In This Newsletter:
Vouvray’s Finest Sale
Close-Out Featurette: Elvio Cogno
Vouvray’s Finest Sale
Close-Out Featurette: Elvio Cogno
Vouvray’s Finest Sale
Stock Up & Save On
Huet & Foreau
Stock Up & Save On
Huet & Foreau
What is one of the world’s most complex, age-worthy, terroir-driven, aromatically intense, and praised white wines? Vouvray, and its famous grape variety, Chenin Blanc. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more wildly expressive and flexible grape than Chenin. Esteemed for its profundity at all sweetness levels, its wines range from bone-dry (Sec), lightly- to medium-sweet (Demi-Sec), and dessert style (Moelleux).
Granted AOC status in 1936, this commune in the Loire Valley is home to Domaine Huet and Philippe Foreau, two of the finest producers within this glorious region.
They offer the pinnacle of quality for the appellation, though their styles and approaches differ. So, how to choose? Well, you’re welcome to mix and match between the two on our three-day sale. But let’s explore.
Domaine Huet is the most sought-after Vouvray producer, at least according to Wine-Searcher. This is one of France’s pioneers in biodynamic viticulture, modernizing only in the most conscientious way. Today, horses still plough between the rows of their three vineyards, considered some of the greatest in all of the Loire. These vineyards have very distinct personalities worth exploring. Essentially, wines from Le Haut-Lieu are their most approachable, offering softer and younger-drinking wines. Le Mont wines are dense, chock-full of minerals (or should we say chalk-full?), and the most age-worthy, per insiders. Clos du Bourg wines lie somewhere in between the others in terms of youthful approachability and minerality. Gaston Huet, the estate’s famous winemaker for 55 years, considered Clos du Bourg to be the greatest vineyard in Vouvray.
In the winery, the recipe remains relatively simple. Fermentation takes place half in stainless steel, half in old oak, without malolactic fermentation. After only six months, the wines are bottled and then laid to age in a cellar dug from tuffeau rock, no air conditioning required. From here the Huet work is done: the rest is up to nature, and what eventually tastes like divine intervention. Few producers anywhere in the world make better off-dry to sweet white wines than Domaine Huet, except perhaps Philippe Foreau.
Just down the narrow, winding street from Domaine Huet is Domaine du Clos Naudin, known better by the name of its third-generation winemaker, Philippe Foreau. Foreau’s grandfather founded the estate in 1923. It is a small domaine with about 11 acres of Chenin Blanc in the northeast corner of Vouvray (and entirely in the Le Mont terroir). The vineyards, the main two being Les Perruches and Les Ruettes, hold vines that average over 45 years in age in argile-silex (clay and flint) soil. The estate’s traditionally-made wines offer astonishingly aromatics with a remarkable ability to age.
Stylistically, the estates differ most noticeably in the glass. Foreau crafts wines with a razor-sharp edge and more intense minerality at any given sweetness level compared to the rounder, richer wines of Huet. As a result, we often find that they require more time to come around in the cellar. Huet offers more opulent and flamboyant wines that are packed with fruit—they’re easy to love and the complexity is obvious, right in front of you to see. Both estates offer wines that will age for decades, especially in their demi-sec and moelleux styles.
No matter what you pick, you’re in for a treat—these are some very special wines.
Granted AOC status in 1936, this commune in the Loire Valley is home to Domaine Huet and Philippe Foreau, two of the finest producers within this glorious region.
They offer the pinnacle of quality for the appellation, though their styles and approaches differ. So, how to choose? Well, you’re welcome to mix and match between the two on our three-day sale. But let’s explore.
Domaine Huet is the most sought-after Vouvray producer, at least according to Wine-Searcher. This is one of France’s pioneers in biodynamic viticulture, modernizing only in the most conscientious way. Today, horses still plough between the rows of their three vineyards, considered some of the greatest in all of the Loire. These vineyards have very distinct personalities worth exploring. Essentially, wines from Le Haut-Lieu are their most approachable, offering softer and younger-drinking wines. Le Mont wines are dense, chock-full of minerals (or should we say chalk-full?), and the most age-worthy, per insiders. Clos du Bourg wines lie somewhere in between the others in terms of youthful approachability and minerality. Gaston Huet, the estate’s famous winemaker for 55 years, considered Clos du Bourg to be the greatest vineyard in Vouvray.
In the winery, the recipe remains relatively simple. Fermentation takes place half in stainless steel, half in old oak, without malolactic fermentation. After only six months, the wines are bottled and then laid to age in a cellar dug from tuffeau rock, no air conditioning required. From here the Huet work is done: the rest is up to nature, and what eventually tastes like divine intervention. Few producers anywhere in the world make better off-dry to sweet white wines than Domaine Huet, except perhaps Philippe Foreau.
Just down the narrow, winding street from Domaine Huet is Domaine du Clos Naudin, known better by the name of its third-generation winemaker, Philippe Foreau. Foreau’s grandfather founded the estate in 1923. It is a small domaine with about 11 acres of Chenin Blanc in the northeast corner of Vouvray (and entirely in the Le Mont terroir). The vineyards, the main two being Les Perruches and Les Ruettes, hold vines that average over 45 years in age in argile-silex (clay and flint) soil. The estate’s traditionally-made wines offer astonishingly aromatics with a remarkable ability to age.
