118 products
- Red Wine
- Pinot Noir
- Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 13% 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. He took over the management of the domaine at a young age and his top Sancerre wines quickly became the envy of some of the region's most established vintners.
Stéphane's Sancerre bottlings 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
Wine Align
93 points - John Szabo
2018 vintage review: Stéphane Riffault's 13.5 ha estate includes 3ha planted to pinot noir, of which La Noue represents 2.5 hectares across seven adjoining parcels with vines ranging from 8 to 56 years old, planted on both marls and Kimmeridgian limestones. Vineyard care is rigorous in the extreme (also certified organic), and the effort shows through in the final product, made in minimalist fashion. The 2018 is very much on the riper and fleshier end of the Sancerre Rouge spectrum, brimming with succulent red and black cherry (griottes), yet cool and classy, nicely composed, with fully integrated wood nuances. The palate is all class, vibrant yet fleshy, fresh yet generous, with a fine twang of limestone salinity and a tannin-acid complex that yields fine silk, more spun than woven. The wine gains succulence and energy with aeration, so be sure to serve in large-bowled pinot glasses or gently decant before serving, with a light chill for best effect. It should also hold comfortably in the cellar for another 3-5 years. Tasted May 2021.
Robert Parker
90+ points
2018 vintage review: From 30- to 58-year-old vines on terres blanches and marl soils, Stéphane Riffault's 2018 Sancerre La Noue was cold-macerated and fermented with whole clusters for a total of four weeks. It offers an aromatic, fruity, elegant and charming bouquet of red cherries, raspberries and redcurrant intertwined with stony notes. Concentrated, round and mellow on he palate, this is an elegant, already accessible and maybe too charming (?) Pinot with ripe black berry and licorice aromas on the aftertaste. It was aged for a total of 16 months in 228- to 600-liter oak casks prior the bottling in February. Tasted right after the bottling in February 2021.
I didn't taste wines from Stéphane Riffault for a long while, although I had them in very best memories. The 2016s and 2017s I tasted recently (far too late for potential buyers yet early enough for collectors who cellar them) are exciting. The 2017 Rosé is vinous and elegant, and among the whites, the clear, precise and linear 2016 Les Desmalets and the complex, structured 2016 Les Chailloux are outstanding. Shortly before the deadline for this report, I received the younger vintages—2018 and the fascinatingly vibrant and energetic 2019. These younger vintages include several new highlights, namely the single-parcel wines 468 and 538, which, tasted as barrel samples, are among the finest and most expressive Sancerres I have tasted in many years. The 2019 Les Chailloux is another highlight once again, as is the 2020 Rosé, which is more "a masquerade of a red wine," as Riffault's US importer, Jon-David Headrick, expresses it perfectly. All in all, the Domaine Claude Riffault has become one of my personal favorites of the AOP, and Stéphane's style seems to be moving toward more textured wines, a result of the trend to use more oak. Stéphane's brother is winemaker at the Domaine Étienne Sauzet in Puligny-Montrachet, and they might have an intense exchange about viticultural and winemaking techniques. I remember having tasted many wines grown predominantly or entirely in stainless steel years ago, and I also remember the transition to concrete vats and small barrels; these remain, but larger wooden casks are also in use today. For example, the generic white Sancerre is aged in both 500- and 600-liter wood containers; the Sancerres Les Boucauds is aged in a combination of pièces bourguignonnes (228 liters), 350-, 400- and 500-liter wood containers as well as 600-liter demi-muids. Les Chasseignes ages in both 350-liter barrels and a 20-hectolitre foudre that, in turn, is the cask for the fantastic Sancerres Les Denisottes and Les Chailloux. The Monoparcelles 469 and 538 are vinified in 350-liter barrels before the élevage of eight months takes place in a 20-hectoliter foudre and for another month in stainless steel tanks before bottling. The red Sancerre La Noue is aged in a combination of 228-, 250- and 600-liter oak vats, whereas the Sancerre Rosé is entirely aged in a single 228-liter pièce bourguignonne.
