Site and vineyards
The Domaine Huet-l'Echansonne is located in Vouvray in the Loire wine region of France, at the point where oceanic and continental influences meet. Around 30 hectares of vines are spread across the three main sites Le Haut-Lieu, Clos du Bourg and Le Mont.
Le Haut-Lieu is situated on the Vouvray plateau and has very deep brown clay soils. Clos du Bourg lies above the church of Vouvray on a thin layer of clay and limestone over tuff. Le Mont is on a first slope facing south and has stony soils with green clay.
Vines and cultivation
The vineyards are planted with Chenin Blanc, which the estate also refers to as Chenin or Plan du Clair de Lune. The Domaine Huet has been practising biodynamic viticulture since 1988. Harvesting takes place in several passes in order to select healthy and ripe grapes and, if the conditions allow, grapes that have developed botrytis.
Wines and ageing
The estate produces Vouvray wines in the dry, off-dry and moelleux styles, as well as Première Trie from overripe or botrytised grapes. In addition, there is Vouvray Pétillant, a lightly sparkling Chenin wine. The three main sites are vinified separately: whole grapes are pressed without crushing or destemming, then fermented after 24 hours of pre-clarification in tanks and old casks using indigenous yeast, and aged for around six months until bottling in April.
The wines mature in underground tuff galleries at a stated constant temperature of around 13 °C. The Pétillant bottles are stored there on the lees for at least three years. Tuff forms the region’s subsoil; the underground cellars are located in former tuff quarries. The Vouvray appellation is reserved for white still wines and mousseux and pétillant wines.
History
Victor Huet and his son Gaston Huet founded the estate in 1928. Clos du Bourg was acquired in 1953, and Le Mont has been farmed since 1957.
