Le Haut Lieu Moelleux 1ère Trie 2022

Wine Description for Le Haut Lieu Moelleux 1ère Trie 2022 by Huet

Colour & Appearance

Intense golden yellow in the glass – a colour that already announces the concentration and noble-sweet character of this extraordinary Chenin Blanc.

Nose

Fascinatingly restrained and deceptively cool, the nose of this 2022 presents itself. Rather than opulent sweetness, floral notes and a stony minerality dominate. Only subtle hints of honey, stone and preserved kumquats suggest the depth that reveals itself on the palate. This restraint is typical of great Vouvray wines in their youth.

Palate

Here the wine shows its true face: gentle, seductive and of bewitching fruit fullness. Ripe peaches, quinces, yellow plums, oranges, apples and pears unfold in concentrated, partly dried form. Remarkable is how graceful and light-footed this wine appears despite its 95 grams of residual sugar – not a trace of heaviness or compote character. A deep minerality and fine acidity create a perfect balance that makes the wine elegant and highly drinkable.

Terroir & Origin

The Haut-Lieu is the historic founding vineyard site of Huet estate from 1928. The five-hectare vineyard lies on the Vouvray plateau and is characterised by deep brown clay (locally called aubuis) with flint and chalk in the topsoil. The bedrock of yellow Tuffeau limestone lies four metres deep and gives the wine its characteristic minerality.

Grape Variety & Vinification

100% Chenin Blanc, vinified according to biodynamic principles. The exceptionally early harvest began on 8 September 2022 and lasted six weeks – the longest harvest period in the estate’s history. The grapes affected by Botrytis from the first passes were meticulously selected, pressed and spontaneously fermented. The wine was aged in used Demi-Muids.

Food Pairing Suggestions

Spaghetti with clams and chilli in coconut milk, calf’s liver mousse with caramelised apple slices, roasted topinambur with toasted hazelnuts and raisins, but also a delight with blue cheese or foie gras.

Special Features

A Moelleux »Première Trie« – the first selection with noble-rotted grapes. With only 11.5% alcohol and 95 g/l residual sugar, a wine of bewitching elegance that is already accessible when young, yet possesses enormous ageing potential.