Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru "Les Pucelles" 2021
(Burgundy, France) - [WS 95] [VM 95] [JM 94-96] [BH 94-96] [WA 93+]

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.

Vineyards:
Fruit selected from 3 parcels in the Les Pucelles region. Vines range in age, planted between 1954 and 1985. Each parcel is picked seperately based on ripeness, 100% hand harvested and biodynamically farmed.

Soil:
Agrilo-calcareous

Vinification and Ageing:
Vinification: long, gentle pneumatic pressing, decanting over 24 hours, then racking and running into cask of the must.
Alcoholic fermentation in oak casks, 22% new (maxi 1/3 Vosges, mini 2/3 Allier).
Maturing: after 12 months in cask, the wine is aged 6 months in tank where it is prepared for bottling.
Homeopathic fining and very light filtering if necessary.
100% Chardonnay

95 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Seamless in texture and balance, this white caresses the palate with honey, butter, peach, apple and lemon cake flavors. Harmonious and approachable now, yet this will continue to improve over the next five years. Shows fine length, with a toasty, spicy aftertaste. Drink now through 2035. 985 cases made, 197 cases imported." - Bruce Sanderson (May 2024)

95 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2021 Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 1er Cru has another quite backward bouquet of petrichor, limestone and light chalky scents. The palate is very well-balanced, the most powerful of the Premier Crus, with great depth and slightly more grip and depth on the finish. Excellent." Drink 2026-2048." - Neal Martin (Oct 2023)

94-96 Points - Jasper Morris' Inside Burgundy:
"Mid lemon colour. As always, the bouquet rises above the others. I feel the need to keep on sniffing this! Brings a smile to the face. The 2021 Domaine Leflaive Pucelles offers such a complex mix of fruits, fresh apricot along with a mix of quality citrus, good density but above all a stylishness that expresses itself in a hugely long finish. Perfect balance with a lifted fresh elegance at the finish. This may yet earn a fifth star later in life. Drink from 2027-2035." (Apr 2023)

94-96 Points - Allen Meadows' BurgHound:
"Firm reduction and a whiff of oak dominate the nose at present. Much more interesting are the beautifully textured, racy and detailed medium weight flavors that also possess a highly sophisticated mouthfeel while exhibiting stunningly good length on the bitter zest-inflected finish that goes on and on. This is terrific and easily delivers grand cru quality." (Jun 2023)

93+ Points - Wine Advocate:
"Unwinding in the glass with aromas of mandarin, buttered toast, clear honey, toasted nuts and youthful reduction, Leflaive's 2021 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles is medium to full-bodied, layered and chalky, with a dense core of fruit and impressive structuring extract. This is built for the cellar." Drink 2027-2045. - William Kelley (Jan 2024)