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

   

RSJ Restaurant: group photo to celebrate restaurant's 25 years (Summer 2005)

Noël Pinguet (Domaine Huet, Vouvray), Thomas Meunier (Frédéric Mabileau, Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil), Tom King (RSJ), Frédéric Mabileau, Nigel Wilkinson (RSJ), Christine and Eric Nicolas (Domaine de Bellivière, Jasnières) 

More scouring of the photo archives: two group photos taken at the RSJ Restaurant to celebrate its 25th anniversary in the summer of 2005. A group of Loire producers showed their wines before a celebration dinner.

Same line-up except Tom King replaced by some bloke in a beach shirt 

Matthew Jukes curator of 100 Most Iconic Wine Estates

Matthew Jukes: Quintesstially's 100 Most Iconic Wine Estates

Matthew's Quintesstially's 100 Most Iconic Wine Estates was published by Quintesstentially Publishing at the end of 2012 priced at £30. 

Naturally Matthew's selection spans the entire wine world: from California to Australia and New Zealand by way of Europe and South Africa.

Matthew Jukes tasting

From the introduction:

'The wine world is ever changing, but these estates can be relied upon to make stellar wines year in, year out – they are the shimmering bedrock of the wine world. Showcasing an incredible array of grape varieties, regions and countries, with hypnotic aromas and devastating flavours there are sublime creations on every page. All are unique, celebrating their exact position on our planet and fashioning delicious wines which entrance our senses. A fair few of the pioneers mentioned within these covers have changed the paradigm of winemaking in their sphere. There are wines here that don't cost the earth and that bring great joy; nestling comfortably next to those whose rarity and cost are truly breath-taking. These are also all wines that I would love to have in my own collection; forming the most complete and balanced cellar that I can design.'  

     Bernard and Matthieu Baudry, Domaine Bernard Baudry

There are five Loire estates selected: Bernard Baudry, Filliatreau, Huet, Jacky and Jean-Philippe Blot, and François Cotat. 

 Frédéric Filliatreau testing Cabernet Franc during 2011 vintage@Brézé

 Noël Pinguet, Domaine Huet during the 2010 vendange   

Jacky Blot in Bourgueil@La Butte

Domaine François Cotat – 'closed'  

On Huet, Matthew comments: 'Until recently the estate was run by Gaston's son-in-law Noël Pinguet and with the security of substantial investment it looks set to cruise into the next generation, with winemaking controlled by local lad Benjamin Joliveau and long time cellar-master Jean-Bernard Berthomé.'

I trust that Matthew's optimism is well placed here but given the nature of Noël's departure in February 2012 questions for the moment hang in the air.   

  

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.

Noël Pinguet's last vintage: three 2011 secs from Huet

2011 secs: Le Haut Lieu. Le Mont and Clos du Bourg 

Although these three 2011 sec samples arrived from Domaine Huet (Vouvray) in late June, I have not been in a position to taste them until yesterday. No bad thing as this has given the wines more time to rest after bottling. 2011 will be the last vintage made by Noël Pinguet, who resigned in February having been running the estate and making the wines since 1976.

2011 Le Haut Lieu sec

Mid-lemon and the palest of the three secs as well as having a slightly lowered degree of alcohol – 13% against 13.5% for Le Mont and the Clos du Bourg. Delicate but discreet floral and lemony aromas, citric palate with some weight and length but lacking complexity. This is particularly noticeable going back to it after tasting the other two – 2011 Le Haut Lieu lacks that extra dimension. It is often the case that the other two vineyards, right on the premier côte, have greater depth and complexity.

2011 Clos du Bourg sec

Slightly deeper in colour than Le Haut Lieu, the Clos du Bourg is noticeable more generous and textured on the palate with citric as well as slight mousseron aromas. The quite richly textured fruit is well balanced by crystalline acidity and has length and complexity. Can be drunk with pleasure now but will gain additional complexity with more time in bottle. 

2011 Le Mont sec 

Similar colour to the Clos du Bourg with a touch of exotic fruit aromas – none of these secs are very expressive aromatically at present. Good fruit texture and again well-balanced with quite marked acidity.   

Of the three I have a slight preference for the Clos du Bourg over Le Mont but this may well change with time!    

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.      

Biodyvin tasting: biodynamic event 10th November 2011

François Chidaine: a leading biodynamist

On 10th November last year 42 biodynamic growers (Biodyvin*) showed their wines in London with all but one of them – Dr Bürklin Wolf – coming from France. Eleven of the French producers came from the Loire indicating how important and mainstream biodynamics is now in the valley. This is further underlined by the quality of the producers present: François Chidaine, Philippe Gourdon, Alphonse Mellot, Thierry Germain, Thierry Michon, Jean-Dominique and Jean-Laurent Vacheron, Eddy & Mileine Oosterlinck-Bracke, Philippe Gilbert, Joseph Landron, Paul Fouassier, Noël Pinguet and Eric and Christine Nicolas.

