Only the best grower Champagnes have the kind of interest, sense of place and attention to detail this sparkling wine offers. Bottled at a low pressure of 2.5/3 atmospheres (most Champagnes are between five and six), this wine has a more delicate fizz than most. The fruit is all estate-grown (certified biodynamic) and comes from the youngest vines in Huet’s Première Côte vineyards. Crafted in a hybrid méthode ancestrale style (only natural sugar in the must was used for the second fermentation), it’s made in years that favour dry wine production.

Disgorged in October 2023 following 36 months on lees in the Huet cellars, the 2019 release has just over 1 g/L residual sugar and was dosed with the 2018 Le Haut Lieu Moelleux. To quote sparkling wine authority Peter Liem on the style: “It’s a magical, intensely expressive wine, and ridiculously inexpensive for the quality”. Let’s hear that again: ridiculously inexpensive for the quality. 2019 is a magical, fleshy mineral release for this benchmark Loire sparkling.

Le Haut-Lieu was the estate’s first vineyard, purchased in 1928. Situated on the Première Côte, it’s a 9-hectare plot on deep brown chalky clay (known as aubuis). Here the yellow limestone (tuffeau) bedrock lies up to four metres down, making for a richer soil that produces round, supple wines that can drink very well young. It generally produces the earliest maturing of the three cuvées and is usually ready to drink first, but, like Clos du Bourg and Le Mont, the wines can be extremely long-lived. We have enjoyed bottles from the ’40s that are still drinking very well!

Le Haut Lieu was the estate’s first vineyard, purchased in 1928, and is situated on the Première Côte. As the name suggests, the house and the vineyards are located on a plateau with a slight south-facing gradient at one of the highest points of the appellation. It’s a nine-hectare plot on deep, brown, chalky clay (known as aubuis). Here, the yellow limestone (tuffeau) bedrock lies up to four metres down, making for a richer soil that produces round, supple wines that tend to drink well young. It generally produces the earliest maturing of the three cuvées and the first ready for drinking, but, like Clos du Bourg and Le Mont, the wines can be extremely long-lived. We have enjoyed bottles from the ’40s that are still drinking very well!

When young, these dry wines are pent-up, intense, mineral (chalky and/or smoky-fresh) whites that are wonderfully pure and racy. With age, the top examples mature at a snail’s pace to become some of the most intriguing dry whites on the planet. They go from the white flowers, citrus pith and crunchy fruit of youth to something deliciously honeyed, buttery, savoury and autumnal. The younger examples are go-to wines for anything involving seafood or white meat. For the technically minded, Huet’s secs have between 4 and 8 g/L residual sugar depending on the vintage, although the 2022 and 2023 wines dipped closer to the 3 g/L mark.

Perched on the Première Côte, just above the town of Vouvray, Clos du Bourg is a monopole and generally regarded as the greatest of the three Huet single vineyards. It has been farmed by the domaine since 1953 and was purchased in 1963. Arguably the region’s greatest vineyard, Clos du Bourg makes some of Europe's most powerful, thrilling and long-lived white wines. With only one metre of topsoil over solid limestone, the vines immediately tap into the mineral resources underfoot. The warmth of the site, combined with the mineral complexion of the soils, results in rich, long-lived wines that seem to effortlessly combine intense, charged minerality with generous texture and concentration.

Purchased in 1957, the steep, rocky, eight-hectare vineyard of Le Mont lies on Vouvray’s esteemed Première Côte, part of a bank of limestone-rich hillside vineyards overlooking Tours. This block's argilo-siliceux soils (stony with green mineral clays and flint over limestone) provide the tight structure and pungent minerality that Le Mont is renowned for. With less clay (and a different type of clay) and more stone than Le Haut-Lieu, this site typically produces the nerviest wines of the Huet stable, so mostly dry and off-dry whites are produced from this vineyard.

Le Haut-Lieu was the estate’s first vineyard, purchased in 1928. Situated on the Première Côte, it’s a 9-hectare plot on deep brown chalky clay (known as aubuis). Here the yellow limestone (tuffeau) bedrock lies up to four metres down, making for a richer soil that produces round, supple wines that can drink very well young. It generally produces the earliest maturing of the three cuvées and is usually ready to drink first, but, like Clos du Bourg and Le Mont, the wines can be extremely long-lived. We have enjoyed bottles from the ‘40s that are still drinking very well!

