2005 Pétillant Vouvray to celebrate 30 years in Epeigné-les-Bois

 2005 Brut Vouvray Pétillant, Domaine Huet

Yesterday we celebrated the 30th anniversary of having first visited our house in Epeigné-les-Bois. Thirty years since one cold Sunday morning (22nd February 1987) with snow on the ground we looked round the house in virtual darkness. The house had been up for sale for some 18 months and the electricity had been turned off. The wooden windows had swelled, so it was impossible to open them and so therefore not possible to open the shutters. Eight of us saw the ground floor of the house with the benefit of just one torch.

The 2005 Vouvray Pétillant was a very appropriate wine for this celebration. Not only is it a very fine example of a Pétillant, a local Touraine speciality but our company is called SCI Les Huîtres Pétillantes – the sparkling oysters. 

2005 was two years after the Hwang family bought Domaine Huet following the death of Gaston Huet in 2002 aged 92. In those days Noël Pinguet had a great relationship with Anthony Hwang. 

 Epeigné-les-Bois: The Mairie and the Salle des Fêtes

Parts of the village – above and below

 Noël Pinguet (above) and Anthony Hwang (below) during the 2010 vintage

   

Brilliant! – 2010 Le Mont Sec, Vouvray, Domaine Huet

2010 Le Mont Sec, Vouvray, Domaine Huet

The 2010 vintage in the Loire is looking increasingly good and, unusually, is showing well across the region's wide diversity of styles. There are some lovely reds almost as rich and weighty as 2009 but better balanced. The dry whites are very good: again a lovely balance of fruit and acidity. Then the sweet wines, especially from Anjou, are spectacularly good. Like the 2002 vintage balance is the keyword here.

This 2010 Le Mont Sec is a brilliant example of how good a dry white or really, in this instance, a slightly off-dry white from this vintage can be. The touch of sweetness is wonderfully off-set by a backbone of ripe but austere acidity. I have no doubt that this will last 30 years and more but it is delicious to drink now. 

2010 turned out to be Noël Pinguet's penultimate vintage and this is part of a wonderful legacy. 

 Noël Pinguet and Anthony Hwang during 

the 2010 vintage@Domaine Huet

   

Domaine Huet and La Revue du Vin de France: a clarification

Sarah Hwang in discussion with Chris Kissack@

2014 Salon des Vins de Loire (above and below)

On 18th February La Revue du Vin de France published a story about Chris Kissack and I being banned by Sarah Hwang from tasting the 2013 Domaine Huet wines during the 2014 Salon des Vins de Loire. Unfortunately the words ascribed to me (highlighted below) are not mine but are from Zelda Sydney. We had both commented on Chris Kissack's post here.I was not contacted by La Revue du Vin de France.

RVF article:

 'Clash entre le domaine Huet et deux bloggers

 Published by La Revue du Vin de France: 18th February 2014

'Jim Budd explique ce banissement du stand du domaine Huet par le fait que les nouveaux propriétaires (la famille Hwang) depuis 2004, "exercent un étroit contrôle sur tout ce qui se fait chez eux, et ce qui se dit à leur propos. Ils ont peur que leur marque soit ternie. La marque a pris le pas sur le terroir".'

What I actually wrote on the Wine Doctor blog:

Initially I quoted Zelda's earlier comment. Perhaps when commenting I should have put Zelda Sydney in brackets but the comment was in quote marks and mine started – Zelda etc. 

Zelda Sydney – name now added for clarification: ‘My understanding is that the new owners bought a brand, not terroir, and that they’ll assume control over anything (winemaking, criticism…) that they think is damaging to their concept of the brand. Brand trumps terroir.’

My comment: Zelda. I think it is important to distinguish between the father Anthony Hwang and his children. Anthony bought the domaine in 2003 after the death of Gaston Huet, the previous year. Anthony was always charming, a great supporter of Noël Pinguet and my impression was that Noël was happy working with Anthony and for the first time he had a stake in the domaine. Noël’s relationship with his father-in-law, Gaston Huet, was not always easy – both have (or in Gaston’s case had) strong personalities. 

At some point Anthony handed over the running of the domaine to his children and I don’t know the history of this changeover but Noël’s relationship with the Hwangs fell apart subsequent to this handover.

I’m sure that Anthony understood full well the quality of the terroir/site, especially the Clos du Bourg and Le Mont, that he had bought.'

I have asked La Revue du Vin de France to correct this error.

