Shop Wines

Founded in 1928, the Huet estate now covers 35 hectares divided between three properties: Le Haut-Lieu, Le Mont, and Le Clos du Bourg. 15% of vines are between one and ten years old, 35% of vines are between ten and 30 years old and half are between 30 and 50 years old. Following the passing of second-generation owner Gaston Huet in 2002, day-to-day operations were under the full control of his son-in-law, Noël Pinguet, with whom he had worked hand-in-hand since 1971. That year, Anthony Hwang, a Filipino-born New York businessman, was brought into the partnership. Mr. Hwang and Mr. Pinguet continued to carry on Mr. Huet’s legacy until 2012 when Mr. Pinguet retired. Today, the winemaking and vineyard duties belong to Benjamin Joliveau, a Vouvray native who has trained closely with previous winemaker Jean-Bernard Berthomé as well as Noël Pinguet.

Perhaps the most respected name in Vouvray, Domaine Huet has been making wine of the highest quality for almost a century. Sweet or dry, still or sparkling, botrytis-affected or not, Chenin Blanc from Huet ages phenomenally.

The Huet vineyards have been managed biodynamically since 1990. It is an approach that recognizes the vineyard ecosystem in its widest sense as a complete system – the parent rock, workable land, plants, and wildlife: Le Mont is an eight hectare estate that borders the slopes of the Loire Valley. The soil is very pebbly, and consists mainly of green clay and silica. The wines produced are elegant and feminine. Le Haut Lieu estate covers nine hectares, with very deep clay-limestone soil, predominantly brown clay, along with calcareous and silica-based soils. This rather heavy soil generally produces supple wines. Le Clos du Bourg is a six hectare ‘Clos’, an enclosed vineyard surrounded by stone walls. It is located on the first slopes above the church in Vouvray, where it captures warmth from the sun and is protected from wine. (In the seventh century, this was a fiefdom owned by the Saint Martin collegiate church in Tours.) The rather thin soil, only about one metre deep, lies in direct contact with the non-active limestone subsoil. Le Clos du Bourg produces a powerful and well-structured wine.