Perched on the Première Côte just above the town of Vouvray, Clos du Bourg is a monopole and generally regarded as the greatest of the three Huet single vineyards. The domaine has farmed it since 1953 and purchased it in 1963. Clos du Bourg is arguably the greatest vineyard in the region, producing some of the most powerful, thrilling, long-lived white wines in Europe. With only one metre of topsoil over solid limestone, the vines tap almost immediately into the mineral resources underneath. The warmth of the site, combined with the mineral complexion of the soils, results in rich, super long-lived wines that seem to effortlessly combine intense minerality with generous texture and concentration.

Huet’s demi-secs typically fall between 18 and 25 g/L residual sugar (give or take a few grams), but the acidity makes the wines appear only just off-dry. These wines manage finesse and diamond-cut clarity, yet they are somehow open and welcoming at the same time. At the table, these wines pair beautifully with the spices of many Asian cuisines but are also brilliant with French or modern Australian cooking (from seafood through game and white meats to cheese).

Perched on the Première Côte just above the town of Vouvray, Clos du Bourg is a monopole and generally regarded as the greatest of the three Huet single vineyards. The domaine has farmed it since 1953 and purchased it in 1963. Clos du Bourg is arguably the greatest vineyard in the region, producing some of the most powerful, thrilling, long-lived white wines in Europe. With only one metre of topsoil over solid limestone, the vines tap almost immediately into the mineral resources underneath. The warmth of the site, combined with the mineral complexion of the soils, results in rich, super long-lived wines that seem to effortlessly combine intense minerality with generous texture and concentration.

Huet’s demi-secs typically fall between 18 and 25 g/L residual sugar (give or take a few grams), but the acidity makes the wines appear only just off-dry. These wines manage finesse and diamond-cut clarity, yet they are somehow open and welcoming at the same time. At the table, these wines pair beautifully with the spices of many Asian cuisines but are also brilliant with French or modern Australian cooking (from seafood through game and white meats to cheese).

Recognised since the 15th century as being one of the most distinguished sites in the appellation, Le Mont was also known locally as Perruches, a local name for the greenish-tinged clay soils flecked with perrons, fist-sized pebbles of flint. Purchased in 1957, the steep, rocky, eight-hectare vineyard lies on Vouvray’s esteemed Première Côte, part of a bank of limestone-rich hillside vineyards overlooking Tours. This block's argilo-siliceux soils (stony, with green, mineral clays and flint over limestone) provide the tight structure and pungent minerality Le Mont is renowned for. With less clay (and a different type of clay) and more stone than Le Haut-Lieu, this site typically produces the nerviest wines in the Huet stable, so this vineyard mainly produces dry and off-dry whites.

Huet’s demi-secs typically fall between 18 and 25 g/L residual sugar (give or take a few grams), but the acidity makes the wines appear only just off-dry. These wines manage finesse and diamond-cut clarity, yet they are somehow open and welcoming at the same time. At the table, these wines pair beautifully with the spices of many Asian cuisines but are also brilliant with French or modern Australian cooking (from seafood through game and white meats to cheese).

Le Haut-Lieu was the estate’s first vineyard, purchased in 1928. Situated on the Première Côte, it’s a 9-hectare plot on deep brown chalky clay (known as aubuis). Here the yellow limestone (tuffeau) bedrock lies up to four metres down, making for a richer soil that produces round, supple wines that can drink very well young. It generally produces the earliest maturing of the three cuvées and is usually ready to drink first, but, like Clos du Bourg and Le Mont, the wines can be extremely long-lived. We have enjoyed bottles from the ‘40s that are still drinking very well!

Purchased in 1957, the steep, rocky, eight-hectare vineyard of Le Mont lies on Vouvray’s esteemed Première Côte, part of a bank of limestone-rich hillside vineyards overlooking Tours. This block's argilo-siliceux soils (stony with green mineral clays and flint over limestone) provide the tight structure and pungent minerality that Le Mont is renowned for. With less clay (and a different type of clay) and more stone than Le Haut-Lieu, this site typically produces the nerviest wines of the Huet stable, so mostly dry and off-dry whites are produced from this vineyard.

Recognised since the 15th century as being one of the most distinguished sites in the appellation, Le Mont was also known locally as Perruches, a local name for the greenish-tinged clay soils flecked with perrons, fist-sized pebbles of flint. Purchased in 1957, the steep, rocky, eight-hectare vineyard lies on Vouvray’s esteemed Première Côte, part of a bank of limestone-rich hillside vineyards overlooking Tours. This block's argilo-siliceux soils (stony, with green, mineral clays and flint over limestone) provide the tight structure and pungent minerality Le Mont is renowned for. With less clay (and a different type of clay) and more stone than Le Haut-Lieu, this site typically produces the nerviest wines in the Huet stable, so this vineyard mainly produces dry and off-dry whites.