Anthony Hwang@Domaine Huet during 2010 vintage

 

Domaine Huet (Vouvray): 1970 Moelleux, 2002 sec and 2012 secs

On Saturday with our friends in Cheltenham we started the evening with the 1970 Clos du Bourg Moelleux, Vouvray, Domaine Huet.

1970 Le Clos du Bourg, Moelleux, Vouvray

Light to mid gold, beeswax nose with some oxidation, much more exciting on the palate honeyed with lovely, still fresh acidity in the finish. Probably should have decanted it immediately. Instead decided to decant after I had poured our first glass. Decanting certainly helped as it became increasingly complex as the 1970 opened up in the decanter and our glasses. Although a memorable bottle, I suspect that there are some better bottles of this wine around.

The bottle of 1970 was also memorable as it was the last old vintage that we bought from Domaine Huet before the old stock was sold by the Huet family to Berry Bros & Rudd. When CRM went to buy the 1970 she fondly remembers being taken through the limestone cellars to where the old vintages were carefully stored in bins. A bottle of the 1970 was selected. Then tenderly and carefully carried back up to the offices where it was labelled. Labels are not attached to the bottles in the cellar as they quickly spoil in the damp conditions.

1970 was a year before Noël Pinguet started working at Domaine Huet. Noel took over running the domaine in 1976.

Sadly will now have to think twice before opening older vintages of Huet!

2012
Now we fast forward 42 vintages to 2012. This was the first vintage since Noël Pinguet left Domaine Huet in acrimonious circumstances in February 2012. Although Jean-Bernard Berthomé, the vineyard manager and now in charge, was long established with over 30 years service at the domaine and Benjamin Joliveau had joined the staff several years ago, Noël was always going to be a hard act to follow.  Unfortunately nature has not been kind and has dealt Vouvray a very tough hand in both 2012 and 2013.

We saw Noël Pinguet in late September 2013 when we visited Domaine Picard-Jourdan (Chinon). Noel was there to give advice on biodynamic viticulture. This domaine has been biodynamic for some time but the new owners - Annick and Francois Jourdan - wanted advice and, probably, reassurance from Noel.
Domaine Huet was amongst the first wine estates in France to adopt biodynamics. Unlike Nicolas Joly, Noël's is a pragmatic approach: he uses biodynamics because it works for him.

Noël Pinguet and his wife Françoise have now cut their ties with Vouvray: they sold their house - Le Mont - in July and have moved to the Ile de Noirmoutier on the Atlantic Coast. They already had a holiday home here. They have also sold this and bought a larger house. I guess Noël just wanted to get away and not to be continuously reminded of Domaine Huet where he was spent so much of his working life. Noel is clearly angry and bitter over the way things ended between him and the Hwangs at Domaine Huet.

Equally there are sensitivities on Sarah and Stefan Hwang's side with perhaps a tendency to view comments as more critical than they actually are.

Tasting Domaine Huet’s 2012

In late September I bought a couple of bottles of Le Haut Lieu sec and Le Clos du Bourg sec. The 2012 Le Mont sec wasn’t on sale at that time but I hope to taste this soon – certainly during the 2014 Salon des Vins de Loire in early February 2014.

I opened one of each of them during Chris Kissack’s stay with us in Touraine in early October. All three of us (Chris, CRM and myself) were disappointed with how these two wines were showing. It may have been a bad moment for them and I plan to try the other two bottles next year in March when they may well have developed further. Even then it will be unfair to try and judge Domaine Huet post-Pinguet.   

2012 Le Haut-Lieu, Vouvray sec

Mid-yellow colour, lightly citric with touch of apple, steely lean, little texture and austere length. Decidedly disappointing – lacking character and fruit.

2012 Clos du Bourg, Vouvray sec

The Clos du Bourg was certainly better than Le Haut Lieu – a little more aromatic, richer, a little sweeter and fuller with some peachy character. More complexity but still quite lean austere finish but a little peach there. Greater length than Haut Lieu.

2002 Le Mont Sec, Vouvray, Domaine Huet

Wanting reassurance after tasting the 2012s, we opened this 2002. Once again it confirmed what a wonderfully balanced vintage 2002 is – almost seamless perfection! Complex honeyed and quince fruit with still lovely freshness through ripe acidity in the finish. This will happily keep for many years providing I can restrain myself!  

It will be interesting to taste the nascent 2013s at the Salon des Vins de Loire and retaste the 2012s.     

