Domaine Leflaive is one of the very best producers of white Burgundy. Leflaive is producing a big selection of whites, from Bourgogne Blanc to Montrachet – and all the wines are normally among the very best wines in their category.
Domaine Leflaive, Puligny Montrachet 1999
The Puligny village 1999 from Domaine Leflaive is still crisp and delightful. In the bouquet lovely matured complexity with notes of yellow orchard fruits, hazelnuts and a fresh citrus infused minerality. On the palate pure and matured with a nice weight for this level – focused and fresh with a nice backbone of acidity. A lovely expressive Puligny village … very crisp and a true delight!
(Drink From Now) – Very Good (89p) – Tasted 08/12/2013
Domaine Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 2000
The Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 2000 from Domaine Leflaive is approaching maturity. In the nose expressive yellow fruit with notes of hazelnuts and almonds … spiced with a lovely citrus infused minerality. On the palate fine power and weight for the vintage – intense and balanced with a delicate support from the terroir. The acidity is good rather than impressive … but sufficient to give the wine a vibrant freshness. A lovely harmonious effort – a slight bottle variation though.
(Drink From Now) – Very Fine (93p) – Tasted 31/12/2013
Domaine Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1996
The 1996 wines from Domaine Leflaive are showing great at the moment – and the Combette is no exception. The nose is very complex with lovely mature notes of yellow fruits, almonds and hazelnuts, spiced with coffee and a citrus infused minerality. On the palate rich and intense fruit supported by the fantastically vibrant and crisp 1996 acidity. The finish is long and very powerful for this level … very impressive. Can’t quite match Les Pucelles 96 though – but the rich and somewhat openly knit style of Combettes is a perfect match for the vintage. A gorgeous mature white Burgundy …. the 1996 Leflaives are just great.
(Drink From Now) – Very Fine+ (94p) – Tasted 31/12/2013
Domaine Leflaive, Puligny Montrachet 2001
The Puligny-Montrachet 2001 from Domaine Leflaive is stil fresh and crisp. In the nose fine yellow fruit, almonds, slight hint of citrus and a nice Puligny minerality – classic Leflaive. On the palate fine balance with a quite intense fruit and a crisp and fresh acidity. Very harmanious for the vintage … almost without the slightly rustic and rough character of the vintage. A lovely effort … matured … but will keep – this is how a village Puligny should be.
(Drink From Now) – Very Good (89p) – Tasted 15/06/2013
Domaine Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 1996
The Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 1996 from Domaine Leflaive is a true beauty when firering on all cylinders. The bouquet is expressive and complex offering a ripe intense yellow fruit with notes of melon, hazelnuts, smoky almonds, acacia and a twist of fresh citrus – supportet by a intense mineralic scent. Still some elements of smoky gun powder in the nose. On the palate matured crisp fruit – it’s focused, complex and weighty with the fine minerality and 1996 acidity as a structuring and focusing backbone. Love the purity, balance and nerve in this wine – this is Grand cru level. Indeed a perfect bottle of Pucelles – a great and still vibrant wine.
(Drink Now) – Outstanding 96p – Tasted 18/03/2013
Domaine Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 2002
The Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 2002 from Domaine Leflaive has entered a matured stage .. and presently showing all it’s glory. The bouquet is very expressive and complex offering a ripe intense yellow fruit with notes of melon, fallen apples, hazelnuts, acacia and a twist of fresh grape – supportet by a intense mineralic scent. The palate offer big and creamy fruit aromas – quite fat and dense for a Pucelles – with a excellent support from the fine acidity, the citrus notes and the strong mineralic expression of the terroir. A big and intense Pucelles – with a Grand Cru like weight. This example seems slightly advanced in my view, and is indeed drinking beautifully now. Drink within the next few years .. fear the slightly oxidized notes of fallen apples will be more pronounced with further cellaring. Nevertheless a very fine effort from Leflaive … and a pleasure now.
(Drink Now) – Very Fine 93p – Tasted 03/03/2013
Domaine Leflaive, Batard Montrachet 2010
The Batard-Montrachet from Domaine Leflaive is slightly closed – but nevertheless showing it’s greatness. In the bouquet ripe and cool fruit – notes of orchard fruits – peach, pear, acacia, with a intense stony minerality and a twist of citrus zest. The nose is quite discrete, refined and very filigree. On the palate outstanding midpalate concentration and energy – big and bold – and yet refined and remarkably lightfooted. The finish is long and powerful with a vibrant acidity and a intense minerality. Stylewise it follows the lesser 2010s and confirm the “new” discrete and in my view more refined Leflaive style. This is a masterpiece from Domaine Leflaive – the Chevalier and the Montrachet must be mesmerizingly great. The Batard 2010 is truly outstanding – Bravo!
(Drink from 2023) – Outstanding+ 96p – Tasted 20/02/2013
Domaine Leflaive, Puligny Montrachet 2010
The Puligny Montrachet v2010 from Domaine Leflaive is a very impressive village wine. In the bouquet – slightly closed – but with a slightly chalky minerality and a lovely fruit expression – melon with hints of more exotic orchard fruits. Very fresh, ripe and crystal clear and quite discrete – this is new school Leflaive! On the palate very refined with a good mid-palate weight, great balance and a long precise finish. Like many 2010s it currently shows a yin and yang effect between the acidity and fruit – this tension is fine – but it really need time to show the full pontential. Very impressive village effort from Domaine Leflaive.
(Drink from 2018) – Fine 91p – Tasted 23/11/2012
Domaine Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 1999
The Pucelles 1999 from Domaine Leflaive is a real beauty. In the nose gun powder, citrus and almonds with a fine minerality and a lovely yellow fruit. On the palate a wonderful crisp acidity, very focused with a beautiful fruit and minderality. It has a lovely balance, and a fantastic acidity and freshness for the vintage. A very fine wine indeed.
