A164 SEBASTIEN RIFFAULT SANCERRE AUKSINIS 2015 750ml

Auksinis means "Golden" in Lithuanian, the native language of Sébastien’s wife. The wine was named for its radiant amber and deep golden hues, a beautiful result of perfectly ripe grapes, the influence of botrytis, and extended barrel aging.

This Sancerre is crafted from perfectly ripe, 100% Sauvignon Blanc sourced from vieilles vignes (old vines) over 50 years old, grown on argilo-calcaire (caillottes) soil. This chalky, pebble-rich soil imparts a striking minerality and crisp acidity to the wine, beautifully structuring the richness of the fully ripe fruit without letting it feel heavy.

The wine includes 50% botrytized grapes with a yield of just 20 hl/ha—one-third of a typical Sancerre and comparable to the prestigious sweet wines of Bordeaux. This remarkably low output is the secret behind the wine's incredible concentration of flavor.

Fermentation occurs exclusively with indigenous yeasts. From vinification to bottling, Sébastien adds no SO2 and opts for zero fining or filtration. While the élevage (aging) requires a lengthy three years, Sébastien explains: "When zero-SO2 wines degrade rapidly or develop off-flavors after bottling, it is because they were bottled and shipped before reaching natural stability." By dedicating an extraordinary amount of time—nearly unheard of for standard wines—Sébastien Riffault's wines achieve profound complexity, harmony, and lasting stability.

Unlike any Sancerre you have tasted before, but by far the best. A meditative, opulent wine also has an underlying mineral nerve that roots it firmly in the chalky hills of Sancerre". (from NATURAL WINE / Isabelle Legeron MW)

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