This was my last bottle from a case I purchased on release. I started drinking the case about two years ago, thought it was delicious, and drank it down quickly. I didn’t think there was any rush on them, but I also didn’t think it would improve. I was wrong.
This hasn’t changed radically since my last bottle two years ago, but the perception of residual sugar was practically non-existant, leaving a wine that had a sense of lushness in the middle, but was basically dry on entry and the finish. Lanolin and candle wax on the nose. Honey, dried apricot and figs on the palate, undergirded with smoke, salt, and wet rocks. Broad and silken on the palate. Easily the best bottle of the case and I wish I had held onto the bulk of the case for a little longer. The acidity is a little softer than I would have preferred, but without the perception of much residual sugar, it is very well balanced and just comes across as round. Excellent bottle.
This wine was undrinkable on release. Tightly coiled with massive baby fat and a low acid, syrupy palate. This is quite the metamorphosis.
I think it is a problem of the wines being too available and the prices staying too stable while other Chenin greats like Boudignon and Taille aux Loups are way more scarce and getting up in price. FOMO makes at least me chase those two and leave Huet on the shelves no matter how much I enjoy Huet.
I think that is the Huet conundrum – its availability makes me take it for granted, so that I keep prioritizing other purchases, and I never get around to buying Huet, even though I adore the wines. This also happens to me with other types of wine.
Looking at my cellar, I notice that I tend to prioritize purchases that I know are scarce and that I have to buy as soon as the offer comes out, or I will be locked out.
For example, I love Willi Schaefer and Falkenstein, and they are my top two German producers in my cellar because I always buy as soon as I know they are on the market, otherwise I know I won’t be able to backfill – but I also love Prum, but I don’t have as many because I keep kicking the can down the road on buying, assuming I can backfill whenever I want to.
‘This wine is highly available so I’ll buy it later’ is a perfectly reasonable strategy. Sometimes it bites you in the wallet, sure. But this has been my strategy for Bordeaux (both red and sweet) and it’s been working well.
Huet (or Foreau) Demi-Sec with age on it is my favorite match with steamed or boiled lobster, though obviously there are lots of good wine matches. In fact, having a 2002 Le Mont Demi-Sec tonight with lobster.
Awesome note! I love this wine and 1000% agree that it is drinking insanely well right now, and might even have some upside yet. I only have 2 bottles left but will try to keep one for a handful of years to see what happens.
That is so true, and I’ve written about being guilty of that myself. Why don’t I buy more Ridge Geyserville, Thivin CdB, Huet, Curran grenache blanc, and wines like that? I guess it doesn’t feel urgent enough.
Chasing shiny objects, chasing perceived scarcity, fear of major price escalation, seeking discoveries, those seem much more powerful motivators at times.
It’s not actually wrong, but it’s something to have self awareness about.
