Wine Advisor
Olivier Leflaive, Batard Montrachet Grand Cru 2017
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2017 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is clean and crisp on the finely tuned nose, with well integrated oak and good mineralité. The fresh, vibrant palate is pixelated and full of tension from start to finish. There is wonderful salinity here, and superb length. A 2017 with ambition and the talent to pull it off. This is just a fabulous Bâtard-Montrachet. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting in Savigny-lès-Beaune.
Reviewed by: William Kelley
The 2017 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru opens in the glass with a youthfully reserved but nicely integrated bouquet of citrus oil, crisp yellow orchard fruit, ripe peaches, toasted nuts and smoke. On the palate, it's full-bodied, broad and powerful, with a deep core, succulent acids and a layered, muscular profile, concluding with a long and expansive finish. While it needs a couple of years in the cellar, I suspect this will offer a broad drinking window. Though it's bigger than some of Leflaive's 2017 premiers crus, I don't think it dominates them in terms of quality.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2017 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is clean and crisp on the finely tuned nose, with well integrated oak and good mineralité. The fresh, vibrant palate is pixelated and full of tension from start to finish. There is wonderful salinity here, and superb length. A 2017 with ambition and the talent to pull it off. This is just a fabulous Bâtard-Montrachet. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting in Savigny-lès-Beaune.
About the Producer
Olivier Leflaive, is the blood from Burgundian star winemaking family – the Leflaive family, which has been rooted in Puligny Montrachet since 1717. He was co-manager of Domaine Leflaive in 1982-1994. He started to explore négociant business outside Puligny-Montrachet by Olivier Leflaive Frères. Initially he had no vineyards and bought in grapes from selected growers. In 1988 Franck Grux took over as a winemaker and still holds this role today. Over the two past decades he was able to establish a strong, long-term relationship with the best growers and the quality of the wines is outstanding. Olivier Leflaive is looking for elegance and finesse rather than power. The oak is minimal and his wines are usually attractive young. The wines are hallmarks of elegance and purity. In 2010, after several long years, Olivier and Patrick finally received their family legacy in the form of some fabulous terroirs: Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru; Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru; Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles; Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières; and Meursault 1er Cru Blagny Sous le Dos d’Âne. Today, Leflaive owns about 17 hectares of several parcels in these appellations and also in Puligny Montrachet, Chassagne Montrachet, Chassagne Montrachet Premier Cru Les Chaumées, Chassagne Montrachet Premier Cru Les Vergers, Chassagne Montrachet Premier Cru Abbaye de Morgeot and Chassagne Montrachet Clos St Marc. Production is now around 70,000 cases across 65 different appellations, 85 percent in white wine. Included in the production are his own vineyards which cover 15 hectares in Puligny, Chassagne and Meursault. Wines which are solely from Olivier Leflaive’s own vines are marked ‘Récolte du Domaine’.
