Claude Riffault, 'Les Dennisottes' Sancerre

Alcohol percentage: 14%

Area:
Sancerre remains the most famous appellation in France for Sauvignon Blanc, and holds both its reputation and sales despite the rise of New Zealand and many other cool climate new world offerings.

The Estate is 13.5 hectares in size and wines are specifically made from different soil type, single vineyards, or selections parcellaires. In total there are 33 different plots to manage and vinify individually. The whole estate is run to fully accredited organic and biodynamic methods since 2017. Harvests are always carried out by hand which is surprisingly rare in Sancerre. The Domaine makes predominantly white Sancerre (from Sauvignon Blanc of course) but also an excellent Rouge and Rosé from Pinot Noir. 
The majority of the domaine’s holdings are planted on the soft limestone soil called terres blanches, with other parcels on calliottes (stonier) and silex (flint). Most wines are fermented in neutral large (600lt) French oak casks which enhances texture in the wines without any loss of fruit or expression of terroir. All the parcels are vinified separately, and except for the rosé, all are bottled unfiltered.

The Les Denisottes Sauvignon parcel is grown on deeper, pebbly, terres blanches soil, at 250 metres elevation, near their cellars, with an average vine age of 45 years. Fermented using natural yeasts in neutral demi-muids barrels and aged on lees for around 6 months. 

Producer:
Founded in the 19th century, Domaine Claude Riffault is now run by 4th generation Stéphane (Claude’s son) and his wife Bénédicte Riffault. The Domaine is in the hamlet of Maison Salle, Sury-en-Vaux, some 5km from the town of Sancerre. Interestingly, Stéphane’s brother, Benoît, is the winemaker at Domaine Sauzet in Puligny-Montrachet. Stéphane trained at Olivier Leflaive in Puligny so brings a Burgundian slant and thinking to his winemaking. 

The Bottle Shop rating:
This is one of his most textural and fuller bodied cuvées which has a firm citric core, crispness, yet beautifully textured and layered, very delineated with haunting minerality. Quite simply this is Sauvignon Blanc on another level.