2005 Vouvray Moelleux Le Haut-Lieu
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Tasting notes
Notes of white truffle, spices, hydrocarbon, Mirabelle plum and spring blossoms preface the 2005 Vouvray Le Haut-Lieu Moelleux—a dense, structured and concentrated wine that nonetheless exudes remarkable elegance and finesse. A fleshy core of fruit is lifted by perfectly judged acidity, leading to a long, ethereal and seemingly endless finish. Racy and precise, this is one of the standout wines in Huet’s 2022 lineup and a personal favorite.
Critic scores
Average Score
David Schildknecht, Vinous
Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2005 Vouvray Moelleux Le Haut-Lieu is at a fabulous stage in its evolution. It's sweet but has strength and energy. Baked nectarine, barley and bitter orange tones show a slight botrytis character, as well as toasty notes of bottle age. Only just starting to develop, this is delicious now but isn't going anywhere in a hurry.
Reflecting a combination of botrytis and sheer desiccation, the 2005 Vouvray Moelleux Le Haut-Lieu smells of spiced apple and quince jelly, grapefruit zest, peony and buddleia, ethereal, honeyed secretions of botrytis and snuffed candle wick. Elegant, wafting and bright on the palate, this finishes with superb clarity and concentration, honeyed richness yet a restrained impression of sweetness (albeit at around 50 grams residual sugar) and offsetting hints of bitterness. Certainly it will in time (and then probably for well more than a decade) serve admirably with a wide array of cuisine but ought on no account be treated as “dessert wine.” Importer: Robert Chadderdon Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 757-8185. Also, a Christopher Cannan Europvin Selection (various importers), Bordeaux; fax 001-33-5 57-87-43-22
Reflecting a combination of botrytis and sheer desiccation, the 2005 Vouvray Moelleux Le Haut-Lieu smells of spiced apple and quince jelly, grapefruit zest, peony and buddleia, ethereal, honeyed secretions of botrytis and snuffed candle wick. Elegant, wafting and bright on the palate, this finishes with superb clarity and concentration, honeyed richness yet a restrained impression of sweetness (albeit at around 50 grams residual sugar) and offsetting hints of bitterness. Certainly it will in time (and then probably for well more than a decade) serve admirably with a wide array of cuisine but ought on no account be treated as “dessert wine.” Aug 2007, www.robertparker.com