Appreciate it Pat - great feedback!
Does Huet export a larger percentage of its production than its neighbors/peers? Sometimes local attitudes can be weird when a lot of the wine goes overseas.
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I can’t speak to their reputation in the Loire but I had a fabulous visit there several months ago. Johan is very knowledgeable and fun to talk to and once it was clear we knew about the winery and were going to buy some bottles, he poured us a few older things at the end of the regular tasting that were a treat. The caves are also great to check out as well.
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Such an interesting discussion - and one that I see echoed even here in the US. If one visits Paso, for instance, many will suggest not going to some of the larger producers because, well, they are larger and therefore they can’t possibly make great wines and/or do things in an artisinal way. Of course this is ludicrous on the surface - yet many abide by this concept . . .
Cheers
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I’ve often heard derogatory remarks about Huet from other producers over the last dozen years. I don’t think it’s the nationality of the owner, more a general resentment at perceived arrogance, fuelled perhaps by their decision to ban Jim Budd and Chris Kissack back in 2014, I think, who had had the presumption to dislike some of the wines. Since both Jim and Chris have done a lot to promote Loire wines over the years, the Huet owners’ decision did not go down well with other producers, who know only too well how much they owe them.
This has nothing to do with the quality of the wines and I would certainly include a visit if in the region. I buy a lot more of the new breed today, which compare very favourably with young Huets. But I don’t think many wines match an old, well-cellared Huet, and we don’t know how the new wines will fare after twenty-odd years or more.
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Very interesting Julian! Thank you very much for the insight!
Names? I am a big fan of Domaine Ogereau and Thiboud Boudignon, both of whom produce Anjou Blanc and Savennieres. I’d like to know others including in Vouvray.
We had a fantastic tasting in the caves there back in 2019. Our host was a young man who had recently taken over the top riddler position from his 93 year old mentor. He told us that locals and employees were concerned that when the Domaine was sold that things would change drastically. He assured us that the status quo was being maintained but the locals were still in a wait and see frame of mind. He also mentioned that the 93 year old could still out-riddle him and that he still came in to the winery every morning to have a glass of wine and a plate of mushrooms for breakfast.
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Amazing! Thanks Roger!
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Well, with Ogereau and Boudignon, you’re already off to a good start! You could try Plaisance - her simple Anjou Blanc is excellent value - and for a lot more, Belargus, then Pierre Ménard, or Bertin-Delatte. I don’t really have any recs in Vouvray, except for my old favourite, Champalou. The latter is not made for long term cellaring, nor is it made in the taut style of the others, but since their daughter’s increased involvement in the winemaking, the taste has changed (less honey, more apple and pear), which I like a lot.
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I rarely see Huet here in SW France. Maybe most is exported?
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I also think that this style of wine is more of an “acquired taste”. Daily at work I experience bias against wines with RS. I’m happy that for our holiday party the Huet demi we opened went over exceedingly well. Even in my own friend group there is misconceptions and after opening up quite a good amount of nicely wines with RS, I think I’ve changed some minds. The only let down is their sparkling. My coworker said it was just fancy seltzer.
I believe the previous comments are also true.
Oh interesting! Im a big fan of the Petillant. Different strokes i guess 
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I love Huet (at one point it was my largest producer of any wine I had) and so does my wife, but I too find that friends look askance at it sometimes.
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Current release or aged? I’ve only had the still wines.
Forgive me for inserting myself into your conversation, but I very recently drank the 2019 petillant, and it is fantastic. Relatively dense, fresh, properly dry, and packed with Chenin character. Seltzer water it is not. They also age forever. They were the slowest to evolve of all the Huet’s I cellared. Still very fresh at 15 years on cork.
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Totally agree Scott They are excellent wines! And yep, @B_Davies they also age very well. The 2010 is in a great spot and i have 6 more in the cellar that I’m in no rush to drink.
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This indeed.
When I tasted 1998 a few years ago, I thought: “wow, this wine has had more than 20 years to turn into something interesting, yet it hasn’t!”
It was a lovely and enjoyable wine, but drank more like 2-yo than 20-yo wine. If I age my bubblies, I’d want them to at least show some signs of age.
And while they can be wonderfully refreshing and mineral, I really don’t think Chenin makes particularly interesting bubbly wines. And Huet is not an exception. TBH, I’d rather buy anything else from their range than their sparkling Vouvray.
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I agree the evolution is slow enough to not be worth cellaring. I drink them young now.
I quite enjoy Chenin as a sparkler and would drink that Huet over the vast majority of entry level bottles from the Cote de Blancs in Champagne. They don’t compete with Champagne at the high end, and I don’t generally treat sparkling Vouvray as a substitute for a good champagne, viewing them more as unique expressions of Chenin Blanc. I like Huet’s (and Foreau’s) still wines better, but I think the sparklers are a fun, affordable and worthwhile entry to the range. I am not particularly bothered by the lack of autolytic complexity.
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my co-worker is also an idiot 