Wine Advisor
Leflaive, Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes 2016
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2016 Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Combettes has a taut but very focused bouquet that displays more vigor than the Clavoillon, just a subtle touch of hazelnut in the background lending complexity. The palate is very well balanced, very harmonious and more understated than in recent vintages. It just begins to fan out on the last quarter with touches of spice and ginger that linger in the mouth on the aftertaste. I often rate Leflaive's Combettes highly and this is no different.
Reviewed by: William Kelley
The 2016 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes is showing very well indeed from bottle, wafting from the glass with aromas of Anjou pear, toasted nut and white flowers, framed by some classy new oak. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, broad-shouldered and textural, with succulent acids, excellent depth at the core and a muscular, fleshy profile. This is shaping up to rank as one of Leflaive's best 2016s.
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.
