Domaine Claude Riffault - Les Chailloux - Sancerre Blanc 2024
Domaine Claude Riffault is one of the most sought-after estates in Sancerre, located in Sury-en-Vaux, in the northern part of the appellation. Under the guidance of Stéphane Riffault, the estate has established itself through a very precise reading of the named vineyards, with wines that far exceed the classic varietal expression of Sauvignon Blanc. The work in organic and biodynamic farming supports this quest for purity, texture, and terroir identity. Les Chailloux holds a special place in the range, as this cuvée comes from a flint terroir, less common in this sector of Sancerre than the white soils or caillottes. This soil produces a smokier, tighter, more tense wine, often with very deep minerality. The 2024 vintage, fresher and more delicate, reinforces this impression of precision and verticality. This Sancerre Blanc Les Chailloux 2024 is aimed at lovers of racé, saline Loire whites capable of aging with elegance.
The Les Chailloux 2024 cuvée is made exclusively from Sauvignon Blanc, the emblematic grape variety of Sancerre. The grapes come from a named vineyard located in Sury-en-Vaux, where the flint soils provide a very different signature from the limestone terroirs of the appellation. Here, the Sauvignon gains mineral depth, smoky tension, and relief, with an expression that is less immediately aromatic but more structured. Hand harvesting allows careful selection of the grapes, essential to preserve the precision of the fruit and the balance of the wine. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts supports the natural expression of the place, without trying to smooth out the character of the vintage. Aging in neutral French oak demi-muids adds texture, depth, and a slight patina, without imposing dominant oak flavors. The expected result is a highly defined Sancerre, tense, stony, and deeply gastronomic.
In the glass, Domaine Claude Riffault Les Chailloux Sancerre Blanc 2024 reveals a crystalline, smoky, and intensely mineral profile. The nose evokes ripe lemon, citrus zest, fresh apple, white flowers, and a characteristic gunflint note typical of flint. The palate is straight, energetic, and chiselled, with fine but persistent matter. The vintage's tension gives the wine a slender silhouette, while the aging provides just enough texture to avoid any austerity. The finish is long, saline, slightly smoky, with beautiful bitters that extend the mineral sensation. This Sancerre will perfectly accompany a noble fish, oysters, shellfish, creamy poultry, asparagus, or an aged Crottin de Chavignol. Serve around 10 to 12°C in a fairly large glass, after slight aeration, to allow its full flint dimension to open up.
Grape variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
