In the glass
Aroma: lemon, white flower, chalk, white peach
Palate: citrus, saline mineral, pear, wet stone
Sourced from terres blanches plots in Sury-en-Vaux, Boucauds shows the marl-and-clay-over-Kimmeridgian face of the appellation. Stéphane Riffault's signature cuvée.
What it pairs with
-
Sole grenobloise
Caper-and-lemon brown butter sauce meets the wine's chalky citrus signature. -
Crottin de Chavignol
Sancerre classic; the wine's lift and salinity meet goat cheese tang and chalk. -
Asparagus with hollandaise
Sauvignon's herbal lift bridges the vegetable's bitterness; saline mineral cuts egg-yolk richness. -
Razor clams with lemon
Saline mineral edge and shellfish brine align; the wine's chalk handles olive oil and parsley.
History
Claude Riffault's Sury-en-Vaux estate is family-owned for four generations; son Stéphane now leads. Les Boucauds takes about half the estate's Sauvignon, all from terres blanches.
- 2003 — Single-parcel Les Boucauds bottling established
- 2015 — Estate fully converted to organic and biodynamic farming
Facts
- Producer
- Domaine Claude Riffault
- Grapes
- Sauvignon Blanc (100%)
- Classification
- Sancerre AOC
- Oak
- Vinified in stainless steel; aged on fine lees around 9 months, no oak
- ABV
- 12.5%
- Price
- EUR 30 to 45 at retail
- Drinking window
- 1-8 from vintage
- First vintage
- 2003
- Biodynamic
- Biodynamic Practicing
- Organic
- ECOCERT
- Vegan
- Yes (no animal-derived fining)
Scores
- Vinous 92 (2022 vintage, reviewed 2024)
Frequently asked about Sancerre Les Boucauds
What does Riffault Les Boucauds taste like?
Lemon, white flower, chalk and white peach on the nose; citrus, saline mineral, pear and wet stone on the palate. Medium-bodied with high acidity and a long, chalky finish.
When should I drink Riffault Les Boucauds?
Drink between 1 and 8 years from vintage. The biodynamic farming and lees ageing give the wine textural depth that rewards 2 to 3 years in bottle.
Where is Les Boucauds grown?
On terres blanches (marl-and-clay over Kimmeridgian limestone) in Sury-en-Vaux, at the northern edge of the Sancerre AOC.
Is Riffault Les Boucauds vegan?
Yes. The estate is biodynamic and uses no animal-derived fining agents.