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. ''Akmeniné' (it means 'resulting from stones') is a 1.5 hectare plot of 30 year-old Sauvignon vines. The grapes are hand-picked and yields are very low. Following malolactic fermentation (unusual in Sancerre), the wine sees 9 months in old oak barrels. There is no filtering or fining and no sulphur is used. The resulting wine is extraordinary; lightly oxidised with concentrated floral notes. Not an 'easy' wine, this is as pure an expression of terroir as you will find. ''Akmeniné' will benefit from lengthy decanting, as you would a red wine.

A clear golden yellow in colour. On the nose, aromas of pears, dried yellow fruit and green herbs. On the palate, concentrated and perfumed with notes of gooseberries and cider apples with a hint of salty nuttiness. The finish is lengthy with a piercing minerality. Robust food required here. Try with roasted onions stuffed with parmesan and rosemary, clam and chicken fricassée with morel mushrooms or blanquette de veau.