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Item Number: 6914

UPC: None

Country: France
Region: Loire
Appellation/AVA: Sancerre AOC
Vineyard Designation: Skeveldra
Vintage: 2010
Grape(s): Sauvignon Blanc
Type: Wine - White
Bottle Size: 750ml Pack: 12
Closure: Cork
Alc by Vol(%): 13
Viticulture: Certified Organic
Soil Type: Clay and silex


Vineyard Information: An array of plants, flowers and grass are planted in Sebastien Riffault's vineyards to increase biodiversity and encourage good insects. He uses horses to plow, so the soil is carefully tilled and in the right places, which increases the amount and variety of life in the soil. Absolutely no fertilizers or chemicals are used, and his wines are certified organic by l’intégralité du Domaine en Culture Biologique, certifiée par Bureau Veritas Certification. He is a member of The Association of Vins Naturels and The Renaissance Group of Appellations.

Winemaking Notes: Riffault takes the natural approach here as well. Riffault leaves his grapes on the vine extremely late in order to get them completely ripe. 'Skeveldra' is fermented in large, old barrels with wild yeast. In spite of the crisp, intense acidity, the wine undergoes complete malolactic fermentation. The wine is aged on its lees in barrels that are 10 to 15 years old. Wine is not chaptalized or acidified. The wine is not filtered or fined. No SO2 is added. Wine is bottled by gravity.

About Sebastien Riffault: His wines are unique in the Sancerre world, but a strong reflection and true test of his vineyards and soil. Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc is known for its intense minerality, crisp texture and citrus quality. Riffault’s Sancerre wines are not like the mainstream ones, but none the less delicious, while showcasing his 2 hectares near Sury-en-Vaux. Sebastien Riffault, son of winemaker Etienne Riffault, began his own label in 2002. The big difference between him and the rest of Sancerre is his belief in biodiversity and biodynamic principals and natural winemaking. These principals are rare to find in Sancerre where many vines and wines are made with chemicals and manipulation.