With his rosé, Stéphane Riffault is looking to break the stereotype image of rosé and to produce a great, gastronomic vin de rosé, which he describes as "serious" and makes it "like a clear red." He accepts a loss of freshness in favor of complexity by aging it like a red Pinot Noir. In the end, this makes sense and adds another serious and vinous wine to a remarkable series of ambitious, terroir-driven Sancerres that are far more than just fresh and easy. I even had the impression the rosé is potent enough to be aged even longer on its lees, and Stéphane admits that he’s still unsure about this and that there is a possibility that he might age it longer than expected, but he’s afraid that what he would gain by aging it longer would be offset with an even further decrease in freshness. He added that bottling in March will give him a "happy medium," but this is yet to be seen.
In an email conversation with Jon-David Headrick, who detected the Domaine Claude Riffault many years ago, he told me that Stéphane is not actively trying to make "wines that are counter to his appellation." Instead, "he’s trying to push the boundaries as to what can be made in the appellation. For so long, Sancerre has been known as an appellation that produced simple, fresh wines, and he wants it to be known as one of the great terroirs of France, having the ability to produce 'great white wines of stature and complexity.'" As such, Stéphane has been systematically tasting and speaking with great growers in Burgundy, Champagne, Alsace and Loire regions like Savennières to help him refine his style. "His primary references are in Burgundy where he has taken a lot of cues," reports Headrick. However, he is quick to point out that "Stéphane is not trying to make a Burgundy wine in Sancerre and dislikes this terminology. He is, however, taking the best of the ideas that great domaines in Burgundy have to teach him and adapting those to Sauvignon Blanc, his appellation and his parcels. "
One of the ways Riffault thinks he can produce great, gastronomic whites is to concentrate on extended lees aging. In fact, the "sur-lie" aging is much longer than it was before since "he believes that aging on the lees, and more lees, in wooden containers is one of the ways to achieve this."
One could fear the power, richness and density of the 2019 vintage could have made the new wines from Stéphane Riffault too big, but in fact, he has mastered the challenge incredibly well and kept as much freshness as possible in his full-bodied, structured and sustainable wines while practicing this extended aging. In any case, you should use a big Burgundy glass for all of his wines, particularly for the 2019s—and let them breath enough air. I have the series over a week, and even after seven days, they deeply impressed me.
- White Wine
- Chardonnay
- Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Light Bodied
- 750ml
About the Winery
Domaine Louis Moreau
Winemaker Louis Moreau is the master of the Chablis terroir, where he bottles 100% Chardonnay wines from all four levels of appellation: Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Crus and Chablis Grands Cru.
The Domaine owns parcels in five of the seven Grands Cru climats, and works with many plots throughout the region in a sustainable manner. The most prestigious of its wines is the monopole Chablis Grand Cru 'Clos des Hospices' dans Les Clos AOC 2016, acquired by the Moreau family in 1904.
Louis Moreau, who has been leading the domaine since 1994, produces wines with a unique style. Louis Moreau studied oenology-viticulture at Fresno State University and worked at different Californian wineries before he took over the Domaine's operations in 1994, representing the family's sixth generation of vignerons.
Press Reviews
Wine Align
91 points - Michael Godel
As for Louis Moreau well here he goes again raising the profile of a Chablis, this time with the Petit, of appellation and nothing to do with size. Meaning this is a hefty example of aromatic rise and also mouthfeel but with more than a pit stop or two at layers of salinity. You can seriously feel the chalky soil and even more so the fossil content in what is nearly briny chardonnay. How anyone could miss the soil in this Petit-Chablis would be beyond comprehension because fruit is nothing without the soul of this terroir. Drink 2023-2026. Tasted February 2023.
90 points - Megha Jandhyala
This is a clean, uncluttered, focussed petit chablis with distinct notes of lemons, grapefruit, crunchy apples, and wet stones. Acidity is vibrant and the palate is predominantly citrusy, with a hint of salinity. The finish is long, infused with refreshing flavours of grapefruits and citrus zest. Given its citrus-driven flavour profile, this wine should pair well with all sorts of mildly seasoned seafood, including lightly poached white fish. Tasted February 2023.
