Domaine Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc 2022
(Burgundy, France)

About the Domaine:
Biodynamic viticulture, coupled with the rare fact that each farm worker is salaried and responsible for a specific piece of the vineyard. This fosters devotion and attention to detail. Vincent Laflaive stresses the two values that are of the essence at the Domaine; “allowing nature to do its work, and maintaining a clinical cleanliness in the equipment used to stock and transport the wine.” The wines are developed in the true Burgundian tradition, spending two winters in the cellar, to ensure that once bottled the wine will “stand on both feet”, a local axiom. The wineries roots, no pun intended, trace back to 1717, making it one of the oldest in Puligny-Montrachet. Their Grand Cru vineyards span Cote de Beaune, totaling 13 acres of vines. They are best known for their whites, which can be attributed to their success during the Judgment of Paris where they took 8th place of the 10 wines awarded. Always a favorite with critics, Domaine Leflaive was praised by James Halliday in 2007 when he noted “it is an enviable position to know that every bottle is sold before it is made.” The sophistication and strong minerality of these wines create great longevity, perfect for the cellar, but hard to find. As Anne-Claude Leflaive points out, ‘I think that in your life, if you really want something, heaven helps you and you find people in front of you to help you.’
And here we are...

Terroir:
There are few places blessed with so much history and such geography.  Since the Middle Ages, Burgundy has produced wine like no other region. The know-how of the monks has passed through the centuries, evangelizing each village with vineyards that have always remained of a human-size. Nowadays, the total Burgundy vineyard covers less than 30,000 ha, barely 4% of French vineyards as a whole.

Burgundy’s wines have acquired a simple and unique reputation: they are the best Chardonnays and Pinots Noirs in the world. Each appellation comes from a specific place, a parcel of vines often of modest size: these famous “Climats” form the basis of the Burgundy model. The diversity of Burgundy’s wines is also found in its 84 appellations, from the grands crus at the top of the pyramid through the premiers crus and the villages to the regional AOCs. More than a classification or a nomenclature, these are names that amateurs dream about: Gevrey-Chambertin, Vougeot, Corton, Meursault... Or even, in the heart of the Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet, where the Leflaive family has been established since 1717.

About the wine:

The Bourgogne Blanc from Domaine Leflaive has the particularity to only come from vineyards located in the town of Puligny, making it easily one of the best Bourgogne Blanc you could get your hands on. This is the perfect first step into the Domaine Leflaive’s unique offerings. 

Soil:
Agrilo-calcareous

Vinification and Ageing:

Ratings & Reviews

89 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2022 Bourgogne Blanc has a pleasant bouquet with Granny Smiths and light white peach aromas, which are very well-defined. The palate is well-balanced with fine weight, taut, fresh and quite potent for a regional white. The 2022 is satisfyingly persistent on the finish. This is white regional Burgundy from the top drawer." - Neal Martin (Jul 2024)

87-90 Points - Allen Meadows' BurgHound:
"(includes about 20% of declassified young vines from various vineyards). A very pretty nose freely reveals its aromas of apple, pear and lemon rind. The succulent, delicious and appealingly vibrant middleweight flavors possess a relatively refined texture while displaying fine depth and length for a wine of this level. The 20% addition of young vines from upper-level vineyards clearly helps and overall, this is excellent." (Jun 2024)