2017 Puligny-Montrachet Clavoillon 1er Cru

I met winemaker Pierre Vincent and proprietor Brice de la Morandière in the early evening to taste through not the 2022s but the 2021s, as they now only show the most recent bottled vintage. “We had frost four times in April, and downy mildew was prevalent, which meant a lot of sorting,” Vincent explains in their nearly finished winery. “We lost 60% of the crop on average and 80% in the worst-affected vintages. We began the picking on September 21 [I should remind readers we are talking about 2021 here!]” We also discussed changes in the modus operandi at Leflaive, which includes using more larger-sized barrels, particularly 350-liter barrels comprising around 40% of the total. De la Morandière also mentioned using ultrasound to clean the barrels so they can be used for longer. There was also an interesting discussion about the recent improvement in the Puligny Combettes. Vincent suggests this was due to them rethinking the sap flow in the vines, enhanced by composting the vineyard and retraining the vines to combat millerandage.

Since last year, Domaine Leflaive are no longer showing their vintage in barrel and are pouring the latest bottled vintage instead. I meet with winemaker Pierre Vincent and estate manager Brice de La Morandière, who has been instrumental in salvaging their reputation threatened by a disproportionately high incidence of premature oxidation. His decision to introduce Diam closures is one that I heartily applaud, as well as recruiting Vincent, one of the most talented winemakers operating in Burgundy. “We started the harvest in 2020 on 20 August - the earliest harvest ever,” Vincent tells me. “There was no frost, and of course, it was a warm and dry year with little rain. The yield was normal, around 10% less. There was a heat wave at the end of July, but there was rain on 12 August that relieved the stress, so there was no blocked maturity. In terms of hygiene, it was optimal. The alcohol is around 13%, lower than in 2019.”

It is a couple of years since I was at Domaine Leflaive. I met winemaker Pierre Vincent and proprietor Brice de la Morandière staring at a barren square of land in the heart of Puligny-Montrachet, which is where, after some unavoidable delays, they will soon construct their new winery. Here, I tasted the 2019 vintage in bottle and will broach the 2020s early next year, Domaine Leflaive’s policy henceforth. “It was a year with a small frost,” Vincent explained. “June was cold with some rain, so this disturbed the flowering with a lot of millerandage. The second part of June, July and August was hot and warm, with just some rain between August 10 and 15 that helped finish the maturity. It was the millerandé bunches that created the concentration, as there was 20% less fruit. We picked from September 11 for the Puligny-Montrachet. All the wines are between 13.5° to 14.5° alcohol but with a pH not more than 3.10 after malolactic. It was a warm growing season with two heat waves, but the wines feel like they come from a normal season. Biodynamics helps us keep the balance in the vine – for example, by making the roots go deeper, preserving the canopy and preventing grillure because the sap continues to flow in difficult conditions. The vines remain more vigorous as they suffer less hydric stress. We bottle using Diam 30 for all markets." This is a deeply impressive set of wines that I believe are enhanced by Vincent’s magic touch. From the Village Cru up to the Montrachet (the first time I have tasted it at the domaine, thanks to Coravin) there is spine-tingling precision and freshness that leaves you with a Cheshire cat grin. And I fully support their move to Diam. I wish more wineries of their standing would follow suit.

I met proprietor Brice de la Morandière with winemaker Pierre Vincent , who joined in 2017 from Domaine de la Vougeraie, at their barrel cellar in Puligny-Montrachet. It was nice to return having not visited for a year or two. "It was a warm year," de la Morandière commented. "The crucial decision was that we green harvested all the vineyards in July, sometimes up to 40% of the bunches. I know that this is considered a sin in Puligny-Montrachet, but the fact is that we had two or three times more bunches than we needed. This risked us losing concentration. We commenced the harvest on 26 August and finished on September, the Mâcon-Verze picked from 3 to 10 September. In the end, we found that the balance was good in terms of alcohol and acidity." I was pleased to taste Leflaive's Mâconnais wines - they are often overshadowed by their Pulignys and might well constitute their best values. The standout for me was their stunning Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes, in no small part since it was affected by millerandage and this naturally seems to have concentrated the wine. Among the Grand Crus, the Chevalier-Montrachet predictably has the edge, though do not overlook their rather splendid Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet.

Both estate director Brice de la Morandière and winemaker Pierre Vincent consider 2016 to be a cooler year without a lot of exotic character. Grape sugars were in the reasonable 12% to 13% range (a bit lower than in 2017), and some of the less-ripe fruit got a touch of chaptalization. The 2016 grand crus were still in tank, awaiting imminent bottling, at the time of my visit on the last day of May.

Pierre Vincent, who served as manager/winemaker at Domaine de la Vougeraie since 2006, took over winemaking duties at Domaine Leflaive at the beginning of 2017. Chief among his aims will be to bottle stable wines that do not oxidize prematurely, and Vincent was already willing to discuss changes he expects to make, including reducing yields, pressing more slowly and moving the wines less frequently. He will also be rethinking Leflaive's former strategy of racking their wines into tanks prior to the next harvest and keeping them there for another eight or nine months of aging. (He mentioned that the 2008 and 2004 vintages here were the most affected by premature oxidation and he attributed this to "less stem ripeness" in those years.)

Vincent described the young 2016s as "concentrated due to the mostly small yields, with intense fruit and sound acidity," even if there was very little malic acid in the grapes. Potential alcohol levels ranged from 12% to 13%. The malolactic fermentations were finished by the time of my visit but not all of the wines had been sulfured. Even the grand crus here get no more than 25% new oak.

Leflaive's 2015s, which were bottled in April and May, the grand crus just two weeks prior to my visit, finished with low pHs and around five grams per liter of total acidity, noted Vincent, who said that the hydric stress in '15 blocked the loss of tartaric acid. The finished wines have between 12.8% and 13.5% alcohol, without chaptalization. Vincent did not filter the wines prior to bottling and he fined them lightly, using colle de poisson, a fish-based agent, for the first time at Leflaive. Vincent, who used this fining agent at Domaine de la Vougeraie, finds it "less brutal" than casein, which is made from milk protein. Incidentally, beginning with its 2014s, Domaine Leflaive is bottling its wines with Diam 30 corks.