Gaston Huet tasting: Vouvrays from 2007 - 1924

Noël Pinguet@the press room of Domaine Huet during the 2010 vintage

I was privileged last night to attend a remarkable tasting of Vouvrays from Gaston Huet going back to 1924. The estate and wines were introduced by Alun Griffiths MW, wine director of Berry Bros & Rudd with Noël Pinguet and Roy Richards (Richards Walford) providing commentary.   

We had been due to leave for the Loire on Sunday but when I got the invitation to this vertical it took a nanosecond to delay our departure. I was delighted to attend not only for the quality of the wines shown but also because it drew a line both under Noël Pinguet's long career and the Huet family's connection with the estate that bears their name.

The tasting was organised by Berry Bros & Rudd, who have just bought the entire stock of Huet old vintages running from 1919 to 1975 as well as 1989 from Noël Pinguet and the Huet family. This stock of old vintages was retained by the family when, following the death in 2002 of Gaston Huet, the estate was sold the next year to Anthony Hwang, a Chinese American businessman. The stock also includes the great 1989, which rather surprisingly Anthony Hwang chose not to buy.

I will post details of the wines shown shortly but now want to reflect on what is truly the end of an era. It represents part of the history and heritage not only of the estate but of Vouvray itself. 

The sale of the old vintages to Berry Bros & Rudd was facilitated by Roy Richards of Richards Walford, long-time UK agents for Domaine Huet. Berry Bros had acquired Richards Walford earlier this year. Precise details of how many bottles Berry Bros have bought were not revealed but suffice to say that it is a sizeable parcel of some really extraordinary wines. 

This is a bittersweet moment as the old wines have now been removed from the limestone galleries of the Huet cellars and are being prepared for shipment to the UK. They bring an end Noel's long association with Domaine Huet, which started in 1971 when he started working with Gaston, his father-in-law. Sadly Noel's association prematurely ended, as I wrote in February, through irreconcilable differences with Anthony Hwang's children (Stefan and Sarah) now running the estate. Although the Hwangs never owned the old vintages, losing them from the cellars must be like losing part of the memory for the domaine - a loss of the history and heritage of one of the rare Loire estates recognised as world-class.

In a curious and wholly unintended way Noel's resignation in February has turned out to be impeccably timed given the way the weather during 2012 has flayed and tortured wine producers in Northern France unmercifully. It must have been a great relief to Noel to realise that he has not been responsible for trying to deal with the most difficult growing conditions for many a year.

The extraordinary quality of most of the eleven wines we tasted (some were so wonderful, especially the 1947 that they had to be 'spat backwards') underlines the responsibility and challenge that faces Stefan and Sarah Hwang to maintain the tradition of impeccable quality that Gaston Huet and Noël have established since Gaston's first vintage in 1928 and to leave some similarly sublime bottles to captivate future generations. Unfortunately in 2012 nature has dealt them a cruel first hand.

Domaine Huet 2011 Vintage Report: The end of an era

Noël Pinguet@Domaine Huet

Marie-Françoise and Noël Pinguet

July report from Adam Bruntlett of Domaine Huet's UK agents Richards Walford. 

Few in the wine trade will be unaware of the resignation, tendered in October 2011 and accepted by the Hwang family in February of this year, of Noël Pinguet as president, director and winemaker at Domaine Huet. The 2011 vintage will therefore no doubt be remembered as the last to be made by this great man, and in many ways it is reflective of the reasoning behind his premature departure. The struggle between the commercial necessity of producing the dry wines needed to replenish the Huet cellars and the fundamental philosophy of the committed biodynamist to make wines from what Mother Nature provides has come more and more to the fore in recent vintages. In both 2010 and 2011 vintages, a conscious decision was taken to harvest early, resulting in a sec wine from each of the three terroirs, along with a token demi-sec and 1ère trie moelleux. In previous years Noël would arguably have allowed the grapes to hang for longer to produce greater quantities of the outstanding demi-sec and moelleux wines for which Domaine Huet is renowned. It is important, of course, to point out that Noël had previously taken the decision to resign in 2015 at the age of seventy, and had been grooming the young Benjamin Joliveau, whose father owns Domaine Mirault, for the past few years as his successor. As a means of bridging the gap before Benjamin takes over full responsibility, the experienced and knowledgeable chef de cave, Jean-Bernard Berthomé, has been appointed head winemaker with full responsibility for winemaking and viticulture. His 33 years at the domaine will ensure that a link to the late Gaston Huet is preserved, and that the high standards for which Domaine Huet is renowned will continue to be upheld.