- Vermouth Wine
- Carignan, Grenache
- Natural, Organic, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Full Bodied
- 750ml
- 17% alc./vol
About the Winery
Domaine Frédéric Brouca
Frédéric grew up in Normandy and met his Canadian wife Elaine at university in Lille, Northern France. They live a nomadic lifestyle (Canada, India, Singapore and USA) though Frédéric spends about half of his time in Faugères. Since early age, Frédéric had a calling for farming and the fierce desire to become a winegrower. After completing a Masters Degree in Finance in 2001, Frédéric went back to college for a Sommelier diploma and started his career as a Burgundy wine broker.
In late 2012, Frédéric and Elaine were fortunate to take over 25 acres of old vines in Faugères, organically farmed for twenty years and deeply rooted in schist soils.
2013 was the inaugural vintage for Domaine Frédéric Brouca. In his modest winery in the village of Laurens, Frédéric is creating a new vision for Faugères wines; fresh, vibrant and made without artifice. Nothing revolutionary, simply returning to our grandparent's ideology of farming and winemaking to craft 'Vins Vivants'. The Faugères Appellation is in the heart of Languedoc in the Hérault department. Here, winemaking dates back to the Greek times and was developed during the Roman Era. It wasn't until the early 1900's, however, that the wines became more widely known for its unique schist soils and moderate Mediterranean climate. These villages are heavily reliant on wine as an important part of their culture and economy.
The area is stunning with mountain views and close proximity to the Mediterranean Sea (20 miles / 30 kms). Faugères has a long history of responsible farming. It boasts the highest percentage of organic vineyards for any AOC in all of France with almost 50% of farmers making the choice.
- White Wine
- Sylvaner
- Biodynamic, Organic, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Light Bodied
- 750ml
- 12.5% alc./vol
About the Winery
Domaine Muré
The Muré family has been winegrowers in the region of Rouffach since 1650. In 1935, Alfred Muré, René’s grandfather, bought 32 acres of family-monopole vineyard name Clos St. Landelin, an area that has been described as the best of Alsace Grand Cru since the 7th Century.
Today, René Muré, the 11th generation of the family, along with his children, Véronique and Thomas, are responsible for running their exceptional Grand Cru vineyard and neighbouring terroirs using biodynamic methods. Until this day, they persist in hand-picking every single grape, and focus on crafting wines that preserve the family’s credo. The resulting wines are some of Alsace's finest – powerful, elegant, and age-worthy.
Press Reviews
Wine Align
90 points - Michael Godel
If 2017 was found to exist in the ripe and rich realm for Alsatian sylvaner then wait to you get a taste of what 2018 brings to the varietal table. Also crunchy and finely embittered with a sense of lemons having spent time soaking up neutral spirits. Not your old uncle Sylvain’s sylvaner, no sir, this one’s set up to host the new millennials. An alternative varietal take that will rock the avocado off your toast. Drink 2020-2024. Tasted October 2020.
90 points - David Lawrason
This is a ripe version of sylvaner from a warmer year, with peach fruit, some waxy/oiliness and light caraway and spice. It is medium-full bodied, nicely rich yet firm and dry, with some sense of spritz. There is some pithy bitterness on the finish. The length is very good to excellent. Tasted October 2020
90 points - John Szabo, MS
Clearly ripe, full of fleshy white-fleshed apple fruit and spiced apple chutney, with a vaguely sweet taste, concentrated and generous to be sure. I like the density of flavour and evident intensity, while acids remain firm but ripe and length and depth are excellent. A superior example to be sure, more generous than the mean. Ready to enjoy or hold short term. Tasted October 2020.
90 points - Sara d'Amato
There is a notable elegance to this fresh but fulfilling sylvaner a characteristic tendency of this French/Germanic grape variety. Apple and pear with more apparent sweetness than the previous vintage due to level of ripeness. Highly drinkable, very well defined and a real classic. Tasted October 2020.
