Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet Premier Cru Les Pucelles 2022
(Burgundy, France) - [VM 95] [WA 95] [JM 94-96] [BH 93-96] [WS 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.

About the Vineyard:
This climat is located in the town of Puligny just north of the Bâtard and Bienvenues Bâtard Montrachet with the same altitude and soil. This climat is often considered as the best Premier in Puligny and can rival its neighbors in some vintages where its minerality will contrast with the intensity of the two Bâtards. 

About the Vintage:
The 2022 vintage was ultimately an excellent surprise for all the winegrowers in Burgundy, in quantity and above all in quality. The hot, even scorching summer that we experienced made us wonder about how our vines would react. It is clear that they adapted very well, which allows us to be optimistic about this 2022 vintage. The weather was nice and warm in the first half of July, then hot with a heat wave on July 19 and 20. Fortunately the morning temperatures remained below 20°C. We experienced a third heat wave from August 1-4. From August 14, the weather became milder again with small daily rains which allowed the vegetation to finish its maturity.

Ratings & Reviews

95 Points - Vinous Media: 
"The 2022 Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 1er Cru lags behind the other three from this climat, reserved and surprisingly austere in the context of the growing season. Perhaps it is in an awkward phase? Returning after 10 minutes, scents of sea cave and sea spray emerge. The palate does not seem to possess the same degree of concentration, balanced with a tang of marmalade and ginger, yet without the precision that a Les Pucelles can deliver. Has it got something up its sleeve? Probably, so tuck this away for three or four years. Bottled under Diam. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting." – Neal Martin (Jun 2026)

95 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The 2022 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles reasserts its traditional role as Leflaive's dominant premier cru this year, wafting from the glass with aromas of pear, clear honey, white flowers and orange oil, framed by a deft touch of youthful reduction. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and seamless, it's pure and enveloping, with a sweet core of fruit, lively acids and a long, precise finish." – William Kelley (Jan 2025)

94-96 Points - Jasper Morris' Inside Burgundy:
"Medium deep, pale yellow in colour. Plenty of fruit is immediately apparent on the nose, but seems a little more backward, less in harmony today. A mix of ripe citrus fruits, lemon, orange and grapefruit, so ripe enough. Then the 2022 Pucelles grows into what I would expect: really quite complex and with a zesty finale. Superb grace and length, with further volumes of fruit reappearing at the back. Keeps on going. Grand cru quality on the palate, and, taking the slight recalcitrance of the bouquet as a temporary issue, I am happy to award the full five stars to what should become a grand Pucelles. Drink from 2029-2038." (Apr 2024)

93 - 96 Points - Allen Meadows' Burghound:
(from two very large parcels of vines totaling over 3 ha). Here too the nose is cool and restrained with a discreet application of wood framing the beautifully layered aromas of honeysuckle, white peach, citrus confit, spice and a variety of floral nuances and in particular, acacia blossom. The refined and strikingly textured medium weight flavors possess excellent mid-palate concentration before terminating in a highly persistent, impeccably well-balanced and markedly dry, but not really austere, finale. This beauty is quite understated with the requisite balance and underlying material to reward long-term keeping. In short, this is potentially brilliant." (June 2024)

93 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Ethereal aromas and flavors of white flowers, lemon and apple grace this charming, fluid white, which picks up a stony mineral element as it plays out effortlessly on the long aftertaste, showing terrific harmony. Drink now through 2030. 985 cases made, 197 cases imported." – Bruce Sanderson (Mar 2025)