Jean-Bernard Berthomé

The Season

In a story which no doubt echoes that heard around much of France, the 2011 vintage would best be described as ‘complicated’. Winter was very harsh; our customary January visit was particularly cold and was followed by a very severe February. Similarly to here in the UK, there then followed something of a heatwave in March and April, and by May the vines were around four weeks ahead of what would be considered normal development, with successful flowering taking place at the end of May. At this point many growers throughout the Loire were anticipating another canicule such as the one witnessed in 2003 but these expectations were dismissed as a cool but dry summer followed, slowing the vines’ development, with rain falling at the end of August. Harvest began very early on the 8th of September, followed two days later by 40mm of rain and the appearance of rot, which resulted in the loss of some of the harvest but also enabled the production of a 1ère trie. A very thorough selection process was carried out with several trips through the vineyards to ensure only healthy grapes were picked and on the 28th of September, when harvest would typically begin in most years, all of the grapes had been picked. The resulting wines are similar to 2010, with perhaps a little more aromatic character. The overall impression is one of purity, freshness and an expression of the terroir, rather than of the season’s weather conditions.

Email: adam@r-w.co.uk

Website: www.r-w.co.uk

*

I have have some samples of the 2011 Domaine Huet wines to taste on my return to the UK. 

Noël Pinguet – he resigned in late October 2011

Noël Pinguet@vintage time 2010

(Following the message from Noël Pinguet yesterday I have made some further inquiries, so this is an update, which includes a statement from Sarah Hwang, now president of the domaine.)

As Victor de la Serna commented here yesterday Noël Pinguet is a gentleman.

Noël would I’m sure not wish to destabilise the world class domaine where he has been in charge since 1976 and was owned by his wife’s family from 1928 until it was bought by Anthony Hwang in the summer of 2003. To use the French expression: il veut pas cracher dans la soupe.

His departure may well have been calmer than indicated in LRVF – no smashing of magnums of 1972 or 1984 sec! However, there is no doubt that Noël is leaving Domaine Huet earlier than was planned. Noël actually sent in his letter resigning from his positions at Domaine Huet at the end of October 2011. He was the president and a director of Société Huet, which looks after the vines, and ran L’Echansonne (trading name L’Echansonne Huet Distribution), which looked after distribution. Anthony Hwang, Evelyn Hwang and their son, 33-year old Stefan (Hugo) – DOB: October 1978, are also directors of Société Huet (source: http://www.societe.com).

Noël is also in charge of another company – SARL Gaston Huet, which is owned by the Huet family. The company, which was set up in December 2003, owns the entire stocks of the old Huet vintages from 1975 to 1921 as well as the remaining stocks of 1989.

I understand that Noël resigned for the reasons outlined on Friday by La Revue du Vins de France. Although nominally in charge, he found himself no longer making the important decisions. He was not allowed to take the necessary risks often required to make great moelleux in Vouvray. The risk of waiting for the right moment, while trusting that the weather will remain favourable.

2011 vintage: Chenin Blanc in Vouvray: good or bad rot?

The risks involved in Vouvray and Montlouis tend to be considerably higher than they are in the Layon or L’Aubance. Dry white – Vouvray sec – was to be made rather than risk waiting to make demi-sec or moelleux as the sec is easier to sell. Domaine Huet has always had the policy of only making demi-sec or moelleux when the conditions permit. No question of chaptalising to create artificial sweetness. An emphasis now on dry wines might also permit raising the yields.

Over the decades at Huet there have been many years when only dry and sparkling wines were made. In contrast in an exceptional year like 2003 a high proportion of demi-sec and moelleux wines were made.

Apparently there were also several orders to well-established and important customers that were suddenly cancelled at the last minute. In essence Noël found that, although nominally in charge, he was no longer allowed to run the business. I understand that Noël decided that he could not continue in these circumstances.

Noël was present at this year’s Salon des Vins de Loire (6th-8th February) as was Anthony Hwang and his son and daughter Sarah and Stefan Hwang. On Thursday 9th there was a meeting in Vouvray attended by lawyers and translators where Noël’s departure was finalised.

So where does this leave Domaine Huet? Heading towards 67 – he was born in May 1945 – Noël was due to retire soon – planned for 2015. But another three years would have made the hand-over much more smooth and assured.

