Domaine Claude Riffault - Les Chasseignes - Sancerre Blanc 2024
Domaine Claude Riffault is one of the most sought-after references in Sancerre, located in Sury-en-Vaux, in the northern part of the appellation. Since the arrival of Stéphane Riffault, the estate has taken on a new dimension, with a very precise parcel-by-parcel reading and a requirement inspired by great terroir wines. The vines are worked in organic and biodynamic farming, with a focus on soil vitality, just ripeness, and perfectly controlled harvests. Les Chasseignes holds a unique place in the range, as this cuvée expresses a terroir of caillottes, those stony limestones that often produce more nervous, upright, and finely chiseled Sancerres. Unlike the broader and deeper white soils, this thin limestone soil favors a more aerial, taut, and very luminous expression of Sauvignon Blanc. The 2024 vintage, fresher and more delicate than 2022 or 2023, reinforces this sensation of precision and relief. This Sancerre Blanc Les Chasseignes 2024 is aimed at lovers of fine, saline Loire whites deeply marked by their place of origin.
The Les Chasseignes 2024 cuvée is made exclusively from Sauvignon Blanc, the emblematic grape variety of Sancerre. The grapes come from the Les Chasseignes lieu-dit, north of the family winery, on a Kimmeridgian limestone terroir associated with caillottes. This type of soil gives the wine a particular tension, with a stony acidity, clear verticality, and a very savory mouthfeel. Hand harvesting preserves the integrity of the grapes and allows for a precise selection of raw material. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts supports the expression of the place without trying to standardize the aromatic profile. The aging, shared between stainless steel tanks and neutral French oak barrels, gives depth and texture without marking the wine with wood. In this cuvée, Claude Riffault signs a Sancerre less varietal than mineral, where Sauvignon Blanc becomes above all a revealer of limestone.
In the glass, Domaine Claude Riffault Les Chasseignes Sancerre Blanc 2024 reveals a crystalline, taut, and very elegant profile. The nose evokes yellow lemon, grapefruit, fresh apple, white flowers, and a hint of anise, with a very characteristic stony nuance. The palate is precise, upright, and vibrant, carried by a bright minerality and a saline sensation that extends the finish. The texture remains fine but never lean, thanks to aging that brings depth without excessively rounding the wine. The whole seduces by its balance between tension, aromatic purity, and terroir depth. This Sancerre will perfectly accompany oysters, raw or marinated fish, smoked trout, asparagus, creamy poultry, or aged goat cheese. Serve around 10 to 12°C in a fairly large glass, with slight aeration to reveal its full floral, limestone, and saline dimension.
Grape variety: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
