Clos du Bourg demi-sec 2020

Wine description for Clos du Bourg demi-sec 2020 by Huet

Colour & Appearance

Medium straw yellow with a fine sheen.

Nose

Chalky, firm, and a shade darker than its sibling vineyard sites. Yellow citrus fruits complete with zest, crisp apples and pears, alongside dried herbs, blond tobacco, and fresh apple must. A hint of smoke and flint lingers in the background.

Palate

Opens silky and warm, with juicy pome and stone fruits and citrus notes. The 20 grams of residual sugar initially rest on the tip of the tongue, before spice and acidity emerge, triggering a whirlwind of freshness and salinity. Volume and concentration without any heaviness – despite 13.5% ABV, the wine practically dances across the palate.

Finish

Long, fresh, and saline, with lingering spice and the promise of a splendid bottle age over years.

Terroir & Origin

The Clos du Bourg lies above the church in Vouvray: six hectares enclosed by an ancient stone wall, documented as early as the 7th century. Gaston Huet considered it the greatest vineyard in all of Vouvray – combining the minerality of Le Mont with the texture of Le Haut-Lieu. Shallow clay soil with flint and chalk over Turonian tuffeau limestone, which the vines reach after just one metre.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Pure Chenin Blanc, the “grape of moonlight”. Harvested during the warmest year on record between 7 and 25 September 2020, meticulously sorted, pressed, and spontaneously fermented; aged in used demi-muids. At Huet, Demi-Sec means 15 to 25 grams of residual sugar – here exactly 20.

Food Pairings

Bresse chicken with morels, black pudding with mashed potatoes and caramelised apples, or a ripe Brie with truffles.

Special Notes

From the house of Huet – Demeter-certified since 1993, pioneers of biodynamics in the Loire Valley. Cellar master Benjamin Joliveau has carried on the legacy since 2020. A wine that already seduces today, yet will only reveal its full depth with time: better in ten years, even finer in thirty.