96 Sancerre AC 2008
Pierre Riffault

Grape:100% Sauvignon (12.5% alc.)

Riffault is based in Verdigny and has a 10 hectare domaine dispersed over varying terroirs (limestone-clay marls, broken up limestone and siliceous clay with flint). Flint helps to give a lipsmacking, gunflinty minerality and really plays its part here with this pure, typical, good value wine. For drinking now to 2011.

Technical Information
Winemaker:	Pierre Riffault
Location:	Verdigny
Size of domaine:	10.5 hectares (white grapes 8 hectares)
Grape:	Sauvignon Blanc trained single guyot and at 6,100 vines per hectare. Average age 20 years. Massale and clonal selection on 41B, Fercale and S04 rootstock.
Terroir:	Llimestone-clay marls, broken up kimmeridgian limestone, and siliceous clay with flint. Altitude of 200-300 metres and facing south- south east with a 15% slope. Depth of soil 25cms.
Viticulture:	De-bud but no green harvesting. Hoeing of soil. Sulphur to prevent oidium. ‘Confusion sexuelle’ to prevent pests. Occasional addition of fertiliser. Soil is ploughed in summer but not grassed. Machine harvested. Yield- 65 h/h
Vinification:	De-stalked. Selected yeasts. Fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel cuves at 16-20C for 2 weeks. Chaptalisation if necessary. Lees stirred after fermentation. Kept on the fine lees for 6-8 months. Press wine blended back. No malolactic. Elevage in stainless steel cuves. One racking and then bentonite fining and kieselguhr filtered. Bottles 11 times a year. Production 70,000 bottles.
Press:

 

qty (bottles)

exc vat: £10.98