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Domaine Leflaive
Domaine Leflaive
Luck favours the brave of course but it does seem that once again the blessings of the Gods seemed to have been particularly directed to this special corner of Puligny-Montrachet!
At Domaine Leflaive, the team of Anne-Claude Leflaive, Antoine Lepetit and régisseur Eric Rémy are truly excited about their 2010s. It is a vintage where to a large degree, good luck was on their side. Anne-Claude recounted that the team concluded the harvest on the morning of 24th September. Later that afternoon, with precious grapes safely in the cuverie, they held the paulée at the Domaine and the heavens well and truly opened. Luck favours the brave of course but it does seem that once again the blessings of the Gods seemed to have been particularly directed to this special corner of Puligny-Montrachet!
The winter, save for the savage 24-hour frost of 19th December, was uneventful. Water levels were replenished and by mid-March, frosts were forgotten as the temperatures began to rise and budding began with vigour. A fresh May slowed progress and the first flowers were not noted on the vines until 6th June, during a cool spell that continued over the following fortnight. From the end of June to mid-July, the weather was hot and sunny but changed again soon after Bastille Day, the skies clouding over and remaining a little "Britannique" until mid-August. A hail storm on 12th September narrowly missed Puligny but the increased humidity that came with it accelerated the threat of botrytis and thus the decision was made to start harvesting on 17th September, a few days earlier than planned. A week later and all was done, just in time to avoid the downpours on 24th.
In the cellar, progress has been without alarm. Some cuves finished their malolactics well in advance of others but our last visit in November saw wines of impeccable precision and purity and boundless energy emerging. Bottling in the spring, as normal, following a winter in stainless steel, is the plan. Alcohol degrees are typically 13-13.5° and while acidities are bright, there is plenty of flesh too. The team likens the vintage to more alluring versions of the wonderful 2008s.
A note about volumes
While quality is extremely high in 2010 at Domaine Leflaive, sadly volumes are not. The growing season did reduce yield but more substantial was the loss of 1.2 hectares of vines that cut across a number of different appellations, including the Grand Crus. These vines are owned by Anne-Claude's cousin and one-time co-gérant Olivier and had always been part of the Domaine until Olivier resigned as a shareholder in 2000. Since 2000, Olivier had leased the vines to the Domaine but with the expiration of that contract after the 2009 harvest, he has taken them back for his own production.
SOLD OUT
See the rest of our 2010 offer or contact us to discuss possible alternatives:
+44(0)20 7908 0660 or sales@armit.co.uk.
White price per case in bond
Bourgogne Blanc £245.00 Sold Out
In mid-November, the Bourgogne was in its final stages of malolactic fermentation and thus the true aromatics are still to be revealed. On the palate, there is obvious freshness and energy and an intensity that is unusual at generic level. The finish is similarly bright, with the acidity cleansing the palate yet the wine retains a feel of succulence and completeness. Drink from 2013
Puligny Montrachet £435.00 Sold Out
Bursting with life, this is an exhilarating wine, with scented floral notes and a touch of confit lemon. On the palate, the wine shows tension and a strong mineral thread, leading to a vibrant finish. Drink from 2014.
Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon £595.00 Sold Out
Starting out with discretion, this reveals more and more with agitation as complex aromas emerge from the glass. Notes of small citrus fruits with a gentle spice lead via a fine thread onto a generous mid-palate kept in check by zippy acidity. The weight transfers to the finish with great elegance, showing poise and dexterity and no lack of finesse. Drink from 2015.
Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Folatières 6 bottles £495.00 Sold Out
There is greater flamboyance here, with notes of stone fruits and a sense of raw energy from the off. Inviting and full of character, this none the less has plenty of class, finishing on a distinctly mineral theme and with a burst of acidity. With a little more time in bottle, this should be exceptional. Drink from 2015.
Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Combettes 6 bottles £550.00 Sold Out
There is stylishness and an inner confidence to this wine: it knows it's good but you have to do the work to understand it. Again, the hallmark Leflaive vitality and tension is immediately there but so to is a layered structure of complex, interwoven aromatics. Patience to be rewarded here. Drink from 2016.
Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Pucelles 6 bottles £595.00 Sold Out
Pucelles has developed at a slower pace than its stable mates and shows more subtlety and discretion at this stage, occasionally giving glimpses of its clear talent but then retreating. The aromatics are at the grapefruit end of the citric spectrum. On the palate, the wine feels tender and delicate at first but it builds in the mouth and then shows clear intensity on the finish, giving a real saline burst. Another one that is asking for time. Drink from 2016..
Bienvenues Bâtard Montrachet 6 bottles £1,075.00 Sold Out
Often the Bienvenues is the most stubborn of the Leflaive Grand Crus but this showing was tremendous, displaying a full range of aromatics from stem ginger to summer flowers via mandarin and lime. On the palate, the wine is dense yet racy, showing great depth from the old vines and a confronting minerality that takes over on the finish. One of the most memorable showings for some time. Drink from 2017.
Bâtard Montrachet 6 bottles £1,195.00 Sold Out
Not to be out done by the Bienvenues, the Bâtard takes a step back and asks for a moment of silence. With the floor to itself, the wine immediately displays grandeur and control. There is tremendous depth, intensity and transparency here and more finesse than is customary. The wine continues to build in the mouth, showing abundant minerality. A serious, and memorable Grand Cru. Drink from 2018.
Chevalier Montrachet 6 bottles £1,375.00 Sold Out
To the grand finale, then and unmistakably, this is a classic Chevalier, showing subtlety, intelligence and restraint. Whereas the Bâtard is open and revealing, this is altogether more ethereal, with a lacy structure and delectable bursts of little fruits and white flowers. The detailing is quite phenomenal, as close to perfection as one can hope for. Drink from 2018.