Sébastien Riffault Saulétas Sancerre 2016

Saulétas comes from a 1-hectare parcel of Sauvignon Blanc planted on white chalky limestone soil in the commune of Verdigny, within the Sancerre AOC. The vines are approximately 50 years old and yields run extremely low, around 20 hl/ha. The name means "sunny" in Lithuanian, a nod to Sébastien Riffault's wife Jurete, and each cuvée name in the lineup reflects a specific terroir type — Saulétas is the limestone parcel, distinguished from the flinty Skeveldra and other soil-specific bottlings grown from the same vines.

Riffault harvests extremely late by Sancerre standards, allowing grapes to reach full ripeness with roughly 50% affected by botrytis. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts in old barrels, undergoes complete malolactic fermentation, and ages for 24 months on its fine lees in old oak, followed by 6 months in bottle before release. It is bottled by gravity, unfined, unfiltered, and with zero added sulfites.

The 2016 shows a deep yellow-gold color with ripe fruit and citrus on the nose, backed by almond and apricot notes and a saline, peppery finish characteristic of the estate. Despite the botrytis influence, residual sugar is under 1 g/L — this is a dry wine with significant textural depth and medium-to-high acidity. Light tannin presence from the barrel aging is detectable.

Riffault is certified organic by Bureau Veritas and farms biodynamically following Demeter principles. He is a member of the Association des Vins Naturels and the Renaissance des Appellations. No fining agents, no filtration, no added SO2 at any stage.