Huet’s succulent moelleux wines (moelleux translates to ‘marrow-like’ and is pronounced ‘mweh-luh’) typically have between 40 and 60 g/L residual sugar. They are made mainly from grapes that have dried on the vine (passerillage) rather than those affected by botrytis. Huet’s moelleux wines can be remarkably fine and delicate—think of a great Mosel rather than a Sauternes for an idea of weight—and pair brilliantly with cheeses and a range of savoury meat dishes (only wines from the richest years work with fruit-based desserts).

Occasionally, in the top years, the sweeter première trie level is made from a berry-by-berry selection of the very ripest (often botrytis-affected) grapes. The balance is dumbfounding, and these mouthwatering, racy, transparent wines represent some of the greatest whites of France. The première trie wines can also work with desserts—but nothing too sweet (they’re better with cheeses).

Le Haut Lieu was the estate’s first vineyard, purchased in 1928, and is situated on the Première Côte. As the name suggests, the house and the vineyards are located on a plateau with a slight south-facing gradient at one of the highest points of the appellation. It’s a nine-hectare plot on deep, brown, chalky clay (known as aubuis). Here, the yellow limestone (tuffeau) bedrock lies up to four metres down, making for a richer soil that produces round, supple wines that tend to drink well young. It generally produces the earliest maturing of the three cuvées and the first ready for drinking, but, like Clos du Bourg and Le Mont, the wines can be extremely long-lived. We have enjoyed bottles from the ’40s that are still drinking very well!

Huet’s succulent moelleux wines (moelleux translates to ‘marrow-like’ and is pronounced ‘mweh-luh’) typically have between 40 and 60 g/L residual sugar. They are made mainly from grapes that have dried on the vine (passerillage) rather than those affected by botrytis. Huet’s moelleux wines can be remarkably fine and delicate—think of a great Mosel rather than a Sauternes for an idea of weight—and pair brilliantly with cheeses and a range of savoury meat dishes (only wines from the richest years work with fruit-based desserts).

Occasionally, in the top years, the sweeter première trie level is made from a berry-by-berry selection of the very ripest (often botrytis-affected) grapes. The balance is dumbfounding, and these mouthwatering, racy, transparent wines represent some of the greatest whites of France. The première trie wines can also work with desserts—but nothing too sweet (they’re better with cheeses).

Perched on the Première Côte just above the town of Vouvray, Clos du Bourg is a monopole and generally regarded as the greatest of the three Huet single vineyards. The domaine has farmed it since 1953 and purchased it in 1963. Clos du Bourg is arguably the greatest vineyard in the region, producing some of the most powerful, thrilling, long-lived white wines in Europe. With only one metre of topsoil over solid limestone, the vines tap almost immediately into the mineral resources underneath. The warmth of the site, combined with the mineral complexion of the soils, results in rich, super long-lived wines that seem to effortlessly combine intense minerality with generous texture and concentration.

Huet’s succulent moelleux wines (moelleux translates to ‘marrow-like’ and is pronounced ‘mweh-luh’) typically have between 40 and 60 g/L residual sugar. They are made mainly from grapes that have dried on the vine (passerillage) rather than those affected by botrytis. Huet’s moelleux wines can be remarkably fine and delicate—think of a great Mosel rather than a Sauternes for an idea of weight—and pair brilliantly with cheeses and a range of savoury meat dishes (only wines from the richest years work with fruit-based desserts).

Occasionally, in the top years, the sweeter première trie level is made from a berry-by-berry selection of the very ripest (often botrytis-affected) grapes. The balance is dumbfounding, and these mouthwatering, racy, transparent wines represent some of the greatest whites of France. The première trie wines can also work with desserts—but nothing too sweet (they’re better with cheeses).

Recognised since the 15th century as being one of the most distinguished sites in the appellation, Le Mont was also known locally as Perruches, a local name for the greenish-tinged clay soils flecked with perrons, fist-sized pebbles of flint. Purchased in 1957, the steep, rocky, eight-hectare vineyard lies on Vouvray’s esteemed Première Côte, part of a bank of limestone-rich hillside vineyards overlooking Tours. This block's argilo-siliceux soils (stony, with green, mineral clays and flint over limestone) provide the tight structure and pungent minerality Le Mont is renowned for. With less clay (and a different type of clay) and more stone than Le Haut-Lieu, this site typically produces the nerviest wines in the Huet stable, so this vineyard mainly produces dry and off-dry whites.

