Pinguet out at Huet

originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
Ooh boy, does this mean all our Huets are going to start fetching Truchot prices?
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No, our Coudert Tardive prices.
 
originally posted by Yule Kim:
Who would even replace Pinguet at Huet?

There doesn't seem to be a well thought out succession plan here.
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Jeremy Lin.
 
originally posted by Yule Kim:
Who would even replace Pinguet at Huet?

There doesn't seem to be a well thought out succession plan here.
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A youngster (Benjamin Joliveau) has been training with Pinguet for a few years so I would guess he will take over. But who knows...
 
originally posted by Arno Tronche:
originally posted by Yule Kim:
Who would even replace Pinguet at Huet?

There doesn't seem to be a well thought out succession plan here.
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A youngster (Benjamin Joliveau) has been training with Pinguet for a few years so I would guess he will take over. But who knows...
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Hopefully Pinguet will be around to give Joliveau some advice despite the fallout with the owners (that is if Joliveau stays with Huet).
 
"The quality will not change. In fact, the quality and consistency have only improved in the Hwang era. And I think that committing to a larger proportion of Sec wines (which the world has warmly welcomed and, as the RVF article notes, has been encouraged by the Hwangs) will only strengthen the demi-sec and dessert wines at this estate refining the selection of fruit for these cuvées."

thank fuck for the new viticultural methods!

tell me again, how hard is it to ripen chenin in the pays d'oc?

fb.
 
I received a call this evening from Sarah Hwang whose family owns Domaine Huet and who will be taking over as commercial director.

She emphasized that stylistic continuity should be considered assured not only on account of the presence of Jean-Bernard Berthomé (whose father also worked alongside Gaston Huet) as cellar-master/vineyard manager but also on account of intent.

Benjamin Joliveau, she noted, has been working at the estate for four years.
 
I don't think that this is good news. Pinguet is a man of intellect and stature and stands out amongst vignerons. His objection to producing more "dry" wines is probably based on the fact that he already finds it difficult to produce wines with less than some 10g RS/l because of the increasing ripeness of the grapes; by some miracle he still manages to produce "dry" wines which remain wonderfully crisp due to their excellent acidity. Increasing their production for commercial reasons could well compromise this and lead to flabbier wines.

I also note the following in the source RVF article. "D’autre part, sa politique de distribution sur mesure est contrariée par la volonté de la famille propriétaire de faire la part belle aux plus grosses commandes." This seems to me to say that Huet will be distributing far less through the small niche importers, like la Cave des Oblats here in Belgium, and will be looking instead for the big importers with large "prestige" suppliers like Bouchard P&F, Chapoutier, Frescobaldi, etc. I fear that this may lead to their going the way of Jaboulet; i.e. blander and more international products sold at higher prices.

Yes; I do worry about the Hwangs increasingly commercial orientation.
 
Sweet wines have always been hard to sell, I am not surprised that there is an economic incentive to think about more sec.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
originally posted by Tom Glasgow:
PinguetThere's a statement from Noel Pinguet over on Jim's Loire.
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Et voila.

Pinguet is clearly a gracious guy.
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That's how I took it.

I truly hope the news doesn't mean more scarcity and higher prices for demi-secs and sweeties, but I think that's exactly what it'll mean.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
Sweet wines have always been hard to sell, I am not surprised that there is an economic incentive to think about more sec.
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You know what they say: sec sells.

Mark Lipton
 
I also note the following in the source RVF article. "D’autre part, sa politique de distribution sur mesure est contrariée par la volonté de la famille propriétaire de faire la part belle aux plus grosses commandes." This seems to me to say that Huet will be distributing far less through the small niche importers, like la Cave des Oblats here in Belgium, and will be looking instead for the big importers with large "prestige" suppliers like Bouchard P&F, Chapoutier, Frescobaldi, etc. I fear that this may lead to their going the way of Jaboulet; i.e. blander and more international products sold at higher prices.

Yes; I do worry about the Hwangs increasingly commercial orientation.
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Economically speaking, selling to fewer and larger buyers generally puts downward pressure on a winery's prices, not upwards. Of course, those larger distributors might just jack up their margins if they think the market will bear it, so retail prices can still increase. But when you have a famous property of limited production, renowned for quality, the commercially savvier thing to do IMHO is to spread your risk and limit your buyers' leverage by having more of them. Cult wines that are mostly or all sold by mailing list are the ultimate version of this.
 
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