Noël Pinguet presents 2008 and demi-secs back to 1949

Noël Pinguet considering the 1949 Le Haut-Lieu, Vouvray demi-sec, Domaine Huet

There are days when wine writing has its compensations. Today was one of them with the presentation by Noël at Quo Vadis restaurant in London's Soho of the 2008 vintage at Domaine Huet allied to a tasting of demi-secs running from 2005 back to 1949.

Domaine Huet - 2008s
(figures: alcohol; residual sugar – grams per litre; acidity – grams per litre)

1. 2008 Vouvray, le Haut Lieu sec 75cl
13.24%; 15.4g; 6.47g
We kick off with a typical 2008 – lemony, crisp, precise with apple and pear flavours and vibrant acidity.

2. 2008 Vouvray, le Clos du Bourg sec 75cl
13.45%; 13.5g; 6.05g
But the Clos du Bourg is a step up – more delicate aromas but more depth and weight on the palate – marvellously vibrant and precise, mineral, austere finish. Demonstrates that at its best demi-sec is a real forte of Vouvray.

3. 2008 Vouvray, Le Mont demi-sec 75cl
13.43%; 27.1g; 6.03g
Crisp apple – young Cox's Orange crossed with crunchy Worcester Permain straight off the tree – with lovely mineral character and a touch of salinity. Beautiful precision and tension here with real potential to age.

4. 2008 Vouvray, le Haut Lieu demi-sec 75cl
13.24%; 29.8g; 6.06g
Altogether less defined and less thrilling than the 2008 Le Mont, some softer sweet apple.

5. 2008 Vouvray, Le Haut Lieu moelleux 75cl
12.3%; 53,1g; 6.25g;
Lightly sweet, citric, peach, passion fruit and a hint of apricot. Attractive aperitif style which would also go well with a number of dishes in a cream sauce – fish, chicken and pork.

2008 Le Mont moelleux 1ère trie

6. 2008 Vouvray, Le Mont moelleux 1ère Trie 75cl
12.42%; 62.7g; 6.14g
Like the Le Mont demi-sec, this is a considerable step up with a wonderfully thrilling balance of sweetness and zinging, vibrant acidity. Precise and very long. In forty or fifty years times should be sensational unlike this blogger!

7. 2008 Vouvray, Le Clos du Bourg moelleux 1ère Trie 75cl
11.87%; 64.8g: 4.61g
Although the analysis shows that the sugar levels of these two 1er tris are very similar, the Clos du Bourg appears sweeter due to the lower level of acidity – due to this cuvée very unusually undergoing 80% malo before the start of the alcoholic fermentation. There a hint of mousseron (a wild mushroom) on the nose, there depth of fruit and richness and, although good, it doesn't have the same thrilling balance and perfection of Le Mont.

See report here on tasting of 2008s pre-bottling at the domaine in January 2009.

Domaine Huet - a celebration of demi-secs through the years

8. 2005 Vouvray, le Mont demi-sec 75cl
13.11%; 21.4g; 4.3g
Although the colour is still a youthful very light gold, the nose and palate are starting to evolve – touch of mousseron. Depth of flavour but certainly austere and quite tight and closed in the finish at present.

9. 2002 Vouvray, Le Mont demi-sec 75cl
12.83%; 27.5g; 6.35g
Hints of peach and apple on the nose but currently not very expressive, some weight and quite austere in the long finish. Has the balance that is typical of this vintage.

10. 2000 Vouvray, Le Mont demi-sec 75cl
12.5%; 18g; 5.4g
Light gold – evolution notes: mousseron, cep, touch of damp tuffeau, quite austere finish – good length.

1988 Le Mont demi-sec

11. 1988 Vouvray, Le Mont demi-sec 75cl
13.4%; 14.8g; 5.4g
1988 is an often overlooked vintage – overshadowed by 1989 and 1990 – but there were some classic whites made helped by a fine autumn. This was one of my favourites in the vertical. Light gold, honeyed aromas, precise, tense minerality with a long finish.

1971 Le Haut-Lieu demi-sec

12. 1971 Vouvray, le Haut Lieu demi-sec 75cl
12.3%; 19.4g; 6.08g
Light gold, some evolution – concentrated honey tones, beeswax, attractive weight, some mousseron-cep character, precision, long mineral finish. Plenty of life and showing no sign of fading.

1962 Le Haut Lieu demi-sec: the star of the show

13. 1962 Vouvray, le Haut Lieu demi-sec 75cl
13.02%; 26.04g; 6.45g
What a fantastic wine! There are people who doubt the potential greatness of Chenin Blanc. This sublime 1962 demonstrates that Chenin is capable of producing some of the world's greatest wines. Mid-vibrant gold with lovely mouthfilling texture, sweeter than the 1971 and 1988. Lovely balance and length with a final touch of sweetness counterpointing the acidity in the very long finish. Truly memorable!

14. 1957 Vouvray, le Clos du Bourg demi-sec 75cl
figs n/a
A return to a more austere style: mid-gold, eveolution, mousseron, some weight but more mineral less flattering than the 1962. Again long finish.

1949 Le Haut Lieu demi-sec: slightly disappointing but an historic bottle all the same

15. 1949 Vouvray, Le Haut Lieu demi-sec 75cl
12.74%; 10.4g; 4.85g
I don't remember tasting a 1949 Chenin before, although I have tasted 1949 Cabernet d'Anjou from Domaine de Bablut, and have tasted 1947 and 1945 moelleux/doux from Huet before. Although fascinating to taste, this was a bit of a disappointment as the bottle wasn't entirely clean – cork or just the stage of its evolution. Difficult to say as at this age there can be such variation between bottles. Mid-burnished gold, mushroomy, quite austere, some oxidation but still has length.

It would be interesting to decant many of these wines and see how they evolved over two or three hours. Crucial not to serve too chilled.