2018 Domaine Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Moelleux Premiere Trie

Description

97    John Gilman
“The Clos du Bourg Première Trie from Domaine Huët in 2018 is probably the finest of these three bottlings, but like the Le Mont, it is not the one to reach for right now, as this is still a puppy. The bouquet is pure, precise and very, very promising, offering up scents of sweet quince, yellow plum, a touch of pineapple, bee pollen, incipient honey, gorgeous, limestone minerality and a lovely potpourri of fruit blossoms in the upper register. On the palate the wine is simply stunning, with bottomless depth, great focus and grip, brighter, more “present” acids than its stable-mates, brilliant focus and grip and a very, very long, magical finish. Like the Le Mont, there is really no point in opening this wine in its youth, as it does not have the same early detail as the Le Haut-Lieu (so why waste bottles?), but this will ultimately be the finest of these three utterly brilliant Moelleux Première Trie bottlings from Domaine Huët in this great vintage. Drink between 2028-2100”

96    Robert Parker for Wine Advocate
“The 2018 Vouvray Clos du Bourg Moelleux Première Trie is fine, pure and vital on the remarkably complex nose, initially with white asparagus and mushroom aromas, but with more aeration, fresh toast, oak and flinty notes take over. The palate is sweet and lush but serious, vibrantly fresh and highly elegant, provided with fine and lingering tannins as well as a lovely touch of fresh oak. Still sweet but delicate and vital, it has a highly attractive juiciness that is structured but serious, along with firm tannins extracted from the oak barrels. The darker toned, Pinot-like Première Trie is perhaps even finer and saltier than the beautifully balanced and finessed regular Moelleux and needs more time to integrate all its components. Tasted in May 2019.”

93    Wine Spectator
“This caresses the palate, featuring bittersweet almond paste flavors up front, followed by mirabelle plum, apricot and mango notes. Racy acidity and a minerally spine create serious structure. Complex, with a persistent finish. Drink now through 2034.”