- White Wine
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Natural, Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
About the Winery
Grains d'Estuaire
Julien Bonneau, (Château Haut Grelot in the Blayais), and his friend Alexandre Lavigne, restaurateur in Saint-Palais-sur-Mer, created in 2014 a range of wines, Grains d'Estuaire, from 'a 10 ha vineyard located in Saint-Bonnet-sur-Gironde, in the south of Charente-Maritime.
- Red Wine
- Cinsault
- Natural, Organic, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Full Bodied
- 750ml
- 13.5% alc./vol
Press Reviews
Wine Align
92 points - Michael Godel
Samsó Seulle is varietal cinsault from 40-plus year-old bush vines on the 'La Serre' hill in Faugères. At the higher end for whole cluster ferments in the Fréderic Brouca range, here at 70 percent. Samsó is the local name for the grape and Brouca goes gentle and slow in his trenchant intention on how to deal with extracting without shock and awe. The grapes and thus the wine come out soft and “glissement,” even while the swarthy volatility runs knowably high. Brettanomyces yeasts are simply, allegedly and unequivocally part of the fabric but because flavours and textures are so pretty there is no chance of brittle or crumbly tannins. And so the overall effect is good, generous and proper. At least once in your lifetime your vinous imperative is to try a wine like this, especially from Brouca. Drink 2024-2028. Tasted January 2023.
92 points - Sara d'Amato
Named "Samsó" the local name for cinsault (and phonetically very similar), Brouca's fruit is sourced from organically grown, old vine cinsault that is over 40 years of age. Often vinified with a good deal of whole-cluster giving the wine its necessary grip and then slowly matured in neutral vessels to preserve the varietal character. There is more wildness in this cuvée than many of Brouca's others, with a palate that is brimming with dried earth, wildflower, and fresh herbs, along with a touch of mushroom and musk. A notably pure expression of grape variety and features the concentration one might expect from a low-yielding drought vintage. Notes of cherry, fennel and licorice root permeate the finish of very good length. Best now to 2028. Tasted January 2024.
91 points - David Lawrason
This is an organically grown single vineyard cinsault, a variety making paler, red fruited wines. It has a distinctive, soft ripe nose of strawberry jam, very floral lilac/peony, a touch of char and earth. There is also some meatiness expressed more on the palate. It is medium bodied, supple, warm and generous with slightly gritty tannin. Excellent fruit concentration and length. Tasted January 2024
90 points - John Szabo
Pure old vine cinsault (aka samsó) from the south of France, organically farmed and handled minimally, Brouca latest 2021 is a typically wild and vibrant, crunchy and juicy red declared at just 12.5% alcohol, part philosophy, part cooler, wetter vintage no doubt, and all the more lively for it. The palate is notably gritty with light but angular tannins bouncing off tingly acids, containing a mouthful of tart red fruit, from red currant to sour cherry, free from oak influence, but featuring lots of wild savoury herbs and twiggy flavours. The finish lingers surprisingly for such a light wine. Chill lightly and serve over the next 2-4 years. Authentic and honest; I like the lift and transparency. Tasted January 2024.
- Red Wine
- Grenache, Syrah
- Natural, Organic, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Full Bodied
- 750ml
Press Reviews
Wine Align
93 points - Michael Godel
Côte de Glou just has to be a fantasy name, a play of words for a wine that you just want to drink, glug-glug, glou-glou but imagined as from a place that happens to be a hill, slope or coast. This glow is a mix of grenache, syrah and carignan off of hilly Faugères slopes of schist. This is the purest, fruitiest and least swarthy of Brouca’s wines and also the one out of which tannins take the sharpest bite. The least confounding and different of his organic and low-sulphites work, the wine that reeks of purple fruit and florals, of violets and roses, of berries and mineral salts. Tastes this way too, piquant and crunchy, piquing palate and interest. Most representative of Faugères and something for everyone in a glass. Drink 2024-2028. Tasted January 2023.