(Drink from 2015) – Very Fine 94p – Tasted 04/10/2012
Domaine Leflaive, Bourgogne Blanc 2010
The Bourgogne Blanc from Domaine Leflaive is normally among the best generic white Burgundies – and he 2010 edition is no exception. It offeres the new discrete Leflaive style, fine pure Chardonnay fruit and even some minerality. In the nose orchard fruits – mango and melon – a fresh and nuanced tone of citrus fruits. On the palate quite rich, but with a fresh backbone of acidity – really like the 2010 acidity. Lovely balanced with hints of minerlity – need a little time to unfold. Will no doubt be very enjoyable after 3 to 5 years.
(Drink from 2015) – Good – 86p – Tasted 27/09/2012
Domaine Leflaive, Puligny Montrachet 2010
The Puligny Montrachet village 2010 from Domaine Leflaive is a fine effort in a equally fine vintage. In the bouquet classic Puligny minerality with a lovely fruit expression – melon with hints of more exotic orchard fruits. Very fresh, ripe and crystal clear and quite discrete – new school Leflaive! On the palate very refined with a good mid-palate weight, great balance and long precise finish. A pure and crystal clear wine with a lovely precise expression of the Puligny terroir. Very impressive village effort from Domaine Leflaive.
(Drink from 2018) – Fine 91p – Tasted 12/09/2012
Domaine Leflaive, Les Pucelles 2000
The Puligny-Montrachet les Pucelles 2000 from Domaine Leflaive is normally a true delight. This example was however quite delveloped with a darker than normal color, and a somewhat tired expression. The cork was fine, but could be a slight premox, in that case first premoxed wine from this domaine since the 1997 vintage. In the bouquet quite mature notes, apple, almonds hint of gunpowder, and a slight oxidation. On the palate good concentration, rather dense but not very lively fruit. Good lenght and minerality from the fine terroir. Not a bad wine – but sadly well off the the outstanding quality this wine normally deliver.
(Drink from Now) Very Good – 89p
Tasted 06/07/2012
Domaine Leflaive, Bourgogne Blanc 2008
The Bourgogne Blanc from Domaine Leflaive is a classic wine among the generic white Burgundies. It offeres the Leflaive style, fine pure Chardonnay fruit and even some minerality. The 2008 edtion is no exception – a really charming and quite open wine. In the nose white flowers, slight melon and minerality and some quite forward citrus notes. On the palate surprisingly rich, with a good backbone from the lovely 2008 acidity – and also some nice minerality … giving the wine some personality and a slight hint of undefined terroir. Lovely wine for lunch …
(Drink from now) Good – 86p
Tasted 24/07/2012
Domaine Leflaive, Puligny Montrachet 2009
The Puligny 09 from Leflaive is surprisingly discrete without the normal characteristics of a young Leflaive wine. In the bouquet yellow quite exotic fruits, with notes of pear and peach. Also a hint of yeast in the quite discrete nose. On the palate quite mellow, with rather soft butteri yellow fruits. Quite good balance and length, but lacking some acidity and freshness at this point. Not really what you would expect from a young Leflaive wine. Need to retaste both Leflaive and Coche-Dury village wines – they have been somewhat disappointing in our tastings, and with almost the same expression.
(Drink from 2019) Good – 87p
Tasted 07/02/2012
Sips and Samples #5 – New Year 2011
Celebrating the New Year is associated with good friends, nice food and a lot of good wines. This year was no exception, as quite many good bottles was on the table.
We always taste the some of the wines while preparing the food. Some of the wines are tasted at the table …. thus making detailed comments impossible.
Domaine Leflaive, Puligny Montrachet Clavoillon 2008
The Clavoillon 2008 from Leflaive is a fine effort. Very focused bouqet with good minerality and some citrus notes. On the palate quite dense for a 2008, but with a very fine acidity. Good balance and length, with some minerality. Clavoillon is not the most complex terroir, but the combination with the carateristics of the 2008 vintage is perfect.
(Drink from 2017) Very Good – 90p
Tasted 28/09/2011 at Restaurant Sommelier
Domaine Leflaive, Chevalier Montrachet 2004
Best wine of the evening – Chevalier Montrachet from Leflaive. The bouquet is still very tight and youthful. Notes of gun powder and a strong minerality. The palate slighly more developed, with a huge minerality and great length. Very focused and balanced … but only showing a small part of the huge potential. Need 10 years more in the cellar.
(Drink From 2020) Outstanding – 96p
Tasted 28/09/2011 at Gustavs Bistro
Domaine Leflaive, Les Pucelles 2000
Les Pucelles 2000 from Domaine Leflaive is a very charming wine. Two bottles were served, on from a very cold cellar, and one from a slightly warmer cellar. Both were quite open and mature, with a wonderful charming personality. It’s quite a soft vintage, but still this wine has a good minerality and a very pleasent acidity structure. Fine mature notes in both bouquet and on the palate. Will keep – but I would prefer to drink it while it’s still crisp.
(Drink now – 2017) Very fine – 94p
Tasted October 2010
Domaine Leflaive, Chevalier Montrachet 1997
Chevalier Montrachet 1997 from Domaine Leflaive was a disappointment. Sadly very closed with only a lot of minerality showing the potential. Quite a large scale wine, but not much fruit, freshness and charm is showing. Not clear signs of premox, but have had quite a few Pucelles 1997 with premox problems, so this might also be the case with this wine. Otherwise not very developed, and should keep for some years.
(now – 2020) only Very Good – 90p Tasted December 31., 2010
