Tasted in Puligny with Antoine Le Petit, the 31st October, 2014.
Domaine Leflaive
Place Pasquier de la Fontaine
21190 Puligny-Montrachet
Tel: +33 3 80 21 30 13+33 3 80 21 30 13
www.leflaive.fr
The wines…
Antoine described the malos as ‘classic’ in this year – all were done by the end of June. “There was a lot of coulure in this vintage, but there was a fine August to bring the wines on. The wines were racked into tank at the end of August with their fine lees.”
This is a fine set of wines for 2013; Leflaive are definitely ‘on-form’ this vintage. I know that (given the young vines) I ‘should’ prefer other wines, but for a number of vintages now, I just find their dos d’âne just so gorgeously drinkable and moreish!
Always two parcels vinified separately, but then assembled when racked into tank for the second part of the wine’s elevage. Actually a small 0.04 ha parcel of vines is on its own roots and ‘seems to be holding on so far’ notes Antoine.
Deep, concentrated, and with some phenolic and faintly reduced agrumes aromas. Fine clarity of flavour with nice energy and concentration. As usual, this has a fine ‘villages’ quality about it. Super!
2013 Puligny-Montrachet
Again a faint reduction and agrumes note – below is a little warmth – this is very inviting. More fat and more depth but a wine that’s finely balanced. A fine, slightly contemplative wine with some minerality. Yum!
From vines planted in 2004 and 1995.
The nose is less wide than that of the Puligny, but with really super depth, slowly augmenting with pretty top notes. Again there’s a little fat to the texture but here with a simply gorgeous, mouth-watering, textured, sweet acidity. Fine finishing too. Simply a beauty!
2013 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Clavoillon
Leflaive have a virtual monopoly of this large climat, as such it serves as their ‘laboratory’ a place where they tr different treatment regimes, different pruning et cetera.
Once-more a faint agrumes reduction, but with fine freshness. In the mouth this is wider with less fat, mouth-watering and more mineral. But less ‘gourmand’ (tasty!) – fine but the Meursault has much more drinkability today. Long, stony finishing. Very good!
2013 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Folatières
Again agrumes/faint reduction, here with some higher tones that slowly build detail and become very pretty. A little more fat – similar to the Meursault – and an obvious minerality and length. Again there’s not the delicious sweetness of the dos d’âne, perhaps a little less acidity too, but this is very long. Of-course, it’s chalk and cheese to compare with the Meursault…
2013 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Combettes
Here is a different aromatic; deep and penetrating. Full, round and very silky with lovely attack and a twist of salinity to the flavours. This is very tasty wine today and more attractive than the Folatières.
2013 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Pucelles
The nose is a little tighter, more concentrated and faintly smoky. Faint gas but a lithe and dynamic wine with insinuating flavour plus a super finish. A character that is more direct than round – less obviously concentrated than the Combettes but very, long and very super.
2013 Bienvenues Bâtard-Montrachet
Not a nose of impact, rather one of width and complexity. Very good volume and super minerality with a faint saline edge. This is like a (more!) upmarket version of the Folatières with a longer finish.
Here there is more depth and more weight of aroma. Not the same width as the Bienvenues but a suggestion of more complexity. There is certainly an extra sucrosité and energy – lovely! Again mineral with a gorgeous fruit and overall flavour to balance. Super acidity and line!
A full, freshness of aroma – with energy too. Faint gas but it’s wide and energetic in the mouth – less fat, more energy. The palate’s minerality is suffused with faint citrus references throughout its considerable width. The finish is less demonstrative but engrossing – seemingly flavour and energy without weight. Extra special!