2010 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Mont- France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
I can’t believe how fast I’m depleting my stock of this wine. I remember my first sip a couple of years ago; I went straight to my local retailers and bought every remaining bottle of the '10 Huet secs, then went online and ordered as much as I could find (three of four cases). This was and still is my biggest purchase of any single wine.
Back to the wine: it’s still as gorgeous as my first sip two years ago, with little change. On the demi- side of sec. Meyer lemon, grapefruit and orchard fruit, with a limestone mineral blast. Viscous mouthfeel punctuated with acidic cut.
Still one of my favorite wines; old faithful.
1970 Campo Viejo Rioja Gran Reserva Marques de Villamagna- Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
Wow, did I luck out with this beautiful auction bottle. Top shoulder fill, the cork looked pristine on the outside, a bit soft from mid portion on down which challenged even my Durand. A whiff of the cork seemed promising.
I decanted into a carafe for sediment (at a restaurant known for its beer, not much for fine wines). More brown than ruby. Massively aromatic. Slaps your face with sweet pipe tobacco, licorice, dark red berries, leather, earth; then some vanilla. Palate was very similar, also showing dried herbs and floral elements. Ample but not excessive acidity, and an easygoing mouthfeel.
The wine didn’t decline during the 90 minute meal, it improved. I suspect this showed impenetrable American oak in its youth, but at 44, it works.
I’m loving my old Riojas. I have two bottles of the '64 vintage of this wine standing in my cellar, teed up for a friend’s 50th birthday in a month. I hope they show as well as this 1970.
Warren, here is an update to the Huet, as I am enjoying a few more ounces of it tonight. Just terrific, as always.
2010 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Mont- France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray (8/3/2015)
From 375. Like a year and a half since the last bottle, this is drinking terrific. Peach, tart pineapple, lemon, grapefruit and a good push of acidity too into the finish. Might be a bit too much acidic cut for some but I would rather have wine taste as this does than taste a bunch of glycerine. Lively, refreshing and delicious, I can drink this stuff all day long!
Warren, we had the 2011 version of that Huet the other night and I was blown away at how good it was showing. It had me thinking how did this producer avoid my radar screen while I’ve blown tons of cash of white Burgundy at three times the price.
Ok Warren, I am digging back up your thread to revisit the 2010 Huet Sec LM. Gorgeous bottle tonight. The Indian food has not arrived yet so I am getting a head start with a nice glass, watching the Canes play the Bruins. How many more of these 10 LMs you got left? if several, you should be in for a good ride.
2010 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Mont- France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray (5/14/2019)
I bought this bottle back in Fall 2012 from Wine Exchange for $28. I wish I would have bought more than I had, as at that time I was really falling for the 2010 Huet and Chidaine Sec cuvees. After almost 7 years, this bottle is humming right along. The color is lightly gold in the glass, no signs though of any oxidation in the aromatic or palate. Drinking this on mostly an empty stomach and the acidity is bright as I can feel that as it goes down. There is a honeyed quality to the palate, along with a deep flavor of tangerine, spicy yellow apple, and a whole bunch of lime flavoring all of it. It finished brightly, with that same vivid acidity and citrusy fruits framing it all up. Gorgeous wine with lots of life left to go. If I run into any more of this down the road, I will reload it back to the cellar as I have just a single 750 left now.
1970 was a great Rioja year. I’ve had fabulous 1970 CVNE Real GR within the past couple of years, and I have a couple of bottles of CVNE Imperial waiting in the cellar.
Mmm have 3 of the Huets left. Maybe will pop one soon. And have a 1970 Bodegas Bilbainas Pomal teed up for a 49th bday on Thursday. Hope it shows well!
Frank,
I drank through cases of these. CT says I have 5@ of the 2010 Le Mont and Clos du Bourg Secs. I probably have a little less, but it’s better than none. Thanks for the update!
Cheers,
Warren
I agree. I haven’t met a '70 Rioja I didn’t like. I still have a few; a CVNE Imperial GR and a Viña Real GR, a Muga GR Prado Enea, and a few Palacio Glorioso GR’s. They’re ageless.
I’ve been buying old Rioja from Spain for a few years now and have had some utterly outstanding bottles; recently Murrieta Etiqueta Blanca '54 and '81 were both outrageously good (not to mention the Tondonia Blanco from the 60s). Top producers are very reliable indeed, and more often than not a good looking bottle from someone I’ve never come across will across will also be great. So many great older vintages still available at a song: '34, '48/9, '55, '58/9, '62, '64, '70, '81/2… Where else in the world could you get a top bottle from 1934, drinking in it’s prime, for less than a super-second Bordeaux from a recent vintage?
I’ve got a few '70 Imperial and Glorioso left, and have had the VR in the past (though never the Prado Enea - will look out for this!) - all great wines. Tondonia and Bosconia are also excellent of course, as are the Murrieta Ygay (Especial and Etiqueta Blance), and a bunch of others. The same (perhaps even more so) with the '64s and '81s. From what I hear the former were pretty undrinkable until they hit their stride in the '90s…