Domaine Claude Riffault

Down a quiet side street in the sleepy commune of Sury-en-Vaux, just a few kilometres from Sancerre itself, is Domaine Claude Riffault.

Stéphane is the incumbent here: he’s the fourth generation to run the estate. He trained in Burgundy, and spent time working with Olivier Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet, while his brother, Benoît, is winemaker and owner at legendary Burgundian estate, Etienne Sauzet.

These Burgundian connections are reflected in the wines here. They’re hand harvested, and then fermentation and elevage is undertaken in oak barrels: these are wines that impress with their texture and complexity. Meanwhile, the wines are all bottled as vineyard selections, with differences between Stéphane’s terroirs clearly defined in every vintage.

There’s the smoky reduction of Les Chailloux, from flinty soils, the mouth-filling texture of the clay and chalk soils of Les Denisottes, and the chalky minerality of Les Chasseignes, from a particularly stony vineyard. More recently, Stéphane has introduced a programme to focus on tiny production wines, from individual corners of his vineyards: the Monoparcelle 538 comes from a 0.44ha corner of the Desmalets vineyard, with vines of around half a century of age: it’s a profound, ageworthy expression of Sauvignon Blanc.

Whereas at other estates in Sancerre, Pinot Noir plays second fiddle to Sauvignon Blanc, perhaps in a nod to his Burgundian links, here Pinot Noir remains front and centre. His vines are all planted on a 2.5hectare plot called La Noue, with limestone, clay, and marl soils, and vines of between 10 and 60 years of age. His red is as pure and delicious a Pinot Noir as you’ll find, while the rosé, too, far outperforms its price point.

The estate was certified organic in 2016, and biodynamic in 2021. That has brought an additional clarity and focus to the wines. This is undoubtedly a Loire winery to watch.