Sarah Hwang (DOB: April 1982) was appointed president with her brother Stefan as managing director on 9th February 2012. Last May I was introduced to Benjamin Joliveau, whom Noël has been grooming as his successor, while Jean-Bernard Berthomé will continue as cellar-master/vineyard manager. However, Berthomé’s chief responsibility is in the vineyards and at vintage time he was usually out in the vines with the pickers.

**

I put a number of questions to Sarah Hwang and this is her response in full:

‘In late October 2011, Noël Pinguet informed my family of his desire to step down as President of Domaine Huet, and indeed, his resignation was finalized in a meeting on 9 February 2012. Although we knew of his intention to retire in 2015, this news came as a surprise us. I must say that it was difficult for us to see Noël step down, having been a part of the estate for so many years. As was our intention when we made our initial investment into the winery in 2003, my family and I are now involved in order to ensure the continuation of this estate and its remarkable story.

At the time of our investment in 2003, my family made the conscious decision to give Noël the freedom and responsibility to run the winery as he pleased and to make great wines. This allowed Noël to continue to follow the philosophy that the estate has upheld for many years. That is, to produce what nature gives us. To be clear -- this is an idea that the Hwang family values and respects; it ensures quality and precision, two things essential in maintaining the estate’s stature. Looking forward, I can assure you that this philosophy will remain.

Regarding your comment that several large orders to established clients were suddenly cancelled, I think that the information you’ve gathered might not be accurate. We value our relationships with all of our partners, and as I’ve mentioned, Noël had full decision-making control of Domaine Huet until 9 February 2012. In the future, the estate’s intention will be to see to it that we have an open dialogue with all of our clients.

There are two members of our current team who have experience at the press – Jean-Bernard Berthomé and Benjamin Joliveau. Both of these men will play prominent roles in Huet’s future, with Jean-Bernard taking over the duties of head winemaker. He will have full control of viticulture and wine-making. We are extremely fortunate to have a person in Jean-Bernard, who has shown a passion and dedication to Domaine Huet over a span of 33 years. In fact, his father worked alongside Gaston Huet in the fields and in the cellar. He has a strong and honest love for the estate and has unmatched technical expertise in both the biodynamic viticulture and the estate’s winemaking practices. There is no question that he will continue to uphold the traditions and quality expected by all.

On 9 February 2012, I became the President of Domaine Huet, and my brother, Stefan Hugo Hwang, is the estate's Managing Director. Hugo and I each have years of experience in the wine industry. We did not, however, have prior experience in running a wine estate. Having established Királyudvar Winery in 1997, each member of my family has been extraordinarily involved in its growth and in its story. It is an estate of which my family is personally very proud.’

**

Domaine Huet is a great domaine and I hope it will long remain that way. Both Noël and Sarah Hwang have said that there will be no change to the policy of making the range of wines permitted by each vintage. I hope this will indeed be the case as, fine as the Huet secs are, the true hallmarks are the Huet demi-secs and moelleux.

Noël is a true professional. Although sadly I didn’t taste with him at the Salon this year – thinking I would do so when over in Touraine in March – I spoke to him on several occasions and he looked relaxed and happy. He gave no hint that he was leaving.

`A suivre.

Noël Pinguet: 'Voila la vraie information!'

 Noël Pinguet and his wife, Marie-Françoise@the Huet Portes Ouvertes in May 2011 

I have just received the following message from Noël Pinguet. He says his departure is much more calm than painted in La Revue du Vin de France. Noël has decided to leave now he is 67 (born in a fine vintage) and after 40 vintages, including some in Hungary. He will be spending more time at his house in Noirmoutier, on the Vendée coast, fishing and seeing more of his grandchildren.

He has full confidence in the new generation and the team. There will be a continuity of approach to making the wines and their distribution. Noël will continue to sell in partnership with the Hwang family old vintages of Huet.*     

'Cher Jim

Heureusement mon départ du domaine est effectivement beaucoup  plus calme que le laisse entendre la RVF?  à 67 ans et après 40 ans de vinification je laisse la place à la nouvelle génération et j'ai totalement confiance dans l'équipe qui travaille avec moi depuis longtemps pour continuer avec le même esprit la production et la commercialisation des vins du domaine qui je suis sûr te donneront toujours autant de plaisir.

Je continue toujours à vendre avec la famille Hwang les vieux millésimes  de la famille Huet, nous aurons donc encore le plaisir de partager de bons moment autour d'un verre de "Huet"

Je vais profiter maintenant plus souvent de notre maison de Noirmoutier, de la pêche et de mes petites filles.