Pierre Vincent, who served as manager/winemaker at Domaine de la Vougeraie since 2006, took over winemaking duties at Domaine Leflaive at the beginning of 2017. Chief among his aims will be to bottle stable wines that do not oxidize prematurely, and Vincent was already willing to discuss changes he expects to make, including reducing yields, pressing more slowly and moving the wines less frequently. He will also be rethinking Leflaive's former strategy of racking their wines into tanks prior to the next harvest and keeping them there for another eight or nine months of aging. (He mentioned that the 2008 and 2004 vintages here were the most affected by premature oxidation and he attributed this to "less stem ripeness" in those years.)

Vincent described the young 2016s as "concentrated due to the mostly small yields, with intense fruit and sound acidity," even if there was very little malic acid in the grapes. Potential alcohol levels ranged from 12% to 13%. The malolactic fermentations were finished by the time of my visit but not all of the wines had been sulfured. Even the grand crus here get no more than 25% new oak.

Leflaive's 2015s, which were bottled in April and May, the grand crus just two weeks prior to my visit, finished with low pHs and around five grams per liter of total acidity, noted Vincent, who said that the hydric stress in '15 blocked the loss of tartaric acid. The finished wines have between 12.8% and 13.5% alcohol, without chaptalization. Vincent did not filter the wines prior to bottling and he fined them lightly, using colle de poisson, a fish-based agent, for the first time at Leflaive. Vincent, who used this fining agent at Domaine de la Vougeraie, finds it "less brutal" than casein, which is made from milk protein. Incidentally, beginning with its 2014s, Domaine Leflaive is bottling its wines with Diam 30 corks.

Before he showed me his 2015s, Eric Rémy fleshed out the growing season in some detail. From late March until the end of July, there were just 15 days with precipitation, while in May of '16 alone there were 20. A key weather event in 2015 was the 50 millimeters of rain that fell in mid-June, after the flowering, which helped the vines survive the hot summer that began later that month. “Between June and the harvest there were 35 days with temperatures of 30 degree C (86 F) or higher, including 12 at 35 degrees C or more,” he told me. “But well-timed showers in August de-blocked the maturing process, and the sugars climbed quickly." By the time Domaine Leflaive started harvesting on August 28, potential alcohol levels were closing in on 13%. The grand crus were mostly picked on Monday, August 31, because heavy rain and hail were forecasted for that night. But while Chablis suffered mightily from hail, Puligny-Montrachet had just three millimeters of rain, said Rémy.

“We had great-looking grapes and didn’t have to use our sorting tables,” he told me. He did not chaptalize or acidify, and because the grapes were picked with sound levels of tartaric acidity, the wines didn’t change much during their secondary fermentations. In fact, most of the Leflaive 2015s have total acidity levels between 4.1 and 4.5. “In terms of technical analysis, the 2015s are close to the 2014s and there’s no reason to believe that they won’t age well," he said. "Two thousand fifteen is a great vintage and it’s not atypical.” Rémy ages his premier crus in about 20% new oak and uses about 25% for his grand crus, with the tiny quantity of Montrachet done in a single new barrel. Beginning with the 2014 vintage, the estate is bottling its wine entirely with DIAM 30s.

Eric Remy is a big fan of 2015 but also believes that 2014 is a great vintage. Hail was a serious issue in Puligny-Montrachet les Combettes and Folatières, Chevalier-Montrachet and Meursault Sous le Dos d'Ane, but the effect was on quantity rather than quality, he said. Remy had mostly finished bottling the '14s at the end of May and beginning of June, but a few of his lesser cuvées were still in tank. Remy told me he's currently drinking the estate's '99s, '00s, '01s and '07s, adding that some premature oxidation problems have emerged with the '06s and '08s. As I mentioned in my review of the '15s, the estate began using the longer, denser DIAM 30 corks with the 2014 vintage.

The 2014 flowering took place between May 22 and June 5 under what winemaker Eric Rémy described as "good weather but too warm." The flowering was especially successful on vines planted along a north-south axis but less regular on the east-west vines, he added. Average production for the estate was 46 hectoliters per hectare, about the same as in 2011, while 2013 yielded just under 40. Potential alcohol levels for the grand crus in 2014 were in the 12.8% to 13.1% range, noted Rémy, and no wine was chaptalized more than half a degree. Rémy compares 2014 in quality to 2010 and 2008, noting that the post-malo '14s have acidity levels between 4.25 and 5.25 grams per liter.

Meanwhile, the 2013s here have turned out very well, even if the skins of the grapes were more fragile owing to what Rémy described as "tropical conditions" at harvest. "In 2014, it was much drier and we could take our time picking." Rémy is convinced that the 2013s will begin to tighten up this fall.

The 2014 flowering took place between May 22 and June 5 under what winemaker Eric Rémy described as "good weather but too warm." The flowering was especially successful on vines planted along a north-south axis but less regular on the east-west vines, he added. Average production for the estate was 46 hectoliters per hectare, about the same as in 2011, while 2013 yielded just under 40. Potential alcohol levels for the grand crus in 2014 were in the 12.8% to 13.1% range, noted Rémy, and no wine was chaptalized more than half a degree. Rémy compares 2014 in quality to 2010 and 2008, noting that the post-malo '14s have acidity levels between 4.25 and 5.25 grams per liter.

Meanwhile, the 2013s here have turned out very well, even if the skins of the grapes were more fragile owing to what Rémy described as "tropical conditions" at harvest. "In 2014, it was much drier and we could take our time picking." Rémy is convinced that the 2013s will begin to tighten up this fall.

