Sebastien Riffault

The Riffault estate boasts a fine heritage of old vines, which are tended using horse-drawn ploughing. Of the 12 hectares of the Riffault estate, 4 hectares are located on sloping hillsides. All vineyard work is done by hand, and harvests are always carried out at full maturity, often with a proportion of botrytis. This gives rise to singular wines: great "natural" white Sauvignon and a Loire red made from Pinot Noir — wines that benefit from long ageing (generally 2 years in tank and one year in barrel). The range of wines is expressed through Lithuanian cuvée names chosen together with his partner, who is herself from Lithuania. The cuvée "Akméniné" (translation: Made of stone), the cuvée "Auksinis" (Golden), which also exists as a maceration wine (orange wine), the cuvée "Saulétas" (Sunny) on a Kimmeridgian marl terroir, and the cuvée "Skeveldra" (Stone shard) on a flint terroir, along with one last and small cuvée of Pinot Noir named "Raudonas" (Red). Sébastien Riffault is a winemaker with strong convictions, and can in some ways be compared to Alexandre Bain, renowned for his wines from Pouilly Fumé (though he has since left the appellation). Please note that Sébastien Riffault's cuvées are therefore not comparable to many Sauvignons with a standardised taste, as these wines can sometimes surprise with a fairly pronounced oxidative character, and somewhat unsettling aromas of dried fruits and apricot, which are not typical of the grape variety. Sébastien Riffault, though fond of experimentation and numerous vinification variations, knows how to produce expressive and mineral wines that the finest Michelin-starred Parisian restaurants, such as Septime, do not hesitate to feature in slightly older vintages. The magic of the triptych Terroir, Grape variety, Winemaker then comes to light and works perfectly. The cuvée Sebastien Riffault "Saulétas" comes from Sauvignon vines on Kimmeridgian limestone soil. On the nose, the wine develops a mineral character with notes of pineapple and menthol, and on the palate it offers suppleness and roundness, with beautiful noble bitterness. The cuvée Sebastien Riffault "Auksinis" comes from a limestone terroir, and its nose opens on floral and slightly oxidative notes, with a palate of orange zest and honey, complemented by a superb mineral backbone of great length.The cuvée Sebastien Riffault " Skeveldra" displays a straw-yellow colour with aromas of yellow fruits, pear and wax, and a very round, mineral, saline and slightly oxidative palate. The cuvée Sebastien Riffault "Auksinis macération" is obtained after whole-bunch maceration of very ripe grapes, and its complexity is simply astounding: built on aromas of very ripe citrus fruits and acacia honey, the wine is nevertheless totally dry, with an evident richness of substance. Finally, the red cuvée Sebastien Riffault "Raudonas" is a great Pinot Noir with a powerful bouquet and irresistible roundness and indulgence. If you enjoy discovering new wines, do not hesitate to taste the wines of Benoit Riffault — they are sure to surprise and delight you.

Vins & Millésimes, specialist in online sales of old vintages and great wines, offers you a wide selection of bottles of wine or magnums from the Sebastien Riffault estate. Choose the simplest way to buy wine online: all our bottles are in stock and dispatched within 48 to 72 hours, always at a competitive price!