[B317] SEBASTIEN RIFFAULT SANCERRE AUKSINIS MACERATION 2019 750ml

Auksinis "Maceration" - Auksinis means "Golden" in Lithuanian, the native language of Sébastien’s wife. The macerated version of Auksinis is even deeper in color, gleaming with a vibrant orange hue. This beautiful finish is the result of perfectly ripe grapes, the influence of noble rot, and extended skin contact.

This unique Sancerre orange wine 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, beautifully structuring the rich, skin-fermented volume of the fruit without letting it feel heavy. Furthermore, the astringency of the tannins from the skins serves as a great accent, giving a rhythm to the wine.

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, during which the juice is macerated with the grape skins for about a week to extract deep complexity and a gentle tannic structure. 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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