For the second straight year, winemaker Eric Remy told a tale of woe about heavy rainfall during the flowering--in this case, about two inches fell on June 19 and 20, just three days after the 2013 flowering started at Domaine Leflaive.(April and May had seen rain, chilly weather and even some flooding, and the season was already two or three weeks behind schedule.)The resulting coulure and millerandage cut potential crop levels and then the severe hailstorm of July 23 caused great damage from Meursault to Aloxe-Corton, though with very little impact farther south.August brought reasonably good summer conditions but the season was still late, and the domain starting harvesting on September 28, with the grapes "starting to turn, as in 2012 and 2006."But even after the necessary triage, Domaine Leflaive has produced an average of 40 hectoliters per hectare.Remy sulfited the must a bit more than usual due to the botrytis element but carried out his normal pressurage and used the same percentage of new oak as always.Although the Puligny-Montrachet Combettes fruit reached 13.6% natural alcohol, most of the estate's parcels were chaptalized around half a degree.Remy describes 2013 as "round on the attack, and less a vin de garde than 2012, 2011 and 2010, all of which were more cutting from the beginning."Long-time fans of Leflaive's wines may smell an opportunity for relatively early gratification here.On the other hand, the supernal 2012s will require patience.

For the second straight year, winemaker Eric Remy told a tale of woe about heavy rainfall during the flowering--in this case, about two inches fell on June 19 and 20, just three days after the 2013 flowering started at Domaine Leflaive.(April and May had seen rain, chilly weather and even some flooding, and the season was already two or three weeks behind schedule.)The resulting coulure and millerandage cut potential crop levels and then the severe hailstorm of July 23 caused great damage from Meursault to Aloxe-Corton, though with very little impact farther south.August brought reasonably good summer conditions but the season was still late, and the domain starting harvesting on September 28, with the grapes "starting to turn, as in 2012 and 2006."But even after the necessary triage, Domaine Leflaive has produced an average of 40 hectoliters per hectare.Remy sulfited the must a bit more than usual due to the botrytis element but carried out his normal pressurage and used the same percentage of new oak as always.Although the Puligny-Montrachet Combettes fruit reached 13.6% natural alcohol, most of the estate's parcels were chaptalized around half a degree.Remy describes 2013 as "round on the attack, and less a vin de garde than 2012, 2011 and 2010, all of which were more cutting from the beginning."Long-time fans of Leflaive's wines may smell an opportunity for relatively early gratification here.On the other hand, the supernal 2012s will require patience.

The flowering in 2012 was stretched out by adverse climatic conditions from June 6 to June 25, noted winemaker Eric Remy, with 50 millimeters of rain falling on the 6th.There was substantial coulure and millerandage and mildew arrived quickly.Along with the effects of some frost in mid-April and then again in mid-May, plus hail on June 30 and August 1 and the loss of some grapes in a period of heat in early August, the domain-wide production here was just 23 hectoliters per hectare--or roughly half the level of the previous year."Rot was the only problem we didn't have in 2012," Remy concluded.The harvest took place between September 14 and 21, with grape sugars ranging from 12.5% to 13.3% for the crus and only a few cuvees requiring modest chaptalization.As to the wines themselves, Remy describes 2012 as "a hyper-classic vintage for aging.The wines really saturate the mouth, and elevage will bring more size and precision.The vintage favored well-drained hillside vineyards, where the soil warmed up faster between the rains."He compared the 2012s to the 2010s for their clarity and energy.Remy describes 2011 as "a very good vintage:we picked early in order to retain good sound acidity and good minerality."

The flowering in 2012 was stretched out by adverse climatic conditions from June 6 to June 25, noted winemaker Eric Remy, with 50 millimeters of rain falling on the 6th.There was substantial coulure and millerandage and mildew arrived quickly.Along with the effects of some frost in mid-April and then again in mid-May, plus hail on June 30 and August 1 and the loss of some grapes in a period of heat in early August, the domain-wide production here was just 23 hectoliters per hectare--or roughly half the level of the previous year."Rot was the only problem we didn't have in 2012," Remy concluded.The harvest took place between September 14 and 21, with grape sugars ranging from 12.5% to 13.3% for the crus and only a few cuvees requiring modest chaptalization.As to the wines themselves, Remy describes 2012 as "a hyper-classic vintage for aging.The wines really saturate the mouth, and elevage will bring more size and precision.The vintage favored well-drained hillside vineyards, where the soil warmed up faster between the rains."He compared the 2012s to the 2010s for their clarity and energy.Remy describes 2011 as "a very good vintage:we picked early in order to retain good sound acidity and good minerality."

The chardonnay in 2011 ripened more by concentration than by photosynthesis owing to hot weather in August, said winemaker Eric Remy."We were able to get good ripeness at modest sugar levels, generally between 11.7% and 12.7%," he said, adding that "the early picked stuff was chaptalized a bit."Domaine Leflaive harvested during the last seven days of August, finishing with the grand crus on the 30th and 31st.Yields were higher than usual, averaging 47 hectoliters per hectare, but the Batard and Chevalier were more like 35 to 37 owing to hail in July.The estate eliminated some dried grapes at harvest time, and acidity levels after the malolactic fermentations were between 4.7 and 5.2 grams per liter--one of the highest figures given to me during my tour of the Cote de Beaune this spring.A couple of the 2010s were still in tank at the end of May; I have included notes on these wines as they had not finished their malos when I originally tasted them in 2011.

The chardonnay in 2011 ripened more by concentration than by photosynthesis owing to hot weather in August, said winemaker Eric Remy."We were able to get good ripeness at modest sugar levels, generally between 11.7% and 12.7%," he said, adding that "the early picked stuff was chaptalized a bit."Domaine Leflaive harvested during the last seven days of August, finishing with the grand crus on the 30th and 31st.Yields were higher than usual, averaging 47 hectoliters per hectare, but the Batard and Chevalier were more like 35 to 37 owing to hail in July.The estate eliminated some dried grapes at harvest time, and acidity levels after the malolactic fermentations were between 4.7 and 5.2 grams per liter--one of the highest figures given to me during my tour of the Cote de Beaune this spring.A couple of the 2010s were still in tank at the end of May; I have included notes on these wines as they had not finished their malos when I originally tasted them in 2011.

