Delivers a beautiful display of purity and grace, with creamed Jonagold apple, star fruit, white peach and chamomile notes flowing seamlessly, backed by wet stone and fresh verbena accents. Subtle but persistent energy ripples through the very long finish. Drink now through 2035. 2,000 cases made. –JM–JM

Dressed in a golden-yellow robe and bottled with 18 grams of residual sugar, Huet's 2016 Vouvray Le Haut-Lieu Demi-Sec offers a clear and aromatic bouquet of crushed chalk and ripe, tropical fruit aromas. Round, piquant and salty on the palate, with a delicate juiciness and stimulating mineral grip, this is a promising and tensioned Chenin Blanc that delivers more drama and piquancy to the palate than the Sec counterpart. Although it's already lovely to drink, I would keep it at least for five years. The 2016 is lovely, pure, straight and elegant. Tasted February 2018. - Stephan Reinhardt