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4 products
4 products
- White Wine
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Biodynamic, Organic
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 12.5% alc./vol
About the Winery
Claude Riffault
Stéphane Riffault, son of Claude Riffault, has become one of the most sought-after producers in the region. At barely 30 years old, his Sancerre wines have already become the envy of some of the region's most established vintners.
Stéphane's Sancerre wines come from 33 different parcels in 8 different lieu-dits spread across 4 villages on limestone soils. Having studied and worked in Burgundy, and then trained with some of best – Olivier Leflaive (Burgundy), Château Angélus (Bordeaux), and his very own father, Claude Riffault – it’s easy to see the Burgundian influence and the master of minerality in Stéphane’s wines.
When his father retired, Stéphane took over the winery and embarked upon a journey of viticultural transformation. Today, all 13.5 hectares are certified organic (ECOCERT, 2016) and biodynamic (BIODYVIN, 2021). The entire harvest is carried out by hand and an extensive sorting takes place before the grapes are crushed –– a testament to his craftsmanship and an unwavering commitment to sustainability.
Press Reviews
Robert Parker
93 points - Stephan Reinhardt
From gravelly limestone soils and made with fruit from nearly a dozen east- and southeast-facing parcels at 275 meters in altitude, the 2020 Sancerre Les Chasseignes opens with an initially greenish, refreshing bouquet. It offers white fruit and coolish stones aromas on the elegant and moderately intense nose but gains in complexity if aerated for some days in the open bottle. Round and elegant on the palate, this full-bodied and refreshing Sancerre reveals a finely intense and concentrated texture with ripe, fleshy yellow plum notes and delicate grip from ripe tannins and aging sur lie, but it finishes with the purity and mineral freshness of an excellent Sancerre. The finish is long, dense and savory. Les Chasseignes seems to be richer and rounder than Les Denisottes and Les Chailloux yet initially lacks the tension and structure of those, which makes the alcohol more palatable. However, this is still an excellent wine. And, tasted again after 11 (!) days from the same bottle, it's even a great Sancerre. 14% stated alcohol. Natural cork. Tasted in January 2022.
Stéphane Riffault has presented another great vintage after the superb 2019s, which I still tend to prefer. But on the other hand, 2020 is still a very young vintage that developed so enormously well over days in the bottle that I won't argue against what Stéphane says: "2019 shows very well today, even better than 2020, I agree, but in few years I assume the 2020s will be the more interesting wines."
The biggest difference between 2020 and 2019 is the level of tartaric acid in the grapes at harvest. "The 2020s are a bit higher in alcohol but lower in pH compared to 2019, and their sustainability on the palate makes me very happy. Since the 2020 alcoholic fermentations went through more dynamic, we find these tropical fruit aromas on the nose at the moment, especially in wines from limestone kimmerdigian soils, but with bottle aging the terroir will shine through much more prominently."
Next to Stéphane's two impressive monoparcelle cuvées, which are vinified in 20-hectoliter foudres for 18 months, the Echalas was aged in three-year-old 350-liter François Frères oak barrels. It will be released as Vin de France since a part of the vineyards were declassified by the INAO and cannot be marketed under the Sancerre AOP. "After 40 years of planting vines here, this was a big disappointment for us," reports Stéphane. However, he has made a fabulous Sancerre-like wine here in 2020 that would have surely become one of the appellation's finest of the 2020 vintage if not of younger history.
- White Wine
- Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon
- Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Light Bodied
- 750ml
- 12.50% alc./vol
About the Winery
Château Haut-Grelot
Château Haut Grelot is located in Saint Ciers Sur Gironde, approximately 50 kms north of Bordeaux, on the right bank of the Gironde Estuary. It was established by the Bonneau family in 1922 and now run but the 4th Generation. Today Château Haut-Grelot comprises 58 hectares of vineyards and is run by Céline and Julien, who was recently awarded the title 'Best Young Talent' in Bordeaux.
The vineyards are made up of sandy-gravel on the hillsides bordering the Gironde Estuary and sand-clay-silt on the hillsides further inland. Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux benefits from an ideal microclimate where there is a high level of sunshine and enough rain to guarantee the perfect environment for grape production. As a result the reds are fruity and concentrated and the whites are fresh, vibrant and delicate.
- White Wine
- Colombard, Gros Manseng, Sauvignon Blanc
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 12% alc./vol
About the Winery
Lionel Osmin & Cie
Lionel Osmin & Cie started out with just a group of friends with the same keen passion, with the same love for wines from the South West. Then they had an idea to achieve what nobody had ever done before: to create a quality wine-broking house based on South Western wines following the example of other regions such as Burgundy or the Rhône.
With that founding principle, Lionel Osmin & Co was therefore created under the leadership of Lionel boasting the discovery of the unique wines and vineyards of this region. From Jurançon to Cahors, from Gaillac to Bergerac, passing through Marcillac, Lionel Osmin & Co has become the sole transversal signature of the wines from the South West and their vineyards whose secrets which are yet to be discovered!
The result is a range of wines whose characteristics are faithful to the region and which are made to share the joy of discovering the vines and wines that are enjoyed and loved.
- White Wine
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Light Bodied
- 750ml
- 12.5% alc./vol
About the Winery
Leaning Post
A leaning post is what you find at the beginning of a row of grapes, anchoring the wires that are the frame-work for growing grapevines. It is the beginning of an obsession to translate a time and place into liquid. Leaning Post wines take you to that beginning by finding small, unique plots of land in Niagara and putting them in bottle. Because after stripping away all the fancy buildings and high-tech equipment you are left with a place on this earth that grows wine unlike any other. When you taste that in a glass you just know it. Nadia and Ilya have had to rely on the support of family, friends and financial institutions to make the dream of owning a winery a reality. Leaning Post began as a virtual winery and is so proud to now have the quaint tasting room at 1491 Hwy 8 on their home property in Winona, Ontario.
Ilya and Nadia are the brains and passion behind Leaning Post Wines. It started with a dream to take unique, interesting single vineyard blocks in Niagara and turn them into distinctive, terroir driven wines. Nadia and Ilya first met in their hometown of Winnipeg, MB where their passion for wine and each other was born.
Ilya has been a winemaker in the Niagara Region for the last 17 vintages working at Daniel Lenko Estate Winery, Foreign Affair and now at Leaning Post Wines. Ilya is also a consulting winemaker at the Good Earth Winery. Ilya’s true passion in life is to make world renowned wines from Niagara that really showcase the distinct terroir that Niagara offers.