The relatively youthful (30 years old) Sebastien Riffault is one of the most controversial, yet important, wine makers in Sancerre. Starting out on his own in 2002, he farms 2 hectares of his own, and the wines are vinified at his father, Etienne's, cave based at Sury-en-Vaux, overlooking the town of Sancerre itself. He farms the vineyards strictly according to biodynamic principles and the soil is composed mainly of flint and limestone, thereby guaranteeing fresh, mineral whites and concentrated reds. Married to a Lithuanian, Juraté, all the vineyards have been given Lithuanian titles. 'Raudonas' - meaning 'red' - is 100% Pinot Noir. The grapes are hand-picked and the wine spends 18 months in old oak barrels. Like all Sebastien's wines, this is from eye-wateringly low yields, only wild yeasts are used and the wine is neither filtered nor fined.

A dark, opaque ruby in colour. Aromas of red cherries, cocoa and mint. On the palate, medium-bodied yet concentrated with complex notes of cassis, blood orange and bacon fat, all backed up by a spicy and mineral backbone. Drink with lobster bisque, rabbit tournados stuffed with prunes or slow roast pork belly.