2018 | Domaine Leflaive | Chevalier-Montrachet

A deft application of wood sets off a notably ripe but not really exotic nose that includes notes of white peach, wet stone and citrus zest that are complemented by floral and spice wisps. Like the Bâtard, there is excellent intensity to the big-bodied and solidly powerful flavors that deliver almost painful intensity and power on the tension-filled and stony finish that is less youthfully austere than it typically is.

Reviews:

• Wine Advocate: The 2018 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru was also quite introverted and reserved when I tasted it, mingling scents of orange oil, pear and green apple with hints of crushed chalk and fresh pastry in a youthfully shy bouquet. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, chalky and tensile, with fine concentration, racy acids and a serious, almost austere profile in the context of this charming white Burgundy vintage.

• Vinous: The 2018 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru has an intense bouquet of lemon thyme, crushed limestone, and traces of orange pith and citrus peel that gain intensity with aeration. The palate is underpinned with a fine, almost razor-sharp bead of acidity. There is a wonderful crescendo of flavor here, leading to a multifaceted, lemongrass-tinged finish that lingers with a saline aftertaste. This is sheer class, a tremendous Chevalier-Montrachet.

Producer Information

Domaine Leflaive, based in Puligny-Montrachet, is one of the most important producers in the Côte de Beaune. Focusing almost entirely on white wines made from Chardonnay, the Domaine makes four grand cru wines and four premier crus in Puligny-Montrachet. The Domaine was founded by Joseph Leflaive, a former engineer. In 1905, he purchased vineyards in Puligny-Montrachet which had been ravaged by phylloxera, and set about replanting and expanding them. Upon his death in 1953, his sons Vincent and Jo took over the running of the estate, and are widely credited with building up the reputation that Leflaive enjoys today. In 1990, cousins Anne Claude and Olivier Leflaive took over the running of the estate, with Olivier leaving in 1994 to run his own negociant business. Anne Claude converted the vineyards to biodynamics and is considered a pioneer of that movement in Burgundy. After her death in 2015, her nephew Brice de la Morandiere has taken over the running of Domaine Leflaive. Domaine Leflaive's most important wine is arguably the Montrachet Grand Cru, which, depending on vintage, can fetch upwards of $5000 a bottle. The domaine also has land in Chevalier-Montrachet, Batard-Montrachet, and Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet, and makes a grand cru wine from each. Additional to this, there are several premier cru wines, the most important of which is probably the Les Clavoillon, which was one of the wines included in the 1976 Judgment of Paris. Domaine Leflaive also makes a sole red wine from Pinot Noir under the Blagny Sous le Dos d'Ane Premier Cru title.

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