Huet question

Huet drinkers, what do you find to be the differences between Le Haut Lieu, Le Mont, and Clos du Bourg? Does any site work better for a given style?

Pretty much the same, all 93 points neener

I don’t drink a ton of them but I find their profile to be in the following order fuller to leaner. Le Mont, Le Haut Lieu, and Clos du Bourg, with CdB the most mineral and acid driven.

Lol, well played sir.

In my limited experience, I prefer Le Mont.

Can I nominate this for post of the year?

I’ll venture my own opinion: Haut Lieu is always the somewhat simpler wine, not nearly the intensity or depth of the other two. Le Mont is often the most interesting to me, with a good combination of intensity, depth, and minerality (I’m talking about the Sec wines, not Demi, which I don’t drink nearly as much). Bourg tends to be richer and fatter than Le Mont - delicious, but often a little less interesting to me. All dependent on vintage, of course, but this has been my experience over the years.

Interesting Alan, wonder if I just have them all mixed up.

This aligns with my perception, in most vintages.

Cheers,

Warren

Alan’s description would be the same as mine, except I’d add that I find Haut Lieu to be more acidic/citrusy than the other two, which have more depth at the expense of relative richness. When Le Mont is on, it seems to have a higher ceiling, at least when young. I often like younger Haut Lieu better on day two after an overnight stay in the fridge. Although Le Mont is often my favorite vineyard, my favorite bottle of Huet was a 97 Haut Lieu 1’er Trie.

There are many on this board with much more extensive experience with Huet, but really you can’t go wrong with any of them. If price and supply were no object, I would likely pick Le Mont, du Borg and Haut Lieu in that order. Haut Lieu can typically be found a few to several dollars cheaper, which is signifiant since the quality isn’ that much different.

I agree with Dr. Drew. Le Mont is more often better, but I sometimes prefer the leaner and more acidic Le Haut Lieu just from a stylistic preference standpoint.

While we are at it, there has never seemed to be consensus on how to pronounce Huet. Any new opinions or information?

you-et, slight emphasis on the second syllable.

I agree with the comments on the Haut-Lieu: it always has the brightest fruit and acidity. It’s usually more approachable across all the styles. For me, it is best for the long term in the sec and demi-sec style. I find that it does not always has the presence to carry secondary development in the sweeter styles. Le Mont is for me the wine that needs the most time: it can be a burly and reticent when in its first 7 to 10 years. It always has an excellent texture but can be a bit rounder and more enigmatic. The marker on this wine is its weight and presence and the most subtle touch of ginger. For the long term, 15 years plus, it is a rewarding wine. I am a fan Le Bourg: it has some of the expressiveness and brightness of Le Haut-Lieu plus a fantastically complex mouth feel. Yes, it’s the one that seems to combine the two others. In all styles, it has the power and the delicacy we look for in great wines. My two cents.

Back when I was buying the 1995-1997 trio I mostly focused on CdB. It was the biggest and richest and seemed the most ageworthy. Once I started opening them 20 years later I found I was enjoying the Le Monts more, prizing their elegance and minerality. While I tend to neglect LHL I’ve had some amazing older versions.

Really, you’re not going to go wrong with any of them. Unless you invest in 2002s. I dumped so much ****ing premoxed 2002 Huet down the sink…

Great thread, and funny.

I have found on a # of occasions that I like the Haut-Lieu the best, much like what Counselor said above.

Le Haut-Lieu = the domaine’s first vineyard, with quite deep soils (circa 3m) of brown clay on top of limestone. But since it was the original holding, it has always been used to some extent as a marque, so the bottling sometimes contains juice from other vineyards. The wines are supple and the most approachable.

Le Mont = green soils rich in minerals, makes the most stony, elegant wines that are less accessible than Le Haut-Lieu.

Clos du Bourg = the oldest vineyard in Vouvray, with comparatively thin soils, makes powerful, focussed wines that need time.

Seconded champagne.gif

well timed thread, since the Garagiste offer today was for the '17 CdB and Haut Lieu ($34.96 and $28.98 for 750s, respectively.)

-1. it’s one thing to rag on someone for using the same scoring shtick to make a point, but it’s another to keep bringing it up in totally irrelevant threads. What benefit does it serve for this otherwise interesting and useful discussion on Huet? Seriously a major downer. Thanks to everyone for the otherwise very informative posts on the differences between the Huet cuvees/vineyards.