Sancerre Blanc Auksinis 2019 Sébastien Riffault

Sébastien Riffault's Sancerre Blanc Auksinis 2019 bears a name that means "golden" in Lithuanian, and there is no more precise definition for a wine that transforms Sauvignon Blanc into something unexpectedly warm, mature, and amber. Auksinis comes from a parcel on siliceous soils, a rock that gives Sauvignon a completely different register: softer on the surface, smokier and spicier in depth, with an opulence that astonishes those who expect the classic herbaceous freshness of Sancerre.

The harvest is late, when about half of the grapes have developed botrytis: a radical choice that adds complexity, honey, and texture without ever yielding to sweetness, thanks to the lively acidity of the soils and a 10-day skin maceration that extracts color, structure, and those wild honey aromas that make this wine so recognizable.