It was a wonderful afternoon at JD's place, a friend of Mark A., who generously offered us his home to host Huet-a-Thon, the Bay Area edition.
JD and ND prepared some excellent dishes for us to enjoy, highlights including seared scallops, a panoply of homemade charcuterie (both sausage and air-dried meats), vegetables dishes, and some smoked fish. But the crown jewel of the evening was an ornate gingerbread, aged for six months in the refrigerator, which had more spices in it than the desert world of Arrakis (you may behold its wonder below).
Great to reconnect with Mark A. and Larry, and great to meet BJ and Mrs. BJ IRL, as the kids say.
Thanks again for organizing Mark! It was a blast.
Sparkling
NV Champagne Haton Brut Rose: A bright, refreshing, aperitif-style champagne with strawberry, cherry, and brambly red fruit flavors and aromas. This is easy-going and eminently sippable. Uncomplicated, but so fun on a sunny day.
‘17 Huet Petillant Brut: Crisp and tense with a delicate mousse and notes of apple and citrus on the nose with a firm mineral spine on the palate. Very enjoyable and gluggable.
Sec
‘96 Huet Le Mont Sec: Razor sharp, precise and strongly mineral on the palate with hints of citrus. Just so electric and taut. On the nose, I’m getting beeswax, lanolin, and lemons. One of the older wines at the table, but in terms of color and freshness, you could easily mistake it as one of the youngest. This is so alive and vibrant. Another fabulous ‘96 from Huet.
‘02 Huet Le Mont Sec: This seems advanced, with a strong sherry note on the nose and a very dark color; however, while there’s a little almond nuttiness on the palate, it is still lively with sharp acidity. Having a wine as fresh as the ‘96 with this wine probably did it no favors.
Demi-Sec
‘10 Huet Clos de Bourg Demi-Sec: I get a little sherry on the nose, but it blows off. On the palate, I’m reminded of orange marmalade, a combination of sweet and citric sourness with a hint of pleasing bitterness on the finish. Texturally, rounder and softer than the ‘02 and ‘96. This may be in a wormhole hurtling towards a better place, but it is rather pleasurable right now.
‘15 Huet Clos de Bourg Demi-Sec: Relatively fresh on the nose with no hint of sherry, but rather a subtle hint of lanolin. Racy, well-integrated acidity on the palate with notes of citrus, bitterness and spice. This is surprisingly dry tasting to me.
Premiere Trie
‘02 Huet Clos de Bourg Moelleux 1er Trie: This was absolutely stunning. Notably less sherried and much fresher on the nose than the ‘02 Demi-Sec. Lively and complex on the palate with a wonderful balance of tertiary notes and receding white fruit and citrus flavors. The acidity is very much on point and makes the sweetness less pronounced (this drinks more like a demi-sec). Surpasses the ‘96 Le Mont Sec by a hair for Wine of the Day.
‘97 Huet Clos de Bourg Moelleux 1er Trie: The nose is a little mute, with perhaps a subtle hint of apple, and a little funk. There’s still good acidity, but it’s a little softer than other wines on the table. It has a round, broad-shouldered texture (at least compared to the other Huets) with a little nuttiness.
Red
‘94 Edmunds St. John Les Cotes Sauvage: Anise and licorice, herbs, and menthol on the nose. Elegant and delicate weight on the palate that has sunny California fruit mixed with Rhone-ish herbal complexity. There’s also earthiness, and a touch of smoke mid-palate and a hit of peppery spiciness on the finish. Bravo, this is in a great place right now.
Cuvee Constance
‘93 Huet Cuvée Constance: The nose is subtle, with some mix of citrus, apricot, and honey. The palate is rather restrained, polished with a well integrated acidity that makes the wine feel more off-dry than a proper dessert wine. There is a pleasing bitterness and sourness, like orange marmalade, mixed in with a complex salinity that reminds me of quinine (club soda) on the finish. There was a raging debate whether this is a true Constance since it was later labeled a Le Haut Lieu Moelleux 1er Trie. Definitely not as intense as the ‘95, but very satisfying in its own, slightly schizophrenic way, oscillating somewhere between sweet and savory. It actually reminds me of a ‘94 de Fargues Sauternes I had once, which had a similar saline, orange marmalade, off-dry quality to it.
‘95 Huet Cuvée Constance: Super powerful nose of apricot, honey, and orange zest. Viscous mouthfeel with intense fruit and sweetness on the palate balanced with invigorating acidity that keeps the wine light on its feet. Long finish with a satisfying jolt of refreshing sourness. Absolutely beautiful.
