2023 Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Sec, Loire Valley

The 2023 Vouvray Sec Le Mont is precise, upright and flinty. It's less immediately charming than the styles we've seen in recent warmer vintages, but it was only tasted three weeks after bottling - this is one to revisit. There's just the right amount of juicy, peachy flesh within this light-bodied yet concentrated wine. It has the potential to charm but does so without showing off. Flinty and tightly sewn together, it has curves in the right places, but you're just going to have to wait for it to take shape.

95 points Rebecca Gibb MW vinous.com

One of the great dry white wines of the Loire. This dry chenin blanc is rich and concentrated, but also graceful and delicate. Full-bodied but so elegant and precise, with a wet stone minerality that builds in a spectacular manner in the very long, refined finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

96 points Stuart Pigott jamessuckling.com

Purchased in 1957, the steep, rocky, eight-hectare vineyard of Le Mont lies on Vouvray’s esteemed Première Côte, part of a bank of limestone-rich hillside vineyards overlooking Tours. This block's argilo-siliceux soils (stony with green mineral clays and flint over limestone) provide the tight structure and pungent minerality Le Mont is renowned for. With less clay (and a different type of clay) and more stone than Le Haut-Lieu, this site typically produces the nerviest wines of the Huet stable, so mostly dry and off-dry whites are produced.

Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Sec is a stunning expression of dry Chenin Blanc from one of Vouvray’s most iconic producers, Domaine Huet. Founded in 1928, Domaine Huet has long been a benchmark for the appellation, producing wines that reflect the purity, finesse, and longevity of Chenin Blanc. The Le Mont vineyard, located on the eastern edge of Vouvray, is renowned for its precision and minerality, producing some of the most expressive wines in the estate’s portfolio.

The Le Mont vineyard features shallow, stony soils of siliceous clay over the region’s signature tuffeau (chalky limestone subsoil). These soils impart a unique mineral tension to the wine, while the vineyard’s location, with its cooler microclimate, ensures a slow and even ripening of the grapes. This balance allows for remarkable freshness and energy, qualities that define the Sec (dry) style of Le Mont.

At Domaine Huet, biodynamic viticulture is at the heart of their winemaking philosophy, ensuring a natural and sustainable approach to both vineyard management and wine production. Grapes are hand-harvested at optimal ripeness, followed by fermentation with native yeasts in a mix of stainless steel and large oak demi-muids. The wine is aged on fine lees to build complexity and texture while preserving its vibrant character.

In the glass, Le Mont Sec shines with a pale gold hue and green highlights. The nose is precise and elegant, offering aromas of green apple, pear, and citrus zest, layered with white flowers, honeysuckle, and flinty minerality. On the palate, the wine is lively and dynamic, with crisp acidity framing flavors of lemon, quince, and subtle stone fruit. A chalky mineral backbone adds depth and structure, leading to a long, saline-driven finish.

This dry Vouvray is exceptionally food-friendly, pairing beautifully with grilled white fish, oysters, poached chicken with herbs, or vegetable risottos. Its freshness and minerality also make it a perfect match for goat cheese or dishes featuring citrus and light spices. With its impeccable balance, Le Mont Sec can be enjoyed in its youth but also has the potential to age gracefully for 10-15 years, gaining complexity over time.