Summer's Favorite Sancerre, from Claude Riffault=
“A gorgeous wine with chalky veins and the vibration of great terroir”
—Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
Nothing refreshes quite so well as a crisp, cool glass of Sancerre. And if the wine happens to be made by one of the region’s most talented small vignerons, from some of its finest soils, that pleasure hits a whole new level.
There are many incredible artisanal producers in Sancerre to choose from. Some of them are even famous.
The wines of François Cotat, from the legendary terres blanches soils of Chavignol, are among the world’s most celebrated expressions of Sauvignon Blanc. And further east, Domaine Vacheron has achieved cult-like stardom with its edgy, flinty bottlings that reveal a sexier side of the appellation.
While the offerings of these more renowned producers are magnificent, they are also expensive. In the small village of Maison Salle, Stéphane Riffault makes pitch-perfect, beautifully balanced cuvées that stand shoulder to shoulder with his more illustrious colleagues’ — but at a much more approachable price.
The Riffaults have been making wine in Sancerre for generations. When it came time for Stéphane to take the helm of the family domaine from his father Claude, he did so with a brand new vision.
While the offerings of these more renowned producers are magnificent, they are also expensive. In the small village of Maison Salle, Stéphane Riffault makes pitch-perfect, beautifully balanced cuvées that stand shoulder to shoulder with his more illustrious colleagues’ — but at a much more approachable price.
The Riffaults have been making wine in Sancerre for generations. When it came time for Stéphane to take the helm of the family domaine from his father Claude, he did so with a brand new vision.
Firstly, he made a bold pivot towards organic and biodynamic viticulture, a rarity in the region. And influenced by his enological studies in Burgundy, he took a deep dive into the estate’s varied limestone terroir to craft age-worthy, single-site expressions defined by individual soil types.
We’ve featured Stéphane’s entry level Les Boucauds, from his more abundant soils of Kimmeridgian marl. Today we’re thrilled to offer the estate's limited single-vineyard Les Chasseignes. From older vines grown in caillottes soils, this cuvée delivers all the freshness, mineral concentration and stunning aromatic precision imparted by this stonier terroir.
We’ve featured Stéphane’s entry level Les Boucauds, from his more abundant soils of Kimmeridgian marl. Today we’re thrilled to offer the estate's limited single-vineyard Les Chasseignes. From older vines grown in caillottes soils, this cuvée delivers all the freshness, mineral concentration and stunning aromatic precision imparted by this stonier terroir.
You can think of it as a Premier Cru Sancerre. It’s the kind of white wine you should drink out of a bigger Burgundy glass or over a few days: the extra air just brings out more and more. Made in small quantities, with incredible attention to detail, it’s also one of the best values we know from the region.
Claude Riffault, Sancerre Les Chasseignes, 2019
Here’s Stephan Reinhardt’s complete write-up from the Wine Advocate:
Claude Riffault, Sancerre Les Chasseignes, 2019
Here’s Stephan Reinhardt’s complete write-up from the Wine Advocate:
“The 2019 Sancerre Les Chasseignes is a picture-book Sancerre from gravelly limestone soils ("calcaire de caillottes") that assembles the fruit from 11 east- and southeast-facing parcels at 275 meters in altitude. Aged on the lees for 14 months in oak, it opens with a clear, bright yet deep, intense and concentrated bouquet of crushed stones, lemon oil and a hint of fresh oak that disappears with air. Silky, round and very elegant on the palate, this is a full-bodied, wide, intense and juicy yet pure and stimulating Sancerre with remarkable finesse and lingering salinity. The long and complex finish reveals concentration, very fine tannins and the mouthwatering taste of crushed limestones. Refreshing lime and lemon notes on the aftertaste. A gorgeous wine with chalky veins and the vibration of great terroir.”