Wine Advisor
Leflaive, Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes 2018
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: William Kelley
The 2018 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes possesses an additional level of concentration this year, and it marks a transition in the portfolio between the charming, giving lower appellations and the rather more serious top premiers and grands crus. Unfurling in the glass with notes of crisp yellow orchard fruit, orange oil, Meyer lemon, almond paste and citrus blossom, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and nicely concentrated, with fine mid-palate amplitude, lively acids and a saline finish.
Reviewed by: William Kelley
The 2018 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes is showing well, wafting from the glass with aromas of pear, orange oil, blanched almonds, nutmeg and fresh mint. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, textural and muscular, with fine concentration and chalky structure. Pierre Vincent and de La Morandière observe that this site, naturally precocious, is generally harvested a little later, as the vines are suffering from leaf roll virus.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2018 Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er Cru has as well-defined and mineral-driven bouquet, discrete but nicely focused. The palate is well balanced with a saline, lime and citrus entry, fine weight. Maybe not as complex as its peers yet full of energy. Pure class. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2018 white tasting.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2018 Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er Cru suffered more <em>millerandage</em> than others this year. In fact, Brice de la Morandière confessed that the vines are constantly being threatened with being grubbed up and they will review the situation every three years. This has a taut nose, very well defined, and more reserved and stonier than the Clavoillon, with alpine streams and dewy pasture scents unfurling in the glass. The well-balanced plate displays a saline tang on the entry, just a touch of orange peel and quite a spicy, persistent finish. Excellent.
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.