Among the wines that stood out in the tasting were:

2001 Saumur Brut Non Dosé, Château la Tour Grise

I'm not normally a fan of the wines from la Tour Grise, however this slightly oxidised and intriguing sparkling wine works and would make a good apéro.

Several from François Chidaine (Montlouis) – 2008 Les Choisilles sec, 2010 Les Argiles sec and 2008 le Bournais sec.

Two individual terroir wines from Alphonse Mellot (Sancerre) – 2010 Les Romains (mineral and quite austere) and 2010 Satellite from four parcels on Les Monts Damnés (Chavignol) – more weight and less austere than Les Romains.

Thierry Germain: 2010 Franc de Pied, Saumur-Champigny – very precise with good concentration.

Thierry Michon (Domaine Saint Nicolas, Fiefs Vendéens): the mineral 2010 Les Clous – 45% Chardonnay, 45% Chenin Blanc and 10% Grolleau Gris).

Eddy & Mileine Oosterlinck-Bracke (Domaine de Juchepie) – a couple of Coteaux-du-Layon Faye: the lighter and fresher 2008 Les Churelles and then the powerful 2004 La Passion de Juchepie with its fruits confits character.

Philippe Gilbert – I was particularly impressed with the wines from Philippe Gilbert, especially the mineral and stone fruit white 2010 Menetou-Salon. Interesting contrast with the very concentrated 2009 Les Renardières – typical of the 2009 Menetou-Salon from this ripe year and tiny yields due to severe hail damage.

Jo Landron: 2010 Le Fief du Breil, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine – mineral but needing time in bottle.

Paul Fouassier: further indications of the step up in quality from this large Sancerre estate, Interesting to see the first vintage of the spicy and attractive 2010 Iconoclaste – an unwooded red Sancerre.

Noël Pinguet (Domaine Huet): the beautifully balanced 2009 Le Haut-Lieu demi-sec Vouvray.

Christine and Eric Nicolas: 2010 Les Rosiers, Jasnières – again lovely seamless balance, quite rich and long lasting.

Noël Pinguet

* 'The Syndicat International des Vignerons en Culture Bio-Dynamique (SIVCBD) requires that members be certified winemakers AB for their entire area and also cultivate their entire property in biodynamics. The SIVCBD provides a specification to ECOCERT an independent body that carries out an annual check on each field. Depending on the inspection report, SIVCBD issuing the label BIODYVIN.' (From here.) SIVCBD was founded in 1995 with 15 members. They now have 75 members.

Domaine Huet: open day (8th May)

Noël Pinguet and his wife Marie-Françoise

Very good tasting at the open day at Domaine Huet (Vouvray) yesterday, which included the 2010 vintage but also some older wines going back to 1993.

Jean-Bernard Berthomé – chef de culture

Heading back to London today for more text will be added later – similarly for the Nau Frères report.

Portes Ouvertes in May: Domaine Huet and François Chidaine

 2nd October 2009: Noël Pinguet reversing a tractor load of grapes destined to make pétillant

Les Portes Ouvertes@Domaine Huet are on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th May and from Saturday 13th to Monday 15th May from 10.00-19.00. A good opportunity to discover the 2009 vintage.

11 Rue de la Croix Buisée

37210 Vouvray

Tel: 02.47.52.78.87

**

François Chidaine

François Chidaine: Portes Ouvertes: Saturday 13th to Monday 15th May from 10.00-19.00 with a break for lunch between 12.00-14.00.

Cave Insolite
30 Quai Albert Baillet
37270 Montlouis-sur-Loire
Tel: 02.47.45.19.14

Good winemaking is about intervention

Recent building work at Domaine Huet: January 2009

Excellent post here on Peter Liem's Besotted Ramblings and Other Drivel on good winemaking does involve intervention and making decisions. The posting followed tasting Domaine Huet's wines at the Salon des Vins de Loire with Anthong Hwang, when Anthony mentioned Noël Pinguet experiments over pressing.

Here is one particularly pertinent quote:

'But sometimes I feel that it’s become unfashionable to talk about vinification, as if any action somehow automatically constitutes manipulation or spoofulation of the wine. Oftentimes you’ll hear winegrowers talk on and on about viticulture and then say, “After harvest, I do nothing.” (Of course, with some natural wines, this is quite literally true, with unfortunate consequences.)'

When I visited Thierry Germain's vineyards (Domaine des Roches Neuves) in early October last year to look at his Cabernet Franc just before harvesting, Thierry was busy reflecting on how to treat the grapes this year – fairly short cuvaison, avoid too much extraction because of the grapes' thick skins etc.