Vouvray Cuvée Constance, Domaine Huët 2005

Comprising a virtually berry-by-berry selection of perfectly botrytized fruit from each of the domaine's three sites, the Huet 2005 Vouvray Cuvee Constance will be virtually ageless. Quince jelly, marzipan, lemon candy, heliotrope, and honey levitate from the glass, in anticipation of the startling elegance, lift, and lightness of touch that this elixir exhibits on the palate, for all of its intensely honeyed richness. Fresh grapefruit and lemon leaven the wine and balance its 137 grams residual sugar, and the finish is astonishingly fresh and juicy, yet displays confectionary (marzipan, vanilla creme) and patisserie (buttered pastry with quince filling) sides as well. Anyone hoping to net and pin down in words this splendid butterfly of a wine will fail, but if you do pin down a bottle, let it soar across the next several decades.