At barely 30 years old, Stéphane Riffault (Claude’s son and now the owner of the estate) is turning out Sancerre bottlings that are the envy of many producers twice his age. As David Schildknecht put it, “make no mistake: this address in the hamlet of Maison Salle (Sury-en-Vaux) is now one of the five or six most exciting estates in the Sancerre appellation.” Given that Stephane’s holdings represent 4 tenths of 1 percent of the appellation, this kid is clearly doing something right.The grapes of Sauvignon Blanc for the "Mosaïque Calcaire" come from several plots with an array of clay, lime and marl soils formed during the Kimmeridgian in the Jurassic period in Sancerre. This soil ensures a deep implantation of the vines and gives richness to the wine, while the limestone subsoil and sediments of small shells provide a fine minerality. While most French wine regions suffered from heat, drought and hail this year, and even a little frost in some areas, Sancerre experienced good rainfall in June, which enabled the vineyards not to suffer too much from the water stress that was a common feature across France in 2022. The aromas range from gooseberries to lime to passion fruit, which brings with it a touch of the exotic. The wine was aged mostly in stainless steel tanks (88%), and in French oak barrels (12%). Due to the short ageing time in barrels, it is ready to be enjoyed now. The good structure and freshness go particularly well with fish and seafood - and it is also rightly served with dishes with asparagus.