Estate Manager Eric Remy has one of the sharpest memories of anyone I have ever met. His recall of specific dates and events is quite remarkable, so I will take advantage of that in reporting a very complete picture of the 2010 growing season. Accoring to Remy, in order to gain some insight on 2010, one has to start with the brutal frost of December 19, 2009, when temperatures dropped to a bone chilling -20C/-4F after having hovered around freezing for a few days prior. The very next day, temperatures shot up to 10C/50F. January was quite dry. A bit of snow fell in early February, but the rest of the month was dry. The last frosts at the domaine were recorded from March 10-14. The weather improved in April, especially towards the end of the month. May and June were cold. Flowering in the domine's vineyards started on June 5th and ended between June 20 and 22. The first part of July was hot but stable, while the second part of the month was cold and humid. Unstable conditions persisted throughout August. A hailstorm with heavy thunder in Santenay on September 12 was a sign harvest time was approaching. A bit of botrytis was recorded on September 17. The harvest started on September 20. Yields came in around 45 hectoliters per hectare, pretty much in line with 2009, the only domaine I visited where that is the case.

"We worried about mildew in 2010, especially in our younger vines," said winemaker Eric Remy, "but the material was healthy at the harvest, with the exception of some young vines in Santenay, which suffered from the storm on September 12. We started picking on September 17, and since the showers had caused the botrytis to advance, we picked quickly, in seven days." Remy noted that the 2010s began with a bit less malic acidity than the 2008s and finished their fermentations with less than one gram per liter of residual sugar. Thus they display less sucrosite than the 2008s, he added. A few of the 2010s were in the middle of their malos at the end of May and were impossible to assess. "The 2010s will age on their concentration of material rather than on their alcoholic degrees," Remy told me. He feels that 2009 is a very good vintage that will be attractive to drink young but is unlikely to last as long as the 2008s. "We lacked cool nights in August, but this was partly compensated for by the mineral energy of the wines."

Domaine Leflaive is one of the pioneers in biodynamic viticulture in Burgundy. The first experiments began in 1990 and by 1997 all of the vineyards had been converted to biodynamic farming. Winemaker Eric Remy describes the 2009 growing season in considerable detail. The winter was long but mild. The last frost occurred on March 23. Temperatures were normal until the last week of the month, when the weather turned warmer. Flowering began on May 22. The rest of the spring and summer were warm, while a big storm in mid-July dropped 8cm of rain. The rest of the summer was quite warm. The harvest began on September 5, about ten days earlier than normal. Average yields were around 45 hectoliters per hectare. The wines were aged for 12 months in oak followed by 6-8 months in steel. New oak ranged from 10% for the Bourgogne, 15% for the villages, 20% for the premier crus and 25% for the grand crus. The 2009s were bottled between April and June 2011.

Cellarmaster Eric Remy told me that 2009 was an easy vintage "so we could work on the 2008s," which were a lot trickier here. As readers may recall, I was not able to taste a few '08s last spring because they were in the middle of their malolactic fermentations, and the grand crus had not yet started. A year later, only the Meursault was in bottle and the rest were still limping to a conclusion. Most troublesome were the Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes and the Montrachet, which were still in the early stages of their malos. Though rich in material, both were dominated by oxidative aromas and were impossible to judge. Current plans were to bottle these wines in November, but Remy admitted to being worried about these two cuvees. "A vintage of patience," he summarized, optimistically. As to 2009, Leflaive harvested its chardonnay between September 5 and 11, bringing in fruit with potential alcohol between 13% and 14%. The crop was generally full, except for the Clavoillon and Pucelles, which yielded 41 and 40 hectoliters per hectare, respectively. Remy did no chaptalization or acidification as he "wanted to keep the year's style." Just one or two people were needed on each side of the sorting table in 2009, he told me, compared to six in 2008. Happily, the malos this time were finished by May. Incidentally, the average percentage of new oak used here is now down to 25% for the grand crus, 20% for the premier crus and 15% for the village wines.

Cellarmaster Eric Remy told me that 2009 was an easy vintage "so we could work on the 2008s," which were a lot trickier here. As readers may recall, I was not able to taste a few '08s last spring because they were in the middle of their malolactic fermentations, and the grand crus had not yet started. A year later, only the Meursault was in bottle and the rest were still limping to a conclusion. Most troublesome were the Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes and the Montrachet, which were still in the early stages of their malos. Though rich in material, both were dominated by oxidative aromas and were impossible to judge. Current plans were to bottle these wines in November, but Remy admitted to being worried about these two cuvees. "A vintage of patience," he summarized, optimistically. As to 2009, Leflaive harvested its chardonnay between September 5 and 11, bringing in fruit with potential alcohol between 13% and 14%. The crop was generally full, except for the Clavoillon and Pucelles, which yielded 41 and 40 hectoliters per hectare, respectively. Remy did no chaptalization or acidification as he "wanted to keep the year's style." Just one or two people were needed on each side of the sorting table in 2009, he told me, compared to six in 2008. Happily, the malos this time were finished by May. Incidentally, the average percentage of new oak used here is now down to 25% for the grand crus, 20% for the premier crus and 15% for the village wines.