JD and ND prepared some excellent dishes for us to enjoy, highlights including seared scallops, a panoply of homemade charcuterie (both sausage and air-dried meats), vegetables dishes, and some smoked fish. But the crown jewel of the evening was an ornate gingerbread, aged for six months in the refrigerator, which had more spices in it than the desert world of Arrakis (you may behold its wonder below).
Great to reconnect with Mark A. and Larry, and great to meet BJ and Mrs. BJ IRL, as the kids say.
Thanks again for organizing Mark! It was a blast.
Sparkling
NV Champagne Haton Brut Rose: A bright, refreshing, aperitif-style champagne with strawberry, cherry, and brambly red fruit flavors and aromas. This is easy-going and eminently sippable. Uncomplicated, but so fun on a sunny day.
‘17 Huet Petillant Brut: Crisp and tense with a delicate mousse and notes of apple and citrus on the nose with a firm mineral spine on the palate. Very enjoyable and gluggable.
Sec
‘96 Huet Le Mont Sec: Razor sharp, precise and strongly mineral on the palate with hints of citrus. Just so electric and taut. On the nose, I’m getting beeswax, lanolin, and lemons. One of the older wines at the table, but in terms of color and freshness, you could easily mistake it as one of the youngest. This is so alive and vibrant. Another fabulous ‘96 from Huet.
‘02 Huet Le Mont Sec: This seems advanced, with a strong sherry note on the nose and a very dark color; however, while there’s a little almond nuttiness on the palate, it is still lively with sharp acidity. Having a wine as fresh as the ‘96 with this wine probably did it no favors.
Demi-Sec
‘10 Huet Clos de Bourg Demi-Sec: I get a little sherry on the nose, but it blows off. On the palate, I’m reminded of orange marmalade, a combination of sweet and citric sourness with a hint of pleasing bitterness on the finish. Texturally, rounder and softer than the ‘02 and ‘96. This may be in a wormhole hurtling towards a better place, but it is rather pleasurable right now.
‘15 Huet Clos de Bourg Demi-Sec: Relatively fresh on the nose with no hint of sherry, but rather a subtle hint of lanolin. Racy, well-integrated acidity on the palate with notes of citrus, bitterness and spice. This is surprisingly dry tasting to me.
Premiere Trie
‘02 Huet Clos de Bourg Moelleux 1er Trie: This was absolutely stunning. Notably less sherried and much fresher on the nose than the ‘02 Demi-Sec. Lively and complex on the palate with a wonderful balance of tertiary notes and receding white fruit and citrus flavors. The acidity is very much on point and makes the sweetness less pronounced (this drinks more like a demi-sec). Surpasses the ‘96 Le Mont Sec by a hair for Wine of the Day.
‘97 Huet Clos de Bourg Moelleux 1er Trie: The nose is a little mute, with perhaps a subtle hint of apple, and a little funk. There’s still good acidity, but it’s a little softer than other wines on the table. It has a round, broad-shouldered texture (at least compared to the other Huets) with a little nuttiness.
Red
‘94 Edmunds St. John Les Cotes Sauvage: Anise and licorice, herbs, and menthol on the nose. Elegant and delicate weight on the palate that has sunny California fruit mixed with Rhone-ish herbal complexity. There’s also earthiness, and a touch of smoke mid-palate and a hit of peppery spiciness on the finish. Bravo, this is in a great place right now.
Cuvee Constance
‘93 Huet Cuvée Constance: The nose is subtle, with some mix of citrus, apricot, and honey. The palate is rather restrained, polished with a well integrated acidity that makes the wine feel more off-dry than a proper dessert wine. There is a pleasing bitterness and sourness, like orange marmalade, mixed in with a complex salinity that reminds me of quinine (club soda) on the finish. There was a raging debate whether this is a true Constance since it was later labeled a Le Haut Lieu Moelleux 1er Trie. Definitely not as intense as the ‘95, but very satisfying in its own, slightly schizophrenic way, oscillating somewhere between sweet and savory. It actually reminds me of a ‘94 de Fargues Sauternes I had once, which had a similar saline, orange marmalade, off-dry quality to it.
‘95 Huet Cuvée Constance: Super powerful nose of apricot, honey, and orange zest. Viscous mouthfeel with intense fruit and sweetness on the palate balanced with invigorating acidity that keeps the wine light on its feet. Long finish with a satisfying jolt of refreshing sourness. Absolutely beautiful.
