Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Sec 2023 (750ml)
Product price
Description
Domaine Huet's Vouvray Clos du Bourg Sec is a dry Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley's most prestigious dry white zone. The 2023 vintage pours pale straw and speaks in the mineral, savory register typical of the appellation, with aromas of hay, crushed stone, and citrus pith.
The wine opens with pure pear fruit and a refreshing, lifting acidity that carries through the finish. At this young stage, there's a slight hollowness in the mid-palate, a tautness that suggests the wine is still finding its footing. Chenin Blanc of this caliber ages gracefully, and this wine will likely knit together and gain complexity with a few more years in bottle, when its mineral frame and underlying structure should emerge more fully. For now it's an aperitif wine and a savory food companion, best enjoyed with its bracing acidity foremost in mind.
Product Details
| Category | Wine |
| Color | White |
| Country | France |
| Region | Loire |
| Subregion | Vouvray |
| Varietal | Chenin Blanc |
| Producer | Domaine Huet |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Size | 750 ML |
| Subtype | Still |
Expert Reviews
More savory and reserved on the nose, the 2023 Vouvray Sec Clos Du Bourg pours a shimmering straw hue and boasts some classic Chenin calling card notes of hay, crushed stones, and citrus pith. The palate is refreshing, but at this stage it feels a bit hollow through the mid-palate, with its charming and more pure pear-noted fruit hovering upfront and its lifted acidity following through on the finish. It likely will benefit from more time to harmonize and come together more completely as it fleshes out with some age. This site should be up there with the best offerings, but it’s difficult for me to see where this wine is going to land at this youthful stage. Drink 2025-2035. It’s a refreshing departure from my regular coverage to review the new releases from the historic Domaine Huet in the Loire Valley. I have long been a fan of these wines and was especially fond of working with them in my days as a restaurant wine director, as the estate’s incredibly versatile range of wines presents endless pairing opportunities. This holds especially true for their Demi-Sec offerings, which were a secret weapon for challenging savory dishes with a kiss of spice, where other options, such as Riesling, could potentially dominate and overpower the dish. I routinely used the Vouvray Moelleux Le Mont on our tasting menu to accompany various preparations of foie gras terrines, which often had splashes of brighter accents such as pink peppercorn, rhubarb, or summer peaches. It was a great way to play into the classic pairing of Sauternes, without the wine being too weighted and cloying with sweetness, especially as this was usually the second course in a multi-course menu. It also did exceptionally well when paired with not-too-sweet desserts, such as tangy fruit tarts. The new releases from 2023 do not disappoint. (Jeb Dunnuck, October 2024)