Cellarmaster Eric Remy describes 2008 as a classic vintage for Domaine Leflaive. Humid, showery weather had threatened widespread outbreaks of mildew and oidium, and Leflaive did a total of 13 treatments against vine maladies. After the rains of early September, the estate did a labor-intensive pass through the vines, eliminating 10% to 15% of the fruit. But then the north wind that began in the middle of the month saved the crop, concentrating sugars and acids. At the harvest, which started here on September 22, grape sugars were typically 12.8% to 13% or more (very little chaptalization was done), and acidity levels were around six grams, a high percentage of which was malic. The 2007s here, which had only recently been bottled at the time of my visit, emphatically showcase their various terroirs and would appear to be constituted for good medium-term aging. (Remy recommends waiting on the 2007s and drinking the 2006s earlier.) Incidentally, Domaine Leflaive is widely cited by long-time collectors as an estate that has largely avoided problems with premature oxidation. When I discussed this subject with Remy, the only recent vintage he had any doubts about was 2002. But he was not yet sure whether the variability he has noticed up to now is a function of corks or of the wines themselves. Clearly, the Leflaive whites gain in stability from an extended stay in cuves. For example, the 2007s remained in tanks from early September of 2008 until they were bottled in April and May of this year. I have omitted notes on a couple of 2008s that were in the middle of their malos (most of the premier crus were finished), but I have included early impressions of the very promising grand crus, which had not yet started their secondary fermentations.

Cellarmaster Eric Remy describes 2008 as a classic vintage for Domaine Leflaive. Humid, showery weather had threatened widespread outbreaks of mildew and oidium, and Leflaive did a total of 13 treatments against vine maladies. After the rains of early September, the estate did a labor-intensive pass through the vines, eliminating 10% to 15% of the fruit. But then the north wind that began in the middle of the month saved the crop, concentrating sugars and acids. At the harvest, which started here on September 22, grape sugars were typically 12.8% to 13% or more (very little chaptalization was done), and acidity levels were around six grams, a high percentage of which was malic. The 2007s here, which had only recently been bottled at the time of my visit, emphatically showcase their various terroirs and would appear to be constituted for good medium-term aging. (Remy recommends waiting on the 2007s and drinking the 2006s earlier.) Incidentally, Domaine Leflaive is widely cited by long-time collectors as an estate that has largely avoided problems with premature oxidation. When I discussed this subject with Remy, the only recent vintage he had any doubts about was 2002. But he was not yet sure whether the variability he has noticed up to now is a function of corks or of the wines themselves. Clearly, the Leflaive whites gain in stability from an extended stay in cuves. For example, the 2007s remained in tanks from early September of 2008 until they were bottled in April and May of this year. I have omitted notes on a couple of 2008s that were in the middle of their malos (most of the premier crus were finished), but I have included early impressions of the very promising grand crus, which had not yet started their secondary fermentations.

April of 2007 featured 140 more sunshine hours than the long-term average, noted winemaker Pierre Morey, but each of the next four months received 30 to 40 fewer hours of sunshine than usual. But the summer was not as bad as advertised, Morey added, as the outbreak of mildew just affected the leaves, not the grapes. In fact, said Morey, "the 2007s are cleaner at this stage than were the 2004s, which were quite reduced, and the 2001s, which were blurred by heavy leesy notes." Sure, the 2007s are less powerful than the 2006s and 2005s, Morey went on, but very little chaptalization was needed (generally about a quarter of a degree) and the wines will drink well early. "The crop level was good but quantities were not explosive like 2004 and 1999," he explained. Incidentally, the 2006s here are carrying alcohol levels higher than the estate's 2003s, with the Meursault the lowest at 14%. "The wines are at the limit of surmaturite, and certainly a bit high in alcohol," said Morey. "But I thought the same thing about the '92s and those wines have evolved spectacularly. I believe these wines will be best in 8 to 15 years, sooner than the classic '05s, and that the botrytis notes will emerge with time." By the way, Morey retired from Domaine Leflaive at the end of July to focus his efforts on his own domain and his Morey-Blanc negociant operation; Eric Remy, who has worked with Morey at Leflaive in recent years, took over as cellarmaster.

April of 2007 featured 140 more sunshine hours than the long-term average, noted winemaker Pierre Morey, but each of the next four months received 30 to 40 fewer hours of sunshine than usual. But the summer was not as bad as advertised, Morey added, as the outbreak of mildew just affected the leaves, not the grapes. In fact, said Morey, "the 2007s are cleaner at this stage than were the 2004s, which were quite reduced, and the 2001s, which were blurred by heavy leesy notes." Sure, the 2007s are less powerful than the 2006s and 2005s, Morey went on, but very little chaptalization was needed (generally about a quarter of a degree) and the wines will drink well early. "The crop level was good but quantities were not explosive like 2004 and 1999," he explained. Incidentally, the 2006s here are carrying alcohol levels higher than the estate's 2003s, with the Meursault the lowest at 14%. "The wines are at the limit of surmaturite, and certainly a bit high in alcohol," said Morey. "But I thought the same thing about the '92s and those wines have evolved spectacularly. I believe these wines will be best in 8 to 15 years, sooner than the classic '05s, and that the botrytis notes will emerge with time." By the way, Morey retired from Domaine Leflaive at the end of July to focus his efforts on his own domain and his Morey-Blanc negociant operation; Eric Remy, who has worked with Morey at Leflaive in recent years, took over as cellarmaster.

The 2006 vintage brought a bit of noble rot, said winemaker Pierre Morey, and the domain eliminated some grey rot on its sorting table, which it has used since 2001 "systematically" for chardonnay. According to Morey, the team began harvesting on September 20 on the foot of the hillside, but with the sugars climbing rapidly, they quickly decided to harvest the grand crus on the 21st and 22nd. "I would have liked to finish the harvest two days earlier, but we started at the right time," said Morey. "The grapes looked great." According to Morey, the 2006s have average acidity, but a bit lower than that of 2005, which had a higher percentage of the more stable tartaric acidity. Due to the noble rot element, which brought a bit more unfermentable sugar, most of the 2006s finished with around two grams per liter of r.s., which has given the wines a supple, round character. Morey believes they will be for drinking before the 2005s. "The 2006s are a bit fragile, and we will need to be make sure they get the sulfiting they need," he said. Most of the malos were done by the end of April; I tasted entirely from barrels that had finished their secondary fermentations.

