This domaine is situated in Sury-en-Vaux a bit north in the Sancerre AOC-zone. Riffault has 13,5 hectares of vineyards. 3 of these hectares are pinot noir-vines. One special thing about the wines from Claude Riffault is that all of them are single-vineyard-wines. They have vines in 6 different vineyards, often divided in several small plots. From a 2,5 hectare parcel in La Noue they make a Sancerre rouge and Sancerre rose. The pinot noir-vines here are 8 to 56 years old and are grown in clay-limestone soil. There is also a Sancerre rouge from a small parcel in Les Chailloux grown on flint soil. There are five different selections of Sancerre blanc and in the tasting we focused on these.
In Norway Domaine Claude Riffaults wines are imported by Better wines. As of today the Sancerre Les Boucaudes 2010 (Kr.189,90 Nok) and Sancerre Les Chasseignes 2010 (Kr.199,90 Nok) are available.
Tasting notes
Sancerre Les Boucauds 2010
Les Boucauds is situated next to the estate. Almost half of all Riffaults sauvignon blanc-vines are in this vineyard. The soil is kimmeridgian clay and limestone marl known locally as Terre blanches. Age of vines are between 10 to 50 years. The wine is vinified 80% in stainless steel and 20% in barrel for 7 to 8 months. The nose shows a quite aromatic sauvignon blanc. Clear and fruity style with hints of nettle, gooseberry and some minerality. It is medium bodied in the mouth. Elegant style, clear and precise with a fine acidity. The finish shows some grapefruit. Good length. Very nice indeed. A Sancerre to enjoy young for the fine fruit.
Sancerre Les Chasseignes 2010
There are several vineyards in the Sancerre AOC with this name. This is the Les Chasseignes in Sury-en-Vaux and is situated north and slightly east of the village. The soil consists of what is locally known as Caillottes: shallow limestone soil and with stoney subsoil. The wine is vinified 70% in stainless steel and 30% in barrel for 7 to 8 months. There is a slight more ripeness in the fruit here. A light spice, nettles and gooseberry. Some minerality. A little fuller in the mouth and rounder and fatter style here. But again the fruit is spot on. Very clear and precise. The young fruit shows nettle, minerality some gooseberry. Less of the grapefruit-note on the finish. Perhaps a little shorter. Good Sancerre, but personally I prefer the Boucauds.
Sancerre Les Denisottes 2010
Les Denisottes is a continuation to the south of Les Boucauds. This also has rich kimmeridgian age Terre blanches soil with more limestone, chalk and is high in minerals. Claude Riffault owns three separate parcels within the Denisottes that are vinified together. The wine is aged 9 months in 600 liter barrels. On the nose this is cooler and shows a more citrusy fruit. Also lots of minerality. Good depth. Fullbodied and interesting Sancerre in the mouth. The aging in barrel does not show. This seems slim and rather elegant and fruit-forward. With a fine and deeper minerality. Elegant wine. Fine acids and long citrusy finish. This needs some time, but is a very interesting wine.
Sancerre Les Chailloux 2010
Les Chailloux is situated to the far east of Sury-en-Vaux, bordering the forest of Charnes. The vineyard has flint-soil which is rare in this part of Sancerre. Riffault has a small plot here, a little less than one hectar, of sauvignon blanc-vines between 13-40 years old. The wine is vinified in barrel up to 12 months. On the nose the flint is highly apparent. Gunsmoke, nettle, minerality. This shows more complexity. A touch of oak, but not much. Fullbodied in the mouth. Acidic nerve. Young and tight wine that will benefit from a year or two in the cellar. Complex minerality. Fine fruit. This is very interesting. Fine acids. Some grapefruit on the finish. Young, but already a great wine.
Sancerre Les Desmalets 2010
Les Desmalets is bordering Les Chasseignes to the north-west. The soil has superficial Terre blanche-soil. From 40 centimeters and deeper the limestone-soil is formed from large sedimentary Exogyra virgule-flagstones. The roots dig down in cracks in these limestone-blocks. Riffault has 50 ares of vines here. The resulting wine is aged in barrels for 9-10 months. On the nose this has a lot of citrus and a lot of minerality. It is less giving than the Chailloux. In the mouth it has a lot of intensity. Lots of concentration. Young citrusy fruit, but the minerality is present. Touch of oak. Fine acidity and lots of elegance and grace. Citrusy long finish. This needs more time to open up, but the quality is present. Great Sancerre.
Sancerre Les Desmalets 2008
Two years older the wine is starting to open up. This is a quite cool Sancerre which is typical for the vintage. The minerality is more open and evolved. Great nose. Medium bodied in the mouth. Acidic nerve. Intense and elegant. Again lots of minerality that has opened up gracefully. The fruit is citrusy. Fine acidity and good length. Great wine that has opened up nicely. Shows that a lot of good things will happen if you leave the wine in the cellar for just a couple of years.
I was highly impressed by the wines from Claude Riffault. They were definitely my favorite among the wines I tasted in Sancerre. Especially the Chailloux and Desmalets was in a class of their own. But all wines were very good and worth giving a try.
Arnt Egil Nordlien
Tasting note: Sep-11
Domaine Claude Riffault is today run by Claude's son Stephane. In his hands the domaine works more organic.
Different soil from the domaines different vineyards.
Lots of recently cleaned tanks in the cellar. But also barrels.