96 points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "If the Le Haut Lieu Moelleux is defined by its dancing elegance in 2008, the Le Mont Moelleux Premier Trie is defined by its blazing purity, stunning intensity of flavor and laser-like presentation of its underlying terroir. This beautiful wine is nowhere near as inviting to drink today as the Le Haut Lieu Moelleux, but it offers up even profounder depths on both the nose and palate. The superb, vibrant bouquet roars from the glass in a blend of oranges, sweet grapefruit, a beautiful base of soil tones, orange peel, a gentle touch of lanolin, very discreet notes of honeycomb and a gently floral topnote. With all of its nascent aromatic complexity, the primary components on the nose here are its citrus fruit and its kaleidoscopic minerality. On the palate the wine shares the same full-bodied elegance as the Le Haut Lieu Moelleux, but with a firmer core, more striking soil inflection, and a nearly endless finish that builds and builds as the wine unfolds in the glass. There is a very gentle touch of botrytis here, but this too has built up much of its intensity from passerillage. Just a beautiful, beautiful bottle of Le Mont. 2016-2075. (Sep/Oct 2009)"
96 points Stephan Reinhardt (Wine Advocate): "Le Mont! The near-Loire green marl and silex site also shines through the 2008 Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux Première Trie, which opens so discreet and subtle but also so intense, deep and dusty on its lemon-peel nose, that you want to sniff the bouquet for hours. On the palate, this is a wine for purists and terroirists because it is not just clear and precise but also piquant, straightly vertical and marked by its high acidity level and lingering salinity, whereas the fruit is completely interwoven with melting and weathering stones. The finish, however, is so juicy and aromatic, so sensual and tender but also so mineral in the aftertaste, that you might be thinking of crushed firestones on your palate. So much tension and salinity here, but finally it is the fruit that lingers. A fascinating '08! 2008 was a small, low-yielding vintage with tiny, thick-skinned berries that were difficult to press without the result of over-extraction. Drink: 2015-2075. (Nov 2015)"
93 points Wine Spectator: "Intense, with green tea, ginger, quince, green fig and heather notes offset by a bracing streak of melon rind on the long, pure finish. A delightfully sweet wine, with a long, chiseled feel. Should cruise in the cellar for a decade. Drink now through 2025. 750 cases made. (2/23/11)"
92 points Josh Raynolds (International Wine Cellar): "Light, bright yellow. Ripe pear and white peach aromas are complemented by candied orange, honey and a hint of fig. Pliant pit fruit and spice flavors show a distinctly sweet character that is lifted by slow-building minerality. Very rich but energetic as well, with strong finishing punch and echoes of honey and orange marmalade. Put this away for at least another few years or give it some air. (May/Jun 2010)"
96 points Stephan Reinhardt (Wine Advocate): "Le Mont! The near-Loire green marl and silex site also shines through the 2008 Vouvray Le Mont Moelleux Première Trie, which opens so discreet and subtle but also so intense, deep and dusty on its lemon-peel nose, that you want to sniff the bouquet for hours. On the palate, this is a wine for purists and terroirists because it is not just clear and precise but also piquant, straightly vertical and marked by its high acidity level and lingering salinity, whereas the fruit is completely interwoven with melting and weathering stones. The finish, however, is so juicy and aromatic, so sensual and tender but also so mineral in the aftertaste, that you might be thinking of crushed firestones on your palate. So much tension and salinity here, but finally it is the fruit that lingers. A fascinating '08! 2008 was a small, low-yielding vintage with tiny, thick-skinned berries that were difficult to press without the result of over-extraction. Drink: 2015-2075. (Nov 2015)"
93 points Wine Spectator: "Intense, with green tea, ginger, quince, green fig and heather notes offset by a bracing streak of melon rind on the long, pure finish. A delightfully sweet wine, with a long, chiseled feel. Should cruise in the cellar for a decade. Drink now through 2025. 750 cases made. (2/23/11)"
92 points Josh Raynolds (International Wine Cellar): "Light, bright yellow. Ripe pear and white peach aromas are complemented by candied orange, honey and a hint of fig. Pliant pit fruit and spice flavors show a distinctly sweet character that is lifted by slow-building minerality. Very rich but energetic as well, with strong finishing punch and echoes of honey and orange marmalade. Put this away for at least another few years or give it some air. (May/Jun 2010)"
| Product SKU | 307829 |
| Producer | Huët |
| Country | France |
| Region | Loire |
| SubRegion | Vouvray |
| Varietal | Chenin Blanc |
| Designation | Moelleux |
| Vintage | 2008 |
| Size | 750ml |
| Color | White |
| ABV | 12.5% |
| Ships To |