Voila la vraie information.

Amitiés

Noël' 


See also fine post on Noël's departure from Chris Kissack (the wine doctor) here.

Anthony and Evelyn Hwang@Richards Walford tasting London January 2009  

* The old stock is owned by a separate company – SARL Gaston Huet. This company is owned by the Huet family and is run by Noël owns all the vintages between 1975 and 1921 plus all the remaining stock from 1989.

26th February 2012: See update here. 

See update  

Noël Pinguet leaves Domaine Huet

La Revue du Vin de France

La Revue du Vin de France is reporting that Noël Pinguet has abruptly left Domaine Huet in Vouvray over a disagreement with its majority owner Anthony Hwang. If correct this is very sad as Noël has been running the estate since 1976. Domaine Huet is one of the few Loire estates that is widely recognised as world class.

It is very sad and a shock if it has ended this way because, although Noël's relationship with his father-in-law, Gaston Huet, was often not easy he became the embodiment of the estate just as Gaston was before him with the same high principles and absolute commitment to quality.

Anthony Hwang helping out during the 2010 harvest@the domaine

It is also a shock because the relationship between Anthony Hwang and Noël appeared to be good with Anthony saying how much he admired Noël. Indeed Hwang once called Noël a 'magician'. The disagreement is reported to have been over Anthony's wish for more dry wines to be made. However, mainly dry and sparkling wines were made in the last two vintages. Furthermore when Hwang bought the majority share the vineyard – Vodanis – in Rochecorbon was dropped because Anthony didn't consider the quality was sufficiently good. Domaine Vodanis is now a completely separate property with part of the vines on long term rent from Domaine Huet.

Jean-Bernard Berthomé

Noël had intended to retire in the next few years – he was born in 1945, so is or will be 67 this year. Hwang told me a couple of years ago that he has persuaded Noël to stay on rather than retire. LRVF says he intended to retire in 2015 and his nominated successor, Benjamin Joliveau, was present at the domaine's Portes Ouvertes last year. I understand that the long time cellar-master/vineyard manager, Jean-Bernard Berthomé will continue and that Sarah Hwang will become commercial director.

Noël Pinguet@a tasting of Domaine Huet in London in June 2009

My thanks to David Schildknecht for the following statement from Blake Murdock, Huet’s US importer. Apparently an announcement was due to be made on Monday. The parting is also apparently considerably more amicable than reported in LRVF.

DS: Blake Murdock of Huet importer The Rare Wine Co. has written me just now, for attribution, the following:

‘Noel will be a loss to this estate, but I think that we owe it to the estate and its continuing arc of history to put his departure in context. In other words, this will not mark the end of Huet's long period of greatness.

The quality will not change. In fact, the quality and consistency have only improved in the Hwang era. And I think that committing to a larger proportion of Sec wines (which, as the RVF article noted, has been encouraged by the Hwangs) will only strengthen the demi-sec and dessert wines at this estate – refining the selection of fruit for these cuvées.

The long time cellar-master/vineyard manager, Jean-Bernard Berthomé, and Noel’s hand-picked successor, Benjamin Joliveau, are both staying on and committed to building on the strong base they’ve inherited from Noël (and Gaston Huet before him).

Furthermore, as the RVF article pointed out, Noel had already planned his departure (in 2015). The team he leaves behind is highly skilled and passionate; they won't miss a beat.’

Noël and his wife, Marie-Françoise,@2011 Portes Ouvertes 8.5.2011

I hope Blake Murdock is correct that Noël's departure is indeed less acrimonious than has been reported in LRVF. It is a measure of Noël's achievement and that of Gaston Huet before him that his leaving is big news. I can think of no other Loire estate, except possibly the Foucaults, where a story of someone leaving would have the same impact.     


Update: Saturday 25th February – message from Noël Pinguet – departure much more calm than suggested. Certainly hope so, although Noël's leaving appears to be more abrupt than had been previously indicated.      

Top Vouvray: dates for your diary

Philippe Foreau

A few forthcoming dates for your diary:

Monday 27th December tasting with Philippe Foreau@Xavier Fortin's Plein Ciel, 6 Chemin des Coteaux, 37350 Le Petit Pressigny.

6th-8th May and 2rd-4th June 2011: Domaine Huet, Les Portes Ouvertes

Anthony Hwang: owner and 'assistant winemaker'@ Domaine Huet – 2010 vintage