Claude Riffault Les Boucauds Sancerre Blanc 2023
(Loire Valley, France) - [WS 92, #54 Top 100 of '25] [VM 92] [DM 92]

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About the Winery:
Based in the village of Sury-en-Vaux, Stéphane Riffault works 33 different parcels in 8 different lieu-dits spread across four villages. The 13.5 hectares of vines are plowed, and no synthetic material is used. Starting in 2017, the property has been certified organic by ECOCERT and biodynamic by BIODYVIN.

Stéphane's great-grandfather founded the estate as a mixed farm in the tiny hamlet of Sury-en-Vaux, which no one would know if it were not also the home of winemaker Vincent Gaudry. Stéphane's grandfather Henri then switched completely to viticulture, and Stéphane's father Claude joined in in the 1980s. Stéphane himself joined the family estate in 2001 and took over in 2015.

Having studied and worked in Burgundy (and closely with Olivier Leflaive), it’s easy to see the Burgundian influence in Stéphane’s wines. The mastery of minerality standing shoulder–height with the wood is rarely duplicated in Sancerre. Regardless of his parcels’ exposition (many are south-facing), Riffault’s wines are always crisp and high-cut with a jeweled delineation that speaks to the precision and attention these wines get.

About this Wine:
Sourced from several plots all situated in the lieu-dit of Les Boucauds, this cuvée employs close to 50% of the Sauvignon Blanc planted on the estate. Entirely from terres blanches soils – marls and clays over Kimmeridgian limestone – this wine represents a pure expression of this site as well as the deft winemaking of Stéphane Riffault. 

Ratings & Reviews

92 Points, #54 Top 100 of 2025 - Wine Spectator:
"A richly styled version, with hints of warm hay and beeswax atop a core of apple and preserved lemon. Waxy in feel, with real weight to the lush palate. Savory, succulent acidity slices through, maintaining balance and tension. Delicious through the long, mineral-rich, salty finish, where there’s a hint of blanched almond. Drink now through 2030. 3,500 cases made, 700 cases imported." - Kristen Bieler (Nov 2025)

92 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2023 Les Boucauds is a rounded, full style from a clay-chalk parcel. This is open and approachable from the off, with a touch of alcohol-tinged heat. The richness of the clay provided a sense of volume on the palate but it's not loud. There's lovely richness of texture after spending 14-16 months on lees. The 2023 has fine talc and floral perfume lingering on the long finish." - Rebecca Gibb MW (Aug 2025)

92 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"From the lieu-dit of Les Boucauds, a site of Kimmeridgian marls and thick clay, this is a ripe, full-bodied, voluminous wine of enormous appeal. With nectarine fruit and bright minerality, its lush appeal and sensual breadth are tempered by a fine, chalky texture and a long, citrussy finish. As with all of Stéphane Riffault's wines, it shows clarity and a sense of place." - Beverly Blanning MW (Jul 2025)