The 2006 vintage brought a bit of noble rot, said winemaker Pierre Morey, and the domain eliminated some grey rot on its sorting table, which it has used since 2001 "systematically" for chardonnay. According to Morey, the team began harvesting on September 20 on the foot of the hillside, but with the sugars climbing rapidly, they quickly decided to harvest the grand crus on the 21st and 22nd. "I would have liked to finish the harvest two days earlier, but we started at the right time," said Morey. "The grapes looked great." According to Morey, the 2006s have average acidity, but a bit lower than that of 2005, which had a higher percentage of the more stable tartaric acidity. Due to the noble rot element, which brought a bit more unfermentable sugar, most of the 2006s finished with around two grams per liter of r.s., which has given the wines a supple, round character. Morey believes they will be for drinking before the 2005s. "The 2006s are a bit fragile, and we will need to be make sure they get the sulfiting they need," he said. Most of the malos were done by the end of April; I tasted entirely from barrels that had finished their secondary fermentations.

"A vintage without worries" is the way winemaker Pierre Morey described 2005."We eliminated some verjus berries [the generally underripe second-generation grapes] and some pieces of stems but there was almost no rot and no surmaturite, and no chaptalization was necessary."Following very slow alcoholic fermentations, the 2005s finished with a bit more residual sugar than the 2004s, said Morey, with the 2005s typically between 1.2 and 1.5 grams per liter, and the 2004s a very dry 1.0.The young 2005s here are big, round, opulent wines."We've been able to see the balance of these wines since the very beginning," noted Morey."There's a warmth, an amplitude, to the vintage; if I had to describe it with one word, I'd say it's balanced."

According to winemaker Pierre Morey, Domaine Leflaive did two separate ebourgeonnages in 2004 and carried out a third pass through the vines to reduce crop, yet still made the full permitted yields in 2004 (like most of their neighbors), even more than in 1999. "We couldn't imagine getting grapes that big," he told me. At the same time, the average level of malic acidity in 2004 was 4.22 grams per liter, compared to 1.28 in 2003-a vast difference. Tartaric acidity levels were virtually the same in both years. (The average pH of the post-fermentation '04s is 3.16, while it was a very high 3.57 for the 2003s.) Morey told me that he will keep the fine lees with the 2004s longer than usual to round them out, as he is worried that the relatively high acids will give the wines' finishes a dry edge. While only a minority of barrels had finished their malolactic fermentations, I was able to taste from those that had. Like a number of his colleagues, Morey advised serving the 2003s a bit colder than usual to mitigate their heaviness and alcohol-and with richer dishes than usual.

According to winemaker Pierre Morey, Domaine Leflaive did two separate ebourgeonnages in 2004 and carried out a third pass through the vines to reduce crop, yet still made the full permitted yields in 2004 (like most of their neighbors), even more than in 1999. "We couldn't imagine getting grapes that big," he told me. At the same time, the average level of malic acidity in 2004 was 4.22 grams per liter, compared to 1.28 in 2003-a vast difference. Tartaric acidity levels were virtually the same in both years. (The average pH of the post-fermentation '04s is 3.16, while it was a very high 3.57 for the 2003s.) Morey told me that he will keep the fine lees with the 2004s longer than usual to round them out, as he is worried that the relatively high acids will give the wines' finishes a dry edge. While only a minority of barrels had finished their malolactic fermentations, I was able to taste from those that had. Like a number of his colleagues, Morey advised serving the 2003s a bit colder than usual to mitigate their heaviness and alcohol-and with richer dishes than usual.

Domaine Leflaive starting harvesting on August 30, making this estate "about the last in the village to begin," according to winemaker Pierre Morey. We waited for the new moon on August 28 and for the end of the heat wave, so that we'd have better picking conditions. Earlier than this, the taste just wasn't there yet; the grape seeds were not yet ripe. "Morey noted that Leflaive used its sorting table to eliminate grapes that had been grilled by the sun. We only eliminated 2% to 4% of the grapes, but this was important for the taste of the wines. "Some acidification was done for the fermentations, but all of the malolactics were allowed to finish. Morey was still stirring the lees, but less frequently than usual. The plan in June was to bottle the wines before the winter, several months earlier than normal practice here. Morey maintained that the estate's biodynamic farming practices made a considerable difference during the very hot summer of 2003. For one thing, our vines have deeper roots," he said. With bio our vines have fewer leaves, but the leaves remain on the vines longer. " In 2003, this could potentially extend the ripening process while also protecting the fruit against the hot sun. ] I was impressed by several of the young 2003s but came away wondering if a few others possessed the depth of flavor to support their alcoholic power. (Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena CA

Domaine Leflaive starting harvesting on August 30, making this estate "about the last in the village to begin," according to winemaker Pierre Morey. We waited for the new moon on August 28 and for the end of the heat wave, so that we'd have better picking conditions. Earlier than this, the taste just wasn't there yet; the grape seeds were not yet ripe. "Morey noted that Leflaive used its sorting table to eliminate grapes that had been grilled by the sun. We only eliminated 2% to 4% of the grapes, but this was important for the taste of the wines. "Some acidification was done for the fermentations, but all of the malolactics were allowed to finish. Morey was still stirring the lees, but less frequently than usual. The plan in June was to bottle the wines before the winter, several months earlier than normal practice here. Morey maintained that the estate's biodynamic farming practices made a considerable difference during the very hot summer of 2003. For one thing, our vines have deeper roots," he said. With bio our vines have fewer leaves, but the leaves remain on the vines longer. " In 2003, this could potentially extend the ripening process while also protecting the fruit against the hot sun. ] I was impressed by several of the young 2003s but came away wondering if a few others possessed the depth of flavor to support their alcoholic power. (Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena CA

According to winemaker Pierre Morey, the team at Domaine Leflaive started the 2002 harvest three days after the ban de vendange and then picked everything in one week flat. Morey stopped stirring the lees in December, but most of the malos did not finish until April, with the result that the wines in early June had a lot of carbonic gas. Leflaive's 2001s do not possess the purity of the estate's more classic 2000s, but they are nonetheless among the standouts of the vintage. The last 2001s had been bottled shortly before my visit, or a month or two later than usual. They were left longer on their finings so that they would fall bright. Morey, who told me last year that he found the finishes of some of the 2001s more salty than acid, believes the 2001s will age relatively rapidly. Much of the remaining acidity is lactic, which is less vivid than the tartaric acidity that characterizes the 2002s."

