About this WINE
Olivier Leflaive
Olivier Leflaive studied at business school before heading to Paris, where he lived a rather bohemian life in the 1970s. He returned to Burgundy in ’81 to manage Domaine Leflaive with his uncle Vincent and, later, his cousin Anne-Claude.
He set up his own négociant business in ’84, leaving the family domaine a decade later; he gave 15 years’ notice that he would take back his share of the vines.
Winemaker Franck Grux now makes 85-90 different cuvées, vinifying the equivalent of 120 hectares – 17 of which are estate-owned. The focus is on elegance and finesse over power.
St Romain
Until 1947 St Romain was part of the Hautes Côtes de Beaune, the vineyards being set back from the main Côte and mostly at higher elevation (around 300 to 400 metres above sea-level). But there is enough class in the mineral white wines (which make up two-thirds of production), and charm in the lightish reds in a warm year that the village is worthy of its own appellation, covering just 98 hectares. The best wines offer remarkable value.
Recommended producer: Alain Gras
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.
Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.
It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.
Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.
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Description
This vineyard enjoys a warm, south-facing aspect, rocky limestone subsoil and the cool microclimate of Saint Romain; winemaker Franck Grux loves the juxtaposition. The result is a wine that is at once beautifully ripe and hauntingly fresh. It’s made entirely in oak barrels, 25% of which are new. There’s ripe stone-fruit on the nose, along with a touch of struck match reduction and buttered toast. Rich and ripe on the attack, the finish is crystalline, with smoky oak and minerals. Delicious. Drink 2021 to 2027.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer (October 2020)
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