Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet Premier Cru Clavoillon 2023
(Burgundy, France) - [BH 90-93]

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:
With ownership of over 85% of the climat and only one other family vinifying the Premier Cru Clavoillon, Domaine Leflaive controls the destiny of the name. Situated just north of Les Pucelles, this wine could have had a better fate if the vineyard wasn’t planted to Pinot Noir for hundreds of years before phylloxera impacted the region. It is only in the early 20th century that it was replanted, and this time with Chardonnay. 

About the Vintage:
The 2023 vintage was generous in quantity and balanced in quality, following the excellent 2022. A mild, dry winter was followed by a cool, wet spring that helped recharge water reserves. Conditions through mid-June were ideal for flowering. July brought a short heatwave and storms, with no vine damage. August saw wide temperature swings and a final heat spike mid-month, pushing ripeness quickly. Harvest began August 29 with a reduced team to stagger picking based on plot maturity. From September 2, picking accelerated. For the first time, harvests ended at 2 pm to avoid the heat, likely a new norm.

Vinification:
Manual harvesting with grape sorting and optimisation of choice of date through parcel-by-parcel ripeness monitoring.
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 1/2 Vosges, mini 1/2 Allier).
Maturing: after 12 months in cask, the wine is aged 6 months in tank where it is prepared for bottling.
Fining and very light filtering if necessary. 

90-93 Points Burghound:
"Once again the nose is super-fresh with its aromas of mostly ripe white orchard fruit that is laced with phenolic, spice and floral hints along with an admirably subtle dollop of wood. The strikingly textured, vibrant and utterly delicious flavors possess the usual Clavoillon generosity while exhibiting excellent length on the balanced, dry and mildly austere finale that is just a bit firmer. This too could use better depth so again, at least a few years of keeping are advised. (Drink starting 2031)." - Allen Meadows (June 2025)