Narcissus, candied lime, grapefruit, and blood orange rinds memorably scent the Aubuisieres 2009 Vouvray Cuvee Les Girardieres, then go on to inform a nut oil- and honey-infused, bittersweetly zesty palate subtly oily in texture. This finishes with fruit pip and citrus rind bitterness, as well as alkaline and savory, saline minerality, and if it falls short in terms of sheer refreshment, that is simply a reflection of its vintage. I suspect this will hold well for at least 5-7 years, although its bitter element might become more pronounced. It was good to be able to taste an expanded range of Bernard Fouquet’s many cuvees, some if which – I am ashamed to admit – I had never tasted before, having never paid him a visit. Fouquet has followed the fashionable tendency to abolish labeling with “sec” or “demi-sec” as a taste indicator (a trend notably resisted by Fouquet’s two best-known neighbors and arguably the only ones making even more exciting wine than his, namely Foreau and Huet). As with many growers’ German Rieslings, the surest hint to the wines’ degrees of sweetness is the levels of alcohol indicated on the label. But with one exception that he does label “sec,” it’s true that from 2009 none of Fouquet’s still wines taste totally dry.Importer: Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800