Stylistically, the estates differ most noticeably in the glass. Foreau crafts wines with a razor-sharp edge and more intense minerality at any given sweetness level compared to the rounder, richer wines of Huet. As a result, we often find that they require more time to come around in the cellar. Huet offers more opulent and flamboyant wines that are packed with fruit—they’re easy to love and the complexity is obvious, right in front of you to see. Both estates offer wines that will age for decades, especially in their demi-sec and moelleux styles.
No matter what you pick, you’re in for a treat—these are some very special wines.
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Huet & Foreau
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of Huet & Foreau
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Tuesday, February 4th at 9 am Pacific.
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of Huet & Foreau
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Sale ends Tuesday, February 4th at 9 am Pacific.
We offer twenty-eight in-stock Huet & Foreau options on sale now, including:
Philippe Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin Vouvray Moelleux 2015 750ml Displayed Price: $66, that’s $62.70 at 5% off and $59.40 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Neal Rosenthal Tasting Note “The 2015 Moelleux is really a step up in concentration and complexity from the Sec and Demi-Sec. It is at this level where the ultimate potential of Vouvray begins to reveal itself. The dense aromas lean bitter, with notes of pear, pit fruits, and fresh honey. On the palate, the fruit is warm and leans toward plum and quince, with an undercurrent of sea foam and Indian spices. Wearing 70 grams of sugar, this wine’s intense minerality keeps it fresh and structured, which adds to its incredible persistence and surprisingly dry finish.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Philippe Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin Vouvray Moelleux Reserve 2015 750ml Displayed Price: $105, that’s $99.75 at 5% off and $94.50 at 10% off, 2 bottles in stock now
Neal Rosenthal Tasting Note “This wine is not made every year, but only in vintages that have the ultimate conditions for making sweet wines. In fact, this is the first Moelleux Reserve made by Foreau this decade. Weighing in at 120 grams of sugar, this wine shows unbelievable concentration. It is impossible to describe all the layers of dense flavor packed into the glass. The aromas are dense with a warm potpourri of plum, dried citrus, rose petals, and hints of sea water. The Moelleux Reserve is massive on the palate. Its glycerol texture plays perfectly with the wine’s intense mineral structure to create a fine silkiness. The potential and power of the wine seems to warm the juice from within, giving the wine a flavor of black cherry and fig. This wine is impressive in its youth, but will also ultimately reward those willing to squirrel it away for years, if not decades.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Sec 2023 750ml Displayed Price: $39, that’s $37.05 at 5% off and $35.10 at 10% off, 19 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 93 points “The 2023 Vouvray Sec Le Haut-Lieu is a pure, refined, seamless style with pear, pineapple and nectarine flavors. It boasts excellent clarity and refinement, with lovely freshness hailing from calibrated acidity that bursts through this blossoming wine. Considering this was only bottled three weeks before tasting, I’m very encouraged by the results. (Drink between 2024-2033).”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Demi-Sec 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $39, that’s $37.05 at 5% off and $35.10 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “Gorgeous, with creamy-edged nectarine, yellow and green apple, pear and quince flavors that are brightly defined from start to finish, flecked with verbena and honeysuckle hints and backed by a off-dry edge on the finish. Stays fresh and pure throughout. Tempting now but there’s no rush. Drink now through 2032.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Demi-Sec 2023 750ml Displayed Price: $49, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Demi-Sec 2023 375ml Displayed Price: $28, that’s $26.60 at 5% off and $25.20 at 10% off, 12 half-bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points “For a demi-sec, this leans toward the dry, savory end of the spectrum. There are a lot of layers and substance to this, with a savory thread of green herbs and bitter white tea weaving through elderflower, quince and apple flavors, while gentle tannins provide a solid frame. Cool river stone and pink peppercorn notes line the finish, encased in smoke and salt, with length and a lot of depth. The toasty cedar notes will integrate with more time in bottle. Drink now through 2037. 740 cases made.”