92 points - David Lawrason
This is an organically grown blend of grenache, syrah and carignan grown in the Faugeres region of Languedoc. It is deeply coloured, and a bit cloudy (unfiltered). The nose shows very ripe blackberry, some meatiness, dried herbs and anise. It is medium-full bodied, highly energized, juicy and firm with considerable tannic grit. Excellent focus and length with a rustic/farmy ambiance. Bordering on a natural wine expression. The complexity and length are excellent indeed. Tasted January 2024
92 points - Sara d'Amato
Schist-grown, 40-year-old grenache, syrah, and carignan from the slopes of Faugères make up Brouca's Côte de Glou assemblage. Supple enough for immediate drinking largely due to the 2+ years of maturation in stainless steel and neutral French oak. A characterful natural, organic, and vegan-friendly wine with no added sulphur. Salty, bright, and clean with notable complexity on the palate that features wet leaves, cran-cherry, plum compote, gentle fruit spice and even a hint of cola. Widely appealing with very good length. Best now to 2028. Tasted January 2024.
91 points -
Brouca's "Côte de Glou" ("slope of glug"?) is a blend of grenache, syrah and carignan from La Serre plateau in the Languedoc appellation of Faugères made 'naturally' (organic farming, no additives). It pours a deep red-ruby and offers a range of wild, earthy, leathery, waxy aromas in the natural wine genre, not to say funky, but a bit wild and oxidative. Fruit is fresh, both dark and red, sitting on a tight frame of gritty tannins and above average acids. I like the saliva-inducing quality, the savoury, umami-rich aspect. It's tough to anticipate the evolution of such wines given the little protection (sulfites) they contain, but I'd suggest another year or two in the cellar for additional complexity and textural polishing. Tasted January 2024.
- Sweet Wine
- Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng
- Natural, Organic, Vegan-Friendly
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 12.00% alc./vol
About the Winery
Clos Lapeyre
This family farm was traditionally dedicated to mixed farming with livestock, small fruits and grapes which were taken to the local cooperative. From 1985 onwards, the estate was turned over exclusively to viticulture when Jean-Bernard Larrieu gave birth to Clos Lapeyre.
Clos Lapeyre is a 12 ha domain owned by the Larrieu family, in Jurançon, Southwest France. It is situated south of Pau, nestling on steep slopes facing the Pyrenees. The vineyards are planted on terraces at an altitude of 250 m. Jean-Bernard Larrieu makes the wines, and his aim is produce wines that express the specificity of the grape varieties and the soils (pebbly clay/limestone and silex). The wines are certified Organic.
- Red Wine
- Syrah
- Biodynamic, Natural, Organic, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Medium Bodied
- 750ml
- 12.5% alc./vol
About the Winery
Domaine du Coulet - Matthieu Barret
Matthieu Barret was born in Aix-en-Provence in 1975 and studied viticulture in Beaune.
He is the 7th generation vigneron and joined his grandfather in Cornas in 1997. Previously, his family had only been farming and selling grapes. He practices biodynamic viticulture, obtaining very low yields (23 hl/ha) and extraordinary quality. He describes his wines as being 100% grape, with a very low sulphite addition. His wines are extremely clean, and, true to the Cornas character. Domaine du Coulet was founded by Matthieu Barret’s grandfather after WWII, and over the years has supplied grapes to some of the best known producers in the Northern Rhône, including Chapoutier and Delas. While his father eschewed the agrarian lifestyle, opting instead for a career in international business, Matthieu knew early on that he wanted to be a vigneron. In 1998 at the age of only 23, he took over the family’s 25 acres of well-situated vines on the terraced hillsides of Cornas.
From the beginning, Matthieu has employed natural, organic practices and by 2002 (his second year of production) the domaine received its biodynamic certification. With each vintage, Matthieu has gained a better understanding of his vine parcels and through thoughtful experimentation, he now turns out a remarkable selection of Cornas wines that express the unique nuances of each micro-terroir. No new oak, no racking, minimal use of sulfur and no fining or filtration. Pure, sexy Syrah.
