Domaine Claude Riffault
Domaine Claude Rifaullt comprises 13.5 hectares of vines – 10.5 ha of Sauvignon Blanc and 3 ha of Pinot Noir. It has been in the Riffault family for five generations and is now run by Stephane Riffault, who has quickly become recognised as one of the new stars of the region.
All the vineyards are located in the north of the appellation and include over 30 plots on six lieu-dits. The white wines are produced on Les Boucauds, Les Chasseignes, Les Denisottes, Les Chailloux and Les Desmalets. Pinot Noir is also grown on the Les Chailloux aswell as on La Noue. These vines produce rose and red Sancerre.
Stephane believes that good wine can only be produced from well managed vineyards. He has adopted a much more organic approach to viticulture than his father, shunning the use of any chemical herbicides. Instead he chooses to work the soils and grows grass between the rows as competition to the vines. Although he believes in restricting yields, more importantly, he is always searching for the perfect balance in the vine. Hence, he is not in favour of green harvesting, believing that the balance should be well established before this period, by meticulous pruning, de-budding and training. The grapes are all hand-picked with a careful selection and further sorting to ensure they are at optimum ripeness, clean and healthy.
Each of the lieu-dits has a particular characteristic and the grapes of each location are vinified separately to reflect the individual terroir.
The Les Boucauds
This vineyard is situated next to the domaine and accounts for half of their production of Sauvignon Blanc. The soil here is clay/limestone, (terres-Blanches), from the Kimmeridgian age and the vines are up to 50 years of age. The soil here encourages deep roots which bring a fullness and richness to the wine, whilst the limestone subsoils and small shell sediments, provide a fine minerality. The wine is vinified 80% in stainless steel vats and 20% in cask of at least three years, with an elevage of 7-8 months.
This is a truly fabulous Sancerre, possessing a lovely open, ripe, white fruits balanced by a fine minerality and citrus acidity.
All the vineyards are located in the north of the appellation and include over 30 plots on six lieu-dits. The white wines are produced on Les Boucauds, Les Chasseignes, Les Denisottes, Les Chailloux and Les Desmalets. Pinot Noir is also grown on the Les Chailloux aswell as on La Noue. These vines produce rose and red Sancerre.
Stephane believes that good wine can only be produced from well managed vineyards. He has adopted a much more organic approach to viticulture than his father, shunning the use of any chemical herbicides. Instead he chooses to work the soils and grows grass between the rows as competition to the vines. Although he believes in restricting yields, more importantly, he is always searching for the perfect balance in the vine. Hence, he is not in favour of green harvesting, believing that the balance should be well established before this period, by meticulous pruning, de-budding and training. The grapes are all hand-picked with a careful selection and further sorting to ensure they are at optimum ripeness, clean and healthy.
Each of the lieu-dits has a particular characteristic and the grapes of each location are vinified separately to reflect the individual terroir.
The Les Boucauds
This vineyard is situated next to the domaine and accounts for half of their production of Sauvignon Blanc. The soil here is clay/limestone, (terres-Blanches), from the Kimmeridgian age and the vines are up to 50 years of age. The soil here encourages deep roots which bring a fullness and richness to the wine, whilst the limestone subsoils and small shell sediments, provide a fine minerality. The wine is vinified 80% in stainless steel vats and 20% in cask of at least three years, with an elevage of 7-8 months.
This is a truly fabulous Sancerre, possessing a lovely open, ripe, white fruits balanced by a fine minerality and citrus acidity.
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