This is true. But I thought we are focused on true taste preferences regardless of these factors. I don’t care about any of these things.
I just care about having a variety of really nice wines that I enjoy. It’s the same with Huet. I enjoy all of the sec and demi-sec bottlings, and so don’t obsess about a particular one in a particular vintage. Yes, I may prefer one slightly more than another, but to me it’s not worth the time scouring the internet to get one particular bottling when I can get 2-3 others from a local shop that I will like almost as much.
In the service of taste preferences, I’m a professional internet scourer and vintage obsessor (based on taste preference, not hype). Or maybe just a lot fussier than you. I blame my parents.
Interesting responses. Sometimes I guess I assume that we all have the same odd affliction to the same degree, manifesting in the same way, but that’s clearly not really the case. (Just to be clear, I don’t scour the internet reading note after note, trying to pick the top pointer. I have a fair amount of Chevillon, but it’s mostly Cailles and Vaucrains, both of which I may actually prefer over LSG. I don’t so much chase clos des Ducs anymore, and when I was buying burgundy, would select amongst the other d’Angevilles. (I would be a happy man if I could reliably and regularly source Taiilepieds).).
I would much prefer to taste, then select–of course not so often possible–rather than read tasting notes. That’s what I did with the Huet secs. I had heard that 2019 would be a great sec year, so I tried a bottle of each, and chose the ones I preferred. To me they are each quite distinct, although all winners.
I do think that some of this, as Sarah points out, just reflects regions that we are not as invested in as others. I have to admit that I might just defer to my wine merchant if I needed a case of a good Chianti Classico, although I would generally try a bottle first.
I was also going to comment on Chevillon. I’m a long time fan but discerned that my favorite was clearly Les Cailles. First I bought most of the range (all but Bourgogne), then limited it to Pruliers, LSG, Cailles and Vaucrain, and shortly after, just Cailles (still have the others in my cellar, but almost always reach for the Les Cailles).
So now I have a completely full cellar and have pretty much stopped buying (other than German GGs, which I didn’t have any at the start of the year), but given the price point and my fondness for Huet Le Haut Lieu Sec (most of the Huet I’ve had ), I became interested without any need for more wine. For me, it’s not about buying a case of Huet, it’s about buying a few bottles. And who is scouring the internet, I am just reading the Huet threads here that I would have anyway. Given there are folks whose tastes I align with here, why would I not be interested in their thoughts?
The old days you could buy and taste and it would still be there. I consume my wine much more slowly these days, and more often than not, by the time I would go through a producers lineup, or even a couple of bottlings, the opportunity would be gone.
Oh–sorry. I’ve blabbered about this elsewhere so didn’t include it. I think in 2019 Clos du Bourg sec is the winner. The 19’s are more chiseled and laser-like, and the extra richness that Clos du Bourg often has provides a little balancing weight that works really well in 2019. the le Mont seems lighter than usual, but has a real laser beam of fruit/acid, and I think will fill out and age very nicely. The Haut-lieu provides a little more fruit–green apple/lime–but still has a nice edgy feel. Seems like it might be “ready” a little sooner than the others. I bought the Clos du Bourg and the le Mont, but will likely backfill some Haut-lieu.
Broke my dry 2021 for a half bottle of Haut Lieu sec 2019 in 375. Loved the lime notes and minerality but was expecting more acid. Haven’t been drinking them in a while, maybe I drink to much Chablis.
My bad, I fat fingered the year. It’s 2019, will correct my post. Wouldn’t say I was disappointed, it wasn’t flabby, but it could have had more acid to my tastes. Happy to have the ones I have.
I had a similar reaction to a 750 of this wine (the 2019) on day 1, but the brightness came on stronger in day 2. Still wasn’t uber bright on day 2, but it was better balanced for my palate. Maybe these are young enough to have a lot of baby fat still.
I generally find Chablis to be more acidic than anything else I drink with some exceptions. But I’m probably applying a common descriptor rather than pH.
I’ve had iffy bottles from vintages more recent than 2002, but others have way more experience with Huet of this age than I do (I tend to tuck them away in the deepest corners), which is why I asked.
The ‘19 Le Mont Sec is the raciest wine in the cellar that year. I’m equally enamored with that and Clos de Bourg. Both have strong acidity from the get go. I passed on the Le Haut Liu Sec although I did like it.