- Red Wine
- Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah
- Sustainable, Vegan-Friendly
- 750ml
- Red Wine
- Mourvèdre / Monastrell, Syrah
- Natural, Organic, Vegan-Friendly
- Dry
- Full Bodied
- 750ml
- 13.5% alc./vol
About the Winery
Domaine Frédéric Brouca
Frédéric grew up in Normandy and met his Canadian wife Elaine at university in Lille, Northern France. They live a nomadic lifestyle (Canada, India, Singapore and USA) though Frédéric spends about half of his time in Faugères. Since early age, Frédéric had a calling for farming and the fierce desire to become a winegrower. After completing a Masters Degree in Finance in 2001, Frédéric went back to college for a Sommelier diploma and started his career as a Burgundy wine broker.
In late 2012, Frédéric and Elaine were fortunate to take over 25 acres of old vines in Faugères, organically farmed for twenty years and deeply rooted in schist soils.
2013 was the inaugural vintage for Domaine Frédéric Brouca. In his modest winery in the village of Laurens, Frédéric is creating a new vision for Faugères wines; fresh, vibrant and made without artifice. Nothing revolutionary, simply returning to our grandparent's ideology of farming and winemaking to craft 'Vins Vivants'. The Faugères Appellation is in the heart of Languedoc in the Hérault department. Here, winemaking dates back to the Greek times and was developed during the Roman Era. It wasn't until the early 1900's, however, that the wines became more widely known for its unique schist soils and moderate Mediterranean climate. These villages are heavily reliant on wine as an important part of their culture and economy.
The area is stunning with mountain views and close proximity to the Mediterranean Sea (20 miles / 30 kms). Faugères has a long history of responsible farming. It boasts the highest percentage of organic vineyards for any AOC in all of France with almost 50% of farmers making the choice.
Press Reviews
Wine Align
93 points - John Szabo
Clos Sauveplan is a blend of about 3/4 high density planted mourvèdre and the balance in half-century-old syrah from the lieu-dit of the same name, a plateau in the Faugères AOC in southern France. It's showing beautifully at the moment, rich, redolent of fresh black forest fruits, blackberry coulis, wild violets and cracked black peppercorn, really quite a tour de force. The palate is broad but fresh, impeccably balanced and so lively considering the warm vintage, declared at 12.5% alcohol but coming across as riper and denser than the numbers would imply. Tannins are silky and resolving nicely, and length, depth, and ultimately complexity, are excellent. One of Brouca's best to date I'd say; drink or hold a half dozen years - the stuffing augurs well for development. Tasted January 2024.
92 points - Michael Godel
The source for this co-ferment of mourvèdre and syrah is a “clos,” meaning an isolated walled vineyard in a lieu-dit called “Sauveplane”, plateau at the eastern limit of the Faugères appellation. A mix of 20 and 40 year-old vines, volcanic soils, some whole cluster fermentation. Exotically spiced, sweetly volatile. Low-level Brettanomyces, so bloody Faugères, exemplary and expected for a wine to speak up on behalf of this particular sense of place. The kind of Languedoc red that sommeliers and naturalists will share and swig with reckless abandon while those who have never tried this style and origin may be left to wonder in confounded disarray. Just know that this is very correct for producer, style and place. Drink 2024-2027. Tasted January 2023.
91 points - Sara d'Amato
From old vines farmed with minimal intervention on the plateau of "Sauveplane", a lieu-dit on the eastern edge of Faugères. Spontaneously co-fermented syrah and mourvèdre grapes are left unfined and unfiltered in the low-interventionist style of Fredric Brouca. Subsequently aged 13 months in oak resulting in very gentle spice and pleasantly mellow tannins. Offers a notable sense of place and varietal character. Relatively speaking, the wine is quite clean and still exhibits plenty of fresh fruit and very good length. Tasted January 2024.