Domaine Huet Sec & Pétillant, 2014: Oxidation and the 2002 Vintage
The next issue to come to mind when looking back at these wines is oxidation, and this is made with particular reference to the 2002 vintage. I have seen some comments that the 2002 vintage is beleaguered by premature oxidation. I have a number of wines from this vintage stashed away in the cellar, although in the main these are demi-sec (Le Haut Lieu, Le Mont), moelleux (Le Mont) and moelleux première trie (Clos du Bourg). Here my focus was on the sec and sparkling cuvées, and I was able to look at the 2002 Le Mont Sec (in bottle and half-bottle formats) and the two sparkling wines, the 2002 Pétillant and the late-released 2002 Pétillant Réserve. I admit it isn’t comprehensive, but these are the wines in my cellar. Perhaps later in the year I will take a look at the demi-sec and moelleux wines.
Le Mont Sec 2002
So, first to the 2002 Le Mont Sec, which for the purpose of this report I have tasted four times. In one instance this was from 750ml bottle, sourced directly from the domaine, and stored in Jim Budd’s cellar. This was tasted with Jim at his house in the Loire. In the other three cases these were half-bottles, sourced from a reputable UK merchant who I believe buys direct from the domaine.
The picture across these four bottles was varied, but not in the manner I was expecting to see. The first half-bottle was sadly corked, and was thus discounted. I have not included a tasting note for it below, as there seems little point, but if you are interested the wine did not show any parallel faults. It was corked but there was no evidence of oxidation alongside the dirty-mushroom-mouldy-cardboard aromas. In truth the TCA was quite subtle – I had to leave the wine to stand for some time before I could be certain this was the problem – nevertheless I accept that I am unsure as to the validity of comments on oxidation in corked wines. Could the latter possibly mask the former?
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