According to winemaker Pierre Morey, the team at Domaine Leflaive started the 2002 harvest three days after the ban de vendange and then picked everything in one week flat. Morey stopped stirring the lees in December, but most of the malos did not finish until April, with the result that the wines in early June had a lot of carbonic gas. Leflaive's 2001s do not possess the purity of the estate's more classic 2000s, but they are nonetheless among the standouts of the vintage. The last 2001s had been bottled shortly before my visit, or a month or two later than usual. They were left longer on their finings so that they would fall bright. Morey, who told me last year that he found the finishes of some of the 2001s more salty than acid, believes the 2001s will age relatively rapidly. Much of the remaining acidity is lactic, which is less vivid than the tartaric acidity that characterizes the 2002s."

There was so much malic acidity in the grapes in 2001 that we couldn't envision the post-malo wine," said winemaker Pierre Morey. Sugars were lower than those of 2000, as nothing much happened during the cool early September weather, but we still were able to avoid chaptalizing much of the crop," noted Morey. We needed to use sorting tables in the vines and in the winery, to eliminate rotten and underripe grapes, as well as those burned by the sun at the beginning of August. The rot came earlier in 2001 than in 2000; in 2000 it was mostly noble rot, which can give the wines more personality, but in 2001 it was especially important to eliminate the rotten grapes because they could have given a dry taste to the wines." Morey noted that Domaine Leflaive did not need to take advantage of the P.L.C. (the plafond limite de classement or the amount by which Burgundy growers are allowed to exceed the rendement de base or base yield), as the drawn-out flowering and millerandage as well as two bursts of hail - which caused significant crop loss in Clavoillons - resulted in yields 10% to 12% lower than those of 2000. This was a drier-style year favoring wines with a tendency to be fat, like Puligny Combettes and Batard-Montrachet," added Morey.

There was so much malic acidity in the grapes in 2001 that we couldn't envision the post-malo wine," said winemaker Pierre Morey. Sugars were lower than those of 2000, as nothing much happened during the cool early September weather, but we still were able to avoid chaptalizing much of the crop," noted Morey. We needed to use sorting tables in the vines and in the winery, to eliminate rotten and underripe grapes, as well as those burned by the sun at the beginning of August. The rot came earlier in 2001 than in 2000; in 2000 it was mostly noble rot, which can give the wines more personality, but in 2001 it was especially important to eliminate the rotten grapes because they could have given a dry taste to the wines." Morey noted that Domaine Leflaive did not need to take advantage of the P.L.C. (the plafond limite de classement or the amount by which Burgundy growers are allowed to exceed the rendement de base or base yield), as the drawn-out flowering and millerandage as well as two bursts of hail - which caused significant crop loss in Clavoillons - resulted in yields 10% to 12% lower than those of 2000. This was a drier-style year favoring wines with a tendency to be fat, like Puligny Combettes and Batard-Montrachet," added Morey.

In Leflaive reorganized barrel cellar, the '99s were bottled without filtration for the first time, and by gravity rather than being pumped. For critics of this domain who often feel that the bottled wines don't quite deliver on the promise of the barrel samples, this may well be the necessary last piece of the puzzle: the '99s are a stunning set of white Burgundies built for mid-term aging. "The best thing about '99 was the extremely even ripeness of the fruit thanks to a quick and regular flowering," said winemaker Pierre Morey. "All the grapes were in a position to benefit from the September sun," he added. Morey describes the young 2000s as showing almost confectionery sweetness; they are also extremely tactile in the context of the vintage. The acid levels were a bit lower than those of '99 at the outset, but are now about the same, noted Morey. Crop levels were about 15% lower in 2000 than in '99. Morey describes the new vintage as "amiable"; he feared oxidative aromas at the start, but says that the wines have stabilized nicely in barrel. Leflaive is now retaining more of the lees for the levage and the early barrel samples in '99 and again in '00 show wild and sometimes gamey sulfide and leesy elements that call to mind the sexy winemaking style of Jean-Francois Coche. Morey is well-placed to compare the wines of Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet and Meursault, since he has his own domain and negociant operation in Meursault. He told me that the malolactic fermentations were generally slower in Puligny than in Meursault in 2000 ("advantage to Puligny"), while in '99 the crop levels were less excessive in Meursault than in Puligny ("advantage to Meursault"). As of '99, the entire Leflaive domaine is farmed according to the precepts of biodynamie "Among other things, bio means deeper roots," notes Morey, "which means more minerality and thus more acidity," especially important for the structure of chardonnay in the ripe years.

This wine was tasted during the La Paulee Gala Dinner in New York City, 2009.

