Claude Riffault

Based in the village Sury-en-Vaux, just to the north of the town of Sancerre, Stéphane Riffault works on 33 different parcels in 8 different lieu-dits spread across 4 villages. The three main soil types of Sancerre are expressed in the range of wines made. Within the 15 hectares of vines, there are 13 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc and 2 hectares of Pinot Noir, no synthetic material is used and all harvesting is done manually. 

Stéphane is the fourth generation, his great grandfather founded a mixed farm, and his grandfather transferred it into solely viticulture. Stéphane went to study in Beaune, got experience working in Bordeaux (Château Angélus) and Burgundy (Olivier Leflaive). When he returned home in 2001 and his father retired, Stéphane started the conversion to organic farming, which was completed in 2016 with an ECOCERT and in 2021 followed by BIODYVIN. 

The domaine only uses its own proprietary grapes and refuses to use négociant-sourced grapes as it is all about offering wines that best reflect their origin. Each vineyard parcel is considered as individual, each has its own equilibrium, its own character. The mastery of terroir standing shoulder-height with the winemaking is rarely duplicated in Sancerre.