Leflaive
About Domaine Leflaive
The single most famous and enormously respected estate in Puligny-Montrachet, there have been members of the Leflaive clan dabbling in vinous affairs in the area since 1717 – the true founder of the current domaine as we know it, however, was Joseph Leflaive (1970-1953). The great man’s sons did an admirable job of expanding their vineyard holdings, as well as building the foundations of the fearsome reputation this Burgundian legend enjoys to this day.
It was under the visionary and transformative stewardship of Anne-Claude Leflaive, taking the reins in 1990, that this mythical domaine became a leader of Burgundy’s now-ubiquitous biodynamic movement, with the entire estate converting to fully biodynamic as early as 1997! The tragic and untimely death of Anne-Claude in 2015 saw general management pass to Eric Remy, who is doing an admirable job of honouring the legacy of the great woman.
Viniculture
Domaine Leflaive is one of the largest holders of Grands and 1er Crus in the appellation, with 22 hectares in total of which no fewer than 5 are Grands Crus. One would be hard pressed to find any domaine with finer plots at their disposal, and it is most fortunate that the Leflaive family are true masters at expressing every ounce of sublime minerality, personality and vitality from these exceptional terroirs.
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Burgundy | 2 | 92+ (WA) | $2,035.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (92+)The 2022 Meursault 1er Cru Sous le Dos d'Ane exhibits aromas of pear, white flowers, freshly baked bread and stuck match, followed by a medium to full-bodied, ample and racy palate that's pure and precise, concluding with a chalky finish. As readers may remember, this parcel, formerly planted to red, abuts Pierre Morey's Meursault Perrières, and the soils are very stony. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 91 (BH) | $625.00 | |||||
Burghound (91)(Outstanding Top Value) A markedly more floral-suffused nose reflects notes of lemon zest, spice and the essence of pear. There is fine volume and intensity to the generous yet beautifully defined medium-bodied flavors that deliver excellent length on the very dry but not really austere finale. Note that this fine effort is sufficiently compact to repay 5 to 8 years of keeping. |
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Burgundy | 1 | - | $860.00 | |||||
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Burgundy | 1 | 91-93 (WA) | $3,420.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (91-93)The 2017 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon is excellent, and a clear step up over the Puligny Village, something that can't be taken for granted. Offering up aromas of lemon, beeswax, white flowers and blanched almonds, the wine is medium to full-bodied, satiny and nicely concentrated, with tangy acids, chewy extract and a long, precise finish. It's promisingly tight-knit and should develop further before it's bottled. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 91 (BH) | $3,275.00 | |||||
Burghound (91)A notably ripe but not really exotic nose attractively layered and fresh aromas that combine floral nuances with those of citrus peel, pear and soft spice hints. There is good energy to the medium weight flavors that possess solid detail on the palate coating finish that is at once clean, dry and, minerally and still a bit youthfully austere. This is a quality 2018 that is coming along nicely and is a wine that could easily be enjoyed now though I would advise holding it for another few years in the hopes that more depth will progressively develop. Drink: Try from 2026+ |
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Burgundy | 1 | 93 (VN) | $905.00 | |||||
Vinous (93)The 2021 Puligny-Montrachet Clavoillon 1er Cru has a very fine bouquet with dew-speckled green apples, petrichor and lime gradually unfolding in the glass. The palate is well-balanced with an almost piercing line of acidity, yet it remains very well-balanced with ample weight on the sapid finish. Very fine. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 92-94 (BH) | $2,915.00 | |||||
Burghound (92-94)(Sweet Spot Outstanding) Here the reduction is sufficient to overshadow the fruit. There is even better volume to the sleek and delicious middleweight flavors that are less mineral-driven but more powerful and slightly more persistent and bone-dry finish that is also exceptionally well-balanced. This is excellent and I would go so far as to observe that it's the best vintage for the Clavoillon in a long time. It is typically considered to be less interesting than the other 1ers (and not without reason) in the Leflaive portfolio and while it doesn't surpass them in 2021, it is most impressive nonetheless. |
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Burgundy | 3 | 93 (WA) | $3,020.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (93)The 2022 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon unwinds in the glass with a gently reductive bouquet of pear, sweet citrus zest, wet stones and wheat toast. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and racy, it's bright and saline, with a long, penetrating finish. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 94 (VN) | $3,480.00 | |||||
Vinous (94)The 2018 Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er Cru has as well-defined and mineral-driven bouquet, discrete but nicely focused. The palate is well balanced with a saline, lime and citrus entry, fine weight. Maybe not as complex as its peers yet full of energy. Pure class. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 white tasting. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 96 (WA) | $4,545.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (96)The 2020 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes once again dares to challenge—and to my palate, surpass—Leflaive's Pucelles. Exhibiting aromas of peach, pear, nutmeg, pastry cream and white flowers, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and multidimensional, with racy acids, chalky structuring extract and a long, resonant finish. This old-vine parcel was reprieved from planned replanting several years ago, and today's farming choices mean that it's going strong. |
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