Wine Advisor
Leflaive, Batard Montrachet Grand Cru 2013
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2013 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, like many from this vineyard, has an expressive and, compared to other vintages, you could almost say extravagant bouquet, bridled with intense citrus lemon, freshly sliced pear, limestone and even a faint touch of peppermint. The palate is intense on the entry with more depth than the Bienvenue at this stage. There is a pinch of spice here, shaved ginger adding a bit of fire at the front of the tongue, then attractive stony notes finally revealed on the finish and the aftertaste. Superb - for me perhaps superior to the 2012.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
Deeper-pitched on the nose than the Bienvenue, offering musky, slightly reduced scents of very ripe peach and grilled nuts. Sweet, large-scaled and powerful but youthfully laid-back today. More tannic than the Bienvenue but the firm finishing flavors of pear and minerals titillate the retronasal passage. Still a baby.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(the alcohol here is a tad over 13%, including about 0.25% of chaptalization, according to Eric Remy): Healthy bright yellow. Expressive perfume of yellow fruits, flowers and clove oil. Very ripe and suave, showing plenty of weight but a distinctly feminine element of finesse to the flavors of apple, pear, menthol and minerals accented by spices. Quite round in the middle palate but the very long finish displays good grip and even a somewhat muscular quality.
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.
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