling, dry, semi-dry, and remarkable dessert or Moelleux styles.

Today: The estate is now run by Benjamin Joliveau, a Vouvray native who started in 2009, working closely with both Jean-Bernard Berthomé and even overlapping with Noel Pinguet. With the continuity of this veteran team at the helm, coupled with the endless support and passion of second generation siblings Sarah & Hugo Hwang, Domaine Huet may be making its most consistently great wines. The estate was also one of the earliest adopters of biodynamic practices (certified since 1993), and with years of experience working with the appellation's greatest terroirs, the team at Huet are achieving the utmost level of transparency, purity, and knife-edged balance in the wines.