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Moelleux 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $49, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 95 points “Gorgeous crystallized ginger, dried quince, glazed pear and warm persimmon notes are seamlessly interwoven here, gliding through a lengthy finish that picks up a lilting green tea accent. Frankly off-dry but wonderfully pure. Drink now through 2035.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Moelleux 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $44, that’s $41.80 at 5% off and $39.60 at 10% off, 23 bottles in stock now
Rebecca Gibb MW-Vinous 96 points “It might be delicate but the 2020 Le Haut-Lieu Moelleux is also rather succulent, coating the mouth with its sweet embrace. A combination of white flowers and nectarine creates an appealing perfume. There’s a sense of energy that runs through the wine, providing a sense of direction and purpose. The core of sweetness (50–60g/L) doesn’t tip over into lushness but is held together by its acidity and structure.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Domaine Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Moelleux 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $69, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off, 27 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 97 points “A stunner, with beautiful pear, green fig, yellow apple and quince notes that are creamy and flirtatiously sweet, yet seamless and refined in feel. The extremely long finish lets honeysuckle and verbena notes dance throughout, with a light echo of white ginger at the very end. Best from 2020 through 2040.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 96 points “Bright, even exuberant in feel, with a parade of Jonagold apple, green melon, Bosc pear and quince flavors streaming through, gilded with heather, honeysuckle and verbena notes on the long, lithe finish. Remarkably elegant despite the off-dry style. Drink now through 2035.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray Clos du Bourg Premiere Trie Moelleux 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $69, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 96 points “This is ripe and broad, taking a slightly more power-driven approach, with a mix of tropical mango and papaya fruit, backed by orchard fruit accents of yellow apple and peach. The long, heather honey–accented finish has light piecrust and crystalized ginger hints. Best from 2020 through 2035.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Premiere Trie Moelleux 2016 750ml Displayed Price: $69, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2016 Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux Première Trie opens with a very clear, deep and flinty/herbal bouquet of ripe concentrated stone fruits intermixed with chalky/smoky aromas, very complex and truly exciting! Light, fresh and tensioned on the palate, that is very pure and salty but also tight and concentrated. The 2016 Le Mont reveals crystalline acidity, delicate but serious tannin grip and a long, complex, stimulating finish. This is Chenin Blanc full of energy and aging potential, provided with concentration, lingering salinity and vibrancy. This is a fascinating Le Mont, surely the top wine of Huet’s excellent 2016 series. Bottled with 92 grams of residual sugar, it tastes less sweet than the corresponding Clos du Bourg. Tasted February 2018.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Shop our twenty-eight Huet & Foreau selections now!
Vinopolis Close-Out Sale Featurette:
Elvio Cogno
Elvio Cogno put the Ravera cru on the map. Born and raised in Novello, the village associated with the famous vineyard, Elvio comes from a long line of grape growers in the region. He was the first in the family to turn the dream of winemaking into a reality. For years, he collaborated with Marcarini (including crafting the legendary 1964 vintage from the Brunate vineyard, one of the first Barolos released as a single vineyard).
In 1990, he purchased Cascina Nuova, an under-performing but historic estate, and started making classically-styled wines under his own name from the Ravera cru.
The resulting wines were so stupendous that they prompted a rush on land in Novello and Ravera in particular. His masterpieces elevated the region as a whole, no easy task for an already famous region. No wineries in Novello have surpassed the well-deserved fame of Elvio Cogno. Though the original master passed away in 2016, the estate is in the able hands of his daughter and son-in-law, Nadia Cogno and Valter Fissore (winemaker since 1996). From their entry level Barolo up to the Riservas from the choicest holdings, these are wines that will appeal to every lover of Barolo, especially at this great insider price.
In Stock and On Close-Out Sale Now:
Elvio Cogno Ravera Bricco Pernice, Barolo DOCG 2017 750ml Was $135, Now $119, 16 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “This is a medium-bodied Nebbiolo from a hot vintage with a ruby-tinged appearance. The 2017 Barolo Ravera Bricco Pernice shows generous inner fiber and richness with dried cherry, blackberry, plum and dark spice. Fruit for this wine comes from a beautiful amphitheater of vines with the perched town of Novello high up on the skyline. I love the especially smooth and soft quality to what is a powerful and lasting wine. Only 3,500 bottles were made.”
In 1990, he purchased Cascina Nuova, an under-performing but historic estate, and started making classically-styled wines under his own name from the Ravera cru.
The resulting wines were so stupendous that they prompted a rush on land in Novello and Ravera in particular. His masterpieces elevated the region as a whole, no easy task for an already famous region. No wineries in Novello have surpassed the well-deserved fame of Elvio Cogno. Though the original master passed away in 2016, the estate is in the able hands of his daughter and son-in-law, Nadia Cogno and Valter Fissore (winemaker since 1996). From their entry level Barolo up to the Riservas from the choicest holdings, these are wines that will appeal to every lover of Barolo, especially at this great insider price.
In Stock and On Close-Out Sale Now:
Elvio Cogno Ravera Bricco Pernice, Barolo DOCG 2017 750ml Was $135, Now $119, 16 bottles in stock now
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “This is a medium-bodied Nebbiolo from a hot vintage with a ruby-tinged appearance. The 2017 Barolo Ravera Bricco Pernice shows generous inner fiber and richness with dried cherry, blackberry, plum and dark spice. Fruit for this wine comes from a beautiful amphitheater of vines with the perched town of Novello high up on the skyline. I love the especially smooth and soft quality to what is a powerful and lasting wine. Only 3,500 bottles were made.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
We offer 173 wines on our Close-Out Sale in stock now.
Shop the sale on our webstore now!
Don’t miss our additional sale going on now:
Tuscan Treasures Sale:
Isole e Olena & Fontodi
5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles of Isole e Olena & Fontodi
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles of Isole e Olena & Fontodi
Discount will not display online or in your cart,
We will adjust your invoice before processing your charge.
Tuscan Treasures Sale ends Sunday, February 2nd at 9 am Pacific.