The particular climactic conditions in 2017 allowed for at least 20% of the fruit here to be affected by botrytis (a mostly beneficial fungus commonly harnessed in making sweet wines) that has lent a luxurious feel to a wine that’s otherwise showing enough steely freshness to strike a perfect balance.
Sébastien Riffault produces a kind of Sancerre that bears little resemblance to the wines most produce in that appellation today. He often harvests with a large percentage of botrytis and is not afraid of oxygen or time on skins. The resulting wines are complex, nigh kaleidoscopic expressions of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir that really resonate.
The particular climactic conditions in 2017 allowed for at least 20% of the fruit here to be affected by botrytis (a mostly beneficial fungus commonly harnessed in making sweet wines) that has lent a luxurious feel to a wine that’s otherwise showing enough steely freshness to strike a perfect balance.
Sébastien Riffault produces a kind of Sancerre that bears little resemblance to the wines most produce in that appellation today. He often harvests with a large percentage of botrytis and is not afraid of oxygen or time on skins. The resulting wines are complex, nigh kaleidoscopic expressions of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir that really resonate.
