Wine Advisor
Leflaive, Bienvenues Batard Montrachet Grand Cru 2018
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: William Kelley
Scents of pear, white flowers, almond paste, buttered toast, citrus zest and smoke preface the 2018 Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, a full-bodied and satiny wine that's layered and fleshy, with a satiny attack that segues into a tightly wound core and a chalky finish. This, too, should reward bottle age.
Reviewed by: William Kelley
Aromas of pear, mandarin oil, white flowers and warm bread introduce Leflaive's 2018 Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered wine that's textural and muscular, with a lively spine of acidity and a long, mineral finish.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2018 Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru has a terse, stoic, delineated bouquet with scents of wet limestone and sea spray, just a slight menthol note developing with aeration. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. A very pretty, elegant Bienvenue that reveals hints of blood orange and sour lemon on the precise, persistent finish. This is a gorgeous Bienvenue.
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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