He was quite hyped a few years back over here but that seems to have passed a bit again. I visited the winery for a tasting in 2017 and wasn’t really impressed. Brought back a few bottles of his Venise to try at peace at home but I taste a yoghurt note in there that makes it unpleasant for me.
I’m not sure whether that is a true fault, I just don’t like it.
Huet however keeps delivering for me, with the pinnacle a ‘89 Clos du Bourg 1ere Trie
Domaine du Collier Saumur 2015 last night: https://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3510771#p3510771
Another vote for Boudignon, especially the Cuvee Francoise.
If improvement in the bottle and ageability is a criteria then nothing beats Bredif. Not had the legendary 1921, but I have had older bottles back to 1911 and they seem to age better than the older Huet wines.
Pierre Menard has only been making Quart des Noels since 2013, but it’s a favourite and this other wines would be in my list of top Loire whites
2 wines missing for me are Huards 1er François and Henri Marionnets Provinage, both made from Romorantin. Not had 1 older than 10 years, but at that age they are are both very good. The Provinage in particular has a wonderful cool minerality.
I’ve never tried the higher-end Huards bottlings, but their simple little “Pure” was impossibly good for a $15 bottle. I’d happily try anything they make, if only I could find it.
Provinage is on my list too. And also not currently available in NY from what I can find.
You make a salient point Johnathan. While the great wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne are available all over the world, I think there are a number of wines from the Loire which are not. Case in point for me would be Jacky Blot. I’ve had fantastic wines from him while living in the Netherlands, but here in Australia I can’t find a single bottle. Some Huards is imported to Auz, but not the Cuvee Francois and I have to get it sent over via air-mail from France. Same for some of the Menard wines and Pinon. With such problems of availability (and cost) it’s very hard for non European based fans to come up with a list of the top wines.
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Thanks for the note. Had the 2016 not long ago and think they are very good wines. Sadly the prices are only going one way.
I know 
. They’re also tougher to find. I used to be able to get those every year and as many as I wanted. Now, I’m lucky if I can get my hands on 2 or 3 bottles.
This I completely understand and commiserate with. Even in France it is often hard to find the best Loire wines, red or white. It is very frustrating to read about an excellent-sounding wine which one can never hope to find. In the same way, I don’t know whether I would like Napa cabs, but I would certainly like to try Marcus Goodfellow’s wines - no hope of that here.
I do try to remember to check winesearcher when recommending a wine, because the other problem is excise duty and transport costs. Some of my favourite Muscadets cost 4 euros here, which turns into $20 in the US, i.e. the same or thereabout as Pépière’s Briords (which here is 11 or 12 euros), so there is absolutely no point in mentioning them.
Because he makes one wine per vintage, should have made that clearer.
Julian,
I both greatly appreciate and sympathize with your post. At some point, I’ll figure out how to get you some wines.
There are so many great small, or less reknowned, producers in the Loire that make great wines.
I have always really loved the wines of Claude Lafond, and his daughter, in Reuilly, but have no idea where one would find the wines in the states. His Sauvignon Blanc retailed here, at one point, for $14, and was just delicious and overperformed the price point immensely. I had a bottle of the 2010 in 2020 that was as good as most Sancerre.
Personally I’d move Huet CdB down to First while leaving Le Mont in Super First. Though I know someone who would probably reverse that…
I’d also add Pinon Cuvee Botrytis to First Growth
For melon de bourgogne I’d add Luneau Papin L d’Or to First Growth. While I prefer Briords when young I’m more likely to prefer the L d’Or with age.
I cannot really figure out what i think about Luneau Papin.
Had a 1998 L d’Or two years ago. Amazingly fresh, but not super interesting or complex. Three weeks ago i had a 2010 Terre de Pierre… completely dominated by a ripe banana note and out of balance. Multipe people guessed some Italian or southern France white blind on it.
Having lost most of my faith in the wines i opened a 2014 Excelsior yesterday to use for my risotto dish.
The first hour it was open was pretty good. A lot of lemon, minerality and a brioche like note. Almost drinking like a decent still Champagne. But then it just turned bitter.
Having been through 15+ bottles in the past few years, i must say that so far i like them better young.
Sorry for the rant 
After having had Jay’s 1999 Ld’Or, I was fortunate to try 1996 and a below average 1998, which is
a poor Loire vintage anyway.
Those crazy good 1999 and 1996, got me into the trails of the good 2002 and delicious 2007.
Am a fan.
Heard today that frost, mildew and oidium were so bad in 2021 that Cotat will not release any wines. They’re holding back release of the 20s too.
I might of overlooked but…where does this sit Yule?
DIDIER DAGUENEAU - ASTÉROÏDE
Small sample size on Joly…but I am a fan
That was 1989…
The 2021 vintage will save us all a lot of money. Not enough wine to go around from many European locations…
I have to second that I really do enjoy L d’Or with age. Really fantastic stuff.
Funny enough, I’ve never really had Briords with age – I guess they are too delicious young for me to wait!
What about Couley Dutheil?