Wine Advisor
Leflaive, Batard Montrachet Grand Cru 1997
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Leflaive’s fabulous 1997 Batard-Montrachet offers super-ripe aromas of candied apples intermingled with minerals, chalk, sea salt, and racy lemons. This concentrated wine has awesome density, medium-to-full body, and layers of mouth-coating grilled almonds, citrus fruits, crisp pears, and toasted oak. Unlike most of the other 1997 Batards, it has exceptional balance, delineation, and class. It should be at its peak between 2002 and 2010. Importer: Wilson Daniels, St. Helena, CA; (707) 963-9661.
About the Producer
Domaine Leflaive, based in Puligny-Montrachet, is one of the most important producers in the Côte de Beaune. Focusing almost entirely on white wines made from Chardonnay, the Domaine makes four grand cru wines and four premier crus in Puligny-Montrachet. The Domaine was founded by Joseph Leflaive, a former engineer. In 1905, he purchased vineyards in Puligny-Montrachet which had been ravaged by phylloxera, and set about replanting and expanding them. Upon his death in 1953, his sons Vincent and Jo took over the running of the estate, and are widely credited with building up the reputation that Leflaive enjoys today. In 1990, cousins Anne Claude and Olivier Leflaive took over the running of the estate, with Olivier leaving in 1994 to run his own negociant business. Anne Claude converted the vineyards to biodynamics and is considered a pioneer of that movement in Burgundy. After her death in 2015, her nephew Brice de la Morandiere has taken over the running of Domaine Leflaive. Domaine Leflaive's most important wine is arguably the Montrachet Grand Cru, which, depending on vintage, can fetch upwards of $5000 a bottle. The domaine also has land in Chevalier-Montrachet, Batard-Montrachet, and Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet, and makes a grand cru wine from each. Additional to this, there are several premier cru wines, the most important of which is probably the Les Clavoillon, which was one of the wines included in the 1976 Judgment of Paris. Domaine Leflaive also makes a sole red wine from Pinot Noir under the Blagny Sous le Dos d'Ane Premier Cru title.