Huet’s succulent moelleux wines (moelleux translates to ‘marrow-like’ and is pronounced ‘mweh-luh’) typically have between 40 and 60 g/L residual sugar. They are made mainly from grapes that have dried on the vine (passerillage) rather than those affected by botrytis. Huet’s moelleux wines can be remarkably fine and delicate—think of a great Mosel rather than a Sauternes for an idea of weight—and pair brilliantly with cheeses and a range of savoury meat dishes (only wines from the richest years work with fruit-based desserts).

Occasionally, in the top years, the sweeter première trie level is made from a berry-by-berry selection of the very ripest (often botrytis-affected) grapes. The balance is dumbfounding, and these mouthwatering, racy, transparent wines represent some of the greatest whites of France. The première trie wines can also work with desserts—but nothing too sweet (they’re better with cheeses).

Le Haut Lieu was the estate’s first vineyard, purchased in 1928, and is situated on the Première Côte. As the name suggests, the house and the vineyards are located on a plateau with a slight south-facing gradient at one of the highest points of the appellation. It’s a nine-hectare plot on deep, brown, chalky clay (known as aubuis). Here, the yellow limestone (tuffeau) bedrock lies up to four metres down, making for a richer soil that produces round, supple wines that tend to drink well young. It generally produces the earliest maturing of the three cuvées and the first ready for drinking, but, like Clos du Bourg and Le Mont, the wines can be extremely long-lived. We have enjoyed bottles from the ’40s that are still drinking very well!

Huet’s succulent moelleux wines (moelleux translates to ‘marrow-like’ and is pronounced ‘mweh-luh’) typically have between 40 and 60 g/L residual sugar. They are made mainly from grapes that have dried on the vine (passerillage) rather than those affected by botrytis. Huet’s moelleux wines can be remarkably fine and delicate—think of a great Mosel rather than a Sauternes for an idea of weight—and pair brilliantly with cheeses and a range of savoury meat dishes (only wines from the richest years work with fruit-based desserts).

Occasionally, in the top years, the sweeter première trie level is made from a berry-by-berry selection of the very ripest (often botrytis-affected) grapes. The balance is dumbfounding, and these mouthwatering, racy, transparent wines represent some of the greatest whites of France. The première trie wines can also work with desserts—but nothing too sweet (they’re better with cheeses).

Perched on the Première Côte, just above the town of Vouvray, Clos du Bourg is a monopole and generally regarded as the greatest of the three Huet single vineyards. It has been farmed by the domaine since 1953 and was purchased in 1963. Arguably the region’s greatest vineyard, Clos du Bourg makes some of Europe's most powerful, thrilling and long-lived white wines. With only one metre of topsoil over solid limestone, the vines immediately tap into the mineral resources underfoot. The warmth of the site, combined with the mineral complexion of the soils, results in rich, long-lived wines that seem to effortlessly combine intense, charged minerality with generous texture and concentration.
Despite the warm and dry growing season, 2003 was a stellar year for Huet’s sweeter styles, and the Clos du Bourg Moelleux is beautiful today. While we cannot find a review for this label, to give you some idea of the quality on offer from this vintage, The Wine Advocate’s Stephan Reinhardt rated the 2003 Moelleux 1er Trie from the same vineyard 98+ points (while the Cuvée Constance received a perfect 100-point score). Twenty years of age and going strong, the palate is mind-blowing and decadent, with a kaleidoscopic array of honey, brioche, orange zest, and spicy/mineral notes washing across the palate. With such purity, spicy intensity and perfumed length, it is a pure joy to drink and—take it from us—the bottle disappears almost as quickly as it is opened. The balance and complexity here are geared towards simple, delicious desserts—it would be hard to beat a great apple pie or the best cannelés bordelais you can lay your hands on.

Purchased in 1957, the steep, rocky, eight-hectare vineyard of Le Mont lies on Vouvray’s esteemed Première Côte, part of a bank of limestone-rich hillside vineyards overlooking Tours. This block's argilo-siliceux soils (stony with green mineral clays and flint over limestone) provide the tight structure and pungent minerality that Le Mont is renowned for. With less clay (and a different type of clay) and more stone than Le Haut-Lieu, this site typically produces the nerviest wines of the Huet stable, so mostly dry and off-dry whites are produced from this vineyard.