In Leflaive reorganized barrel cellar, the '99s were bottled without filtration for the first time, and by gravity rather than being pumped. For critics of this domain who often feel that the bottled wines don't quite deliver on the promise of the barrel samples, this may well be the necessary last piece of the puzzle: the '99s are a stunning set of white Burgundies built for mid-term aging. "The best thing about '99 was the extremely even ripeness of the fruit thanks to a quick and regular flowering," said winemaker Pierre Morey. "All the grapes were in a position to benefit from the September sun," he added. Morey describes the young 2000s as showing almost confectionery sweetness; they are also extremely tactile in the context of the vintage. The acid levels were a bit lower than those of '99 at the outset, but are now about the same, noted Morey. Crop levels were about 15% lower in 2000 than in '99. Morey describes the new vintage as "amiable"; he feared oxidative aromas at the start, but says that the wines have stabilized nicely in barrel. Leflaive is now retaining more of the lees for the levage and the early barrel samples in '99 and again in '00 show wild and sometimes gamey sulfide and leesy elements that call to mind the sexy winemaking style of Jean-Francois Coche. Morey is well-placed to compare the wines of Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet and Meursault, since he has his own domain and negociant operation in Meursault. He told me that the malolactic fermentations were generally slower in Puligny than in Meursault in 2000 ("advantage to Puligny"), while in '99 the crop levels were less excessive in Meursault than in Puligny ("advantage to Meursault"). As of '99, the entire Leflaive domaine is farmed according to the precepts of biodynamie "Among other things, bio means deeper roots," notes Morey, "which means more minerality and thus more acidity," especially important for the structure of chardonnay in the ripe years.

Winemaker Pierre Morey describes the '99s as very ripe, in spite of the huge crop. "We got 30% more volume than we predicted just before the harvest, and it was necessary to reorganize our picking strategies and buy more barrels," Morey explained. "But the grapes ripened regularly and swelled with water very slowly; that why the quality of the vintage is high." Domaine Leflaive used a helicopter in the vineyards on three consecutive mornings during the harvest to dry the grapes. Still, Morey admits, there was a difference in quality between the grapes picked before and after the rain. The malos were mostly finished when I stopped by at the end of June; those barrels that had not finished their secondary fermentations tended to have better acidity than the others, "but they're so rich that you don't taste it," Morey claims. He was just beginning to rack the wines at the time of my visit.

Winemaker Pierre Morey describes the '99s as very ripe, in spite of the huge crop. "We got 30% more volume than we predicted just before the harvest, and it was necessary to reorganize our picking strategies and buy more barrels," Morey explained. "But the grapes ripened regularly and swelled with water very slowly; that why the quality of the vintage is high." Domaine Leflaive used a helicopter in the vineyards on three consecutive mornings during the harvest to dry the grapes. Still, Morey admits, there was a difference in quality between the grapes picked before and after the rain. The malos were mostly finished when I stopped by at the end of June; those barrels that had not finished their secondary fermentations tended to have better acidity than the others, "but they're so rich that you don't taste it," Morey claims. He was just beginning to rack the wines at the time of my visit.

The vines that were hit by frost in the spring of '98 were also more affected by oidium, said winemaker Pierre Morey, explaining that the frost "provoked a fragility that left the fruit more vulnerable to any funguses." This development, in conjunction with the rains of early September, meant that the vintage required much more triage at the harvest, and it was critical to have a table de trie The '98s feature average acidity levels, according to Morey; there was less malic acidity burned off by heat in 1998 than in the previous year, he noted, and thus the acidity levels went down substantially during the secondary fermentations. My notes on the '98s, below, are on barrels that had finished their malolactic fermentations. Morey describes the '98s as highly concentrated wines (especially the crus hit hardest by frost and hail), noting that they are not at all marked by the new oak barrels. While I appreciated the precision of a number of these very promising wines, it remains to be seen whether they will have the middle-palate flesh to enrobe their firm structures. The Leflaive '97s have turned out to be solid and in some cases rather tannic wines that offer less early appeal than many other wines from this vintage. The best of them, however, are among the standouts of the vintage and should reward aging. Morey noted that the domain did not harvest especially late in '97; in any event its fruit can now be picked very quickly to take advantage of clement harvest conditions.

The vines that were hit by frost in the spring of '98 were also more affected by oidium, said winemaker Pierre Morey, explaining that the frost "provoked a fragility that left the fruit more vulnerable to any funguses." This development, in conjunction with the rains of early September, meant that the vintage required much more triage at the harvest, and it was critical to have a table de trie The '98s feature average acidity levels, according to Morey; there was less malic acidity burned off by heat in 1998 than in the previous year, he noted, and thus the acidity levels went down substantially during the secondary fermentations. My notes on the '98s, below, are on barrels that had finished their malolactic fermentations. Morey describes the '98s as highly concentrated wines (especially the crus hit hardest by frost and hail), noting that they are not at all marked by the new oak barrels. While I appreciated the precision of a number of these very promising wines, it remains to be seen whether they will have the middle-palate flesh to enrobe their firm structures. The Leflaive '97s have turned out to be solid and in some cases rather tannic wines that offer less early appeal than many other wines from this vintage. The best of them, however, are among the standouts of the vintage and should reward aging. Morey noted that the domain did not harvest especially late in '97; in any event its fruit can now be picked very quickly to take advantage of clement harvest conditions.

Leflaive winemaker Pierre Morey believes that the wild yeasts that ferment these wines actually produce a bit of sulfur, and thus the estate may be able to add less sulfur to its '97s than would ordinarily be required. On the other hand, these yeasts may also have impeded the malolactic bacteria in '96 and have been responsible for the stubbornly slow secondary fermentations. At the time of my visit, none of the Leflaive '96s had been bottled, and a few had not yet finished their malos! Though these wines were tricky to taste, I nevertheless came away with the impression that they would rank among the superstars of the vintage. Morey said he was continuing to stir the lees even of the wines currently in cuve despite the difficulty of such work. He stopped batonnage of the '97s within three months or so after the vintage.

Leflaive winemaker Pierre Morey believes that the wild yeasts that ferment these wines actually produce a bit of sulfur, and thus the estate may be able to add less sulfur to its '97s than would ordinarily be required. On the other hand, these yeasts may also have impeded the malolactic bacteria in '96 and have been responsible for the stubbornly slow secondary fermentations. At the time of my visit, none of the Leflaive '96s had been bottled, and a few had not yet finished their malos! Though these wines were tricky to taste, I nevertheless came away with the impression that they would rank among the superstars of the vintage. Morey said he was continuing to stir the lees even of the wines currently in cuve despite the difficulty of such work. He stopped batonnage of the '97s within three months or so after the vintage.