Tasted in Puligny-Montrachet with Solène Panigai, 06 December 2023.
Olivier Leflaive
Place du Monument
21190 Puligny-Montrachet
Tel: +33 3 80 21 95 27
www.olivier-leflaive.com
Domaine’s Instagram
More reports for Maison Olivier Leflaive.
Solène on 2023:
“The reds were more complicated but we could hardly be happier with the whites – it was great triage that was most needed for the reds. It was very hot at the start of August then it was cold then hot again in September – a month with all weathers and we were surprised by the acceleration of the maturities so had to start harvesting earlier than we had first planned.”
Solène on 2022:
“Reds had a little more volume but the whites didn’t get close to the limits – the big surprise was still the amount of juice, given the generally dry year. June had double the normal volume of rain but all the other months were dry. Also happy it was my first vintage with Franck – a correct volume after 2021 – clean harvested grapes in both colours – and hardly anything to triage with the reds – the only complication was the heat of the time when harvesting – we started 24 August, working in the vines for 13 days. Our first thoughts was that the wines were a little heavy after the fermentations but that dissipated with elevage – fortunately. It was the sunniest vintage – the most hours of sun – on record and we did lack a little rain. It’s vintage characterised by its homogeneity – it won’t be like that in 2023.
“I find a nice depth of material in the 22s – there’s richness that became balanced during elevage. Quite complete wines I think. In 22 we hardly did any battonage.”
The wines…
So many great wines – and at all levels….
2 thirds barrel elevage with not much more than 10% new.
Very pretty and polished aromatics of citrus. Broad – mouth-filling, actually that’s top – do you need more than Bourgogne in 2022? Bravo
Bottled just 1 month, the Setilles was just before the harvest. All grapes from the commune of Puligny.
A finer nose – direct and pure. A little extra gas, and a slight creaminess of barrel – today – it won’t last. But open and with a mineral direction, indeed tension in the finishing flavour. You could drink magnums of this for the next 25 years with pleasure – I hope I can!
2022 Montagny 1er les Vignes Sur le Cloux
Second vintage for this wine.
A classically sherbet and yellow nose for this Montagny. In the mouth it’s rather mineral – deep too – intense, slightly saline. That’s a sweeping and super impressive wine
2022 Montagny 1er Garchères
The neighbouring plot to the previous – it’s the first vintage for this as a separate cuvée
A larger nose – much rounder. Larger scale, still rather mineral – lots of complexity a suggestion of reduction – maybe it’s the place rather than just the bottling – but I love this finish and do have a small preference for this one of the two. Delicious – quite zesty complex agrume for the finishing flavours.
Hmm also a faint reduction to this nose – but with exciting energy that invites. Mouth-filling, classy, wine – of tension too – slowly melting over the palate with impressive depth and concentration but still tension. That’s simply a beauty – it’s a great Auxey – wonderfully finishing.
2022 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Sous Frétilles
A mineral aromatic of width and complex citrus – a little green citrus. Large scale in the mouth. Juicy, zesty, complex – oh – and delicious too! Chewy and partly saline in this fine finish. Another winner!
Wines not yet bottled:
2022 Chassagne-Montrachet
A clearly fuller nose, quite round. Fine scale in the mouth – very mouth-watering, then more juicy and mineral in the finish. Almost a little strict finishing – I love it!
Mainly grapes from the flats balanced with sources in the higher part too but smaller volumes from here.
More airy and aromatic – classically faint spice-bread aromas. Beautiful detail in the mouth – volume and complexity – this is seriously great villages. Bravo!
2022 Puligny-Montrachet
Airy, floral, more direct – yes! Clearly a wine extra width and more ‘present’ minerlaity. Almost a strict style to this one – you know that I like strict, but I find the little twist of generosity on the Meursault more fun today – it must be my age 😊 Super wine none-the-less and beautifully finishing!
Normally from 4 different parcels, vines abutting Bâtard and Bienvenues.
Hmm – a little more width and floral elegance. This showing some CO2 – more direct and clearly more mineral than the previous. Taut, precise and yes strict – in a great way. This si simply a very beautiful wine – but not today a wine of comfort – then an extra finishing reprise that is completely delicious!
2022 Meursault 1er Dos d’Ane
Just under Blagny Piece sous le Bois – replanted to chardonnay – from pinot – about 20 years ago.
A smaller nose today but with really beautiful floral elegance. Large scale in the mouth with an great architectural shape. Mineral, complex and energetic. Holding a really great finish too – super finishing. A beauty.
Also a more shy nose but like the last with floral accents and a little more structural width and clarity. Lots of CO2. But then the wine flows over the palate – juicy but not too much – some richness of flavour, growing silkier. Often my favourite cuvée from here and this is another really fine example – potentially a great one!
Domaine like the last – in the high part of Folatières.
A little more open and complex today – finely divided complexity – slowly opening with more floral dimensions. That’s very classy – more density but cool and complex – mineral too. What density of finishing flavour too – one of the best Folatières of the year I think – grand vin!
2022 Bâtard-Montrachet
Domaine again from the Puligny side.
A calmer nose but with obvious density below. Really broad, mouth-filling wine – there’s both energy and a sense of calm – a wine of contrasts – then a finish that has extra dimensions and sustained notes – partly barrel but not just. A great finish to follow…