Clos du Bourg sec 2023

Wine Description for Clos du Bourg sec 2023 by Huet

Colour & Appearance

Intense, luminous straw yellow with golden reflections – a wine that already signals maturity and substance in the glass.

Nose

The nose displays a fuller, warmer character than the previous vintage: ripe quince and kumquat meet pecan nuts and a hint of flower honey. Beneath lies a gentle butter brioche note – inviting, complex, of great depth.

Palate

On the palate, the wine unfolds with impressive precision: quince, pear and yellow plum combine with the herbaceous-fresh note of cider, fine Earl Grey and mineral stone. The acidity is elegant and fresh, the body full and sensual – yet this Chenin Blanc moves with dancing lightness. Texture and energy maintain the balance between power and finesse in a remarkable way.

Finish

Long, mineral and marked by underlying tension. The tuffeau minerality carries the finish far, without ever becoming wearisome.

Terroir & Origin

The Clos du Bourg is one of France’s oldest Grand Cru vineyard sites – documented as far back as the 7th century. The six-hectare parcel, enclosed by a historic stone wall, lies above the church of Vouvray. Flat clay soil with flint and chalk inclusions on the characteristic Turonian tuffeau limestone bedrock: the roots reach the tuffeau after just one metre.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Pure Chenin Blanc. The 2023 vintage presented the team with extraordinary challenges: a massive infestation by the spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) required rigorous quality management – at least 25% of the harvest was discarded, each individual berry hand-selected. Spontaneous fermentation, malolactic fermentation only in exceptional cases, ageing in used demi-muids. A wine that tells its vintage honestly and without compromise.

Food Pairing Suggestions

Ideal with grilled turbot with beurre blanc, lobster or scallops with saffron sauce. Equally convincing with mature Comté or calf sweetbreads with morels.

Special Characteristics

Despite one of the most difficult vintages in recent Vouvray history, Huet once again proves that consistent vineyard work and uncompromising selection can produce greatness even under the most adverse conditions. A timeless Chenin Blanc from historic terroir – a pleasure now, possibly a revelation in ten years‘ time.