Yesterday, I made the journey up the Garden State Parkway to Winebows corporate headquarters in order to celebrate Leonardo LoCascios 60th birthday. For those that dont know, Leonardo is the CEO and founder of Winebow, aka my boss. For such a momentous occasion, I decided to surprise him by bringing one of my favorite wines, which also happens to be a birth year wine for him, a 1949 Huet- Vouvray Moelleux, Le Haut-Lieu.
It was in an original, old school bottle, but was one of many in the Huet library that had received a new cork and had been topped off with additional 1949 Huet when Anthony Hwang and winemaker Noel Pinguet purchased the estate after Gaston Huets death in 02. Though we did not give the wine nearly enough time, it was a stellar showing. From the get go it was as spry, vigorous and complex as the birthday boy. In fact, initially the acidity was so intense, it was almost a little painful and made the wine seem more like a Demi-Sec than a Moelleux. The nose was the main show when we first popped it. Just beautiful honey and bees wax, a touch of shoe polish with youthful quince and stone fruit aromas that belied the wines deep gold appearance. As expected, with air ( I managed to keep some in my glass for over an hour) the wine really started to blossom. The acidity integrated and the fruit and sweetness came up, texturally the wine became more mouth-filling and the wine exhibited traditional aged Chenin flavors and aromas of marzipan, citrus marmalade, earl grey tea and mineral. I think I even detected a hint of red fruit in there. Impeccably balanced, with a finish as long as my 86th street crosstown bus odyssey the other day. Just a thrilling showing and I was glad I was able to share this with Leonardo, Marilisa Allegrini and so many of my co-workers. Solid A.
It was in an original, old school bottle, but was one of many in the Huet library that had received a new cork and had been topped off with additional 1949 Huet when Anthony Hwang and winemaker Noel Pinguet purchased the estate after Gaston Huets death in 02. Though we did not give the wine nearly enough time, it was a stellar showing. From the get go it was as spry, vigorous and complex as the birthday boy. In fact, initially the acidity was so intense, it was almost a little painful and made the wine seem more like a Demi-Sec than a Moelleux. The nose was the main show when we first popped it. Just beautiful honey and bees wax, a touch of shoe polish with youthful quince and stone fruit aromas that belied the wines deep gold appearance. As expected, with air ( I managed to keep some in my glass for over an hour) the wine really started to blossom. The acidity integrated and the fruit and sweetness came up, texturally the wine became more mouth-filling and the wine exhibited traditional aged Chenin flavors and aromas of marzipan, citrus marmalade, earl grey tea and mineral. I think I even detected a hint of red fruit in there. Impeccably balanced, with a finish as long as my 86th street crosstown bus odyssey the other day. Just a thrilling showing and I was glad I was able to share this with Leonardo, Marilisa Allegrini and so many of my co-workers. Solid A.