Critic ratings
robert_parker
2015
Rating:
92
–92
The 2015 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières is a very nice example of the vintage, wafting from the glass with a generous bouquet of buttered apples, citrus zest, white flowers and a lavish framing of nutty new oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, rich and flavorful with a textural attack, chewy mid-palate and succulent acids. The finish is long and racy, though this is definitely a ripe, buxom rendition of Folatières which is very characteristic of the vintage. Note that this tasting note applies to the négociant bottling, as distinct from Olivier Leflaive's domaine version from the vines formerly part of Domaine Leflaive.
robert_parker
2014
Rating:
90
–90
Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting, the 2014 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières demonstrated a lot of reduction on the nose, and it was difficult to discern the terroir underneath. The palate is balanced, concentrated and slightly honeyed, suggesting a later picking than its peers. It is rounded in the mouth with Clementine and tangerines toward the finish. I suspect it will improve with a couple more years in bottle.
robert_parker
2012
Rating:
90
–90
I tasted the domaine bottling of the 2012 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatieres, i.e. taken back from Anne-Claude’s holdings toward Les Caillerets. It has an attractive, floral bouquet with scents of Peach Melba and yellow flowers, all well-defined. The palate is well-balanced with a crisp line of acidity, hints of orange sorbet and fresh lime with a nicely composed finish. There is a touch of spice on the aftertaste. This is very fine and should be worth seeking after bottling.
The Leflaive family has been a fixture within Burgundy for over 18 generations since as far back as 1635. When Olivier Leflaive’s father became ill in 1980, he commenced his tenure at Domaine Leflaive with uncle Vincent, the father of Anne-Claude and he remained there until 1994. “I was a little...bored,” Olivier admits, his trademark cowhide hat rested upon the table. “So in 1985 I created Olivier Leflaive with the help of Vincent and my brother Patrick. I wanted to make wines beyond Puligny and I wanted to make red wines. At the beginning I had no holdings of my own and I was buying in grapes. With the profits I was able to buy vineyards. Now we have around 15 hectares covering 90 different appellations.” Olivier Leflaive has retired from the front line nowadays, though having said that, I suspect that, a bit like Jacques Lardiere ex-Louis Jadot, his heart is too embedded within the domaine to extricate himself completely. His son-in-law Jean Soubeyrand has taken over has director-general and he has a tough job on his hands dealing with a web of contracted growers that occupy another 25 hectares. They have been moving step-by-step toward organic viticulture in recent years, though both Jean and Olivier seemed rather skeptical about biodynamics, even if they agreed that nothing bad can come from it, only good. With challenging vintages fresh in their mind, they want to resort to normal protective sprays when absolutely necessary. Of course, the exceptions are the parcels taken back from Anne-Claude Leflaive in 2009, which they continue to farm biodynamically since they had been handled that way before. Readers should also note that, for the first time, their 2012 whites are bottled under DIAM. They would have required less DIAMs than normal since production plummeted by 50% in 2012, including the complete absence of some of their flagship labels. Olivier Leflaive is an interesting enterprise, very different to that of Anne-Claude Leflaive. Whereas Anne-Claude is devoted – some might say obsessively – to the vineyard and the tenets of Rudolf Steiner (and there is nothing wrong with that if it manifests wondrous wines), Olivier Leflaive’s focus is more upon offering consistency from vintage to vintage – wines that for Burgundy can achieve comparatively high volumes in thousands of cases, not to mention a bustling restaurant and hotel in the heart of Puligny that borrows its marketing style more from the Napa Valley than parochial Burgundy. Chez Olivier Leflaive, tourist are welcome with open arms, as I witnessed for myself as Olivier flitted from table to table during lunch, chatting with guests and posing for the occasional iPhone photo. With respect to the quality of the wines, well, they have never been what you might call “top tier” Burgundy whites, and there has always been a commercial feel to even the top grand crus that might preclude them from the rarefied atmosphere of Anne-Claude or even say, Jacques Carillon, that I visited the same morning. These are the kinds of wines I can imagine been glugged with pleasure in wine bars from New York to London to Tokyo. Discerning oenophiles might eschew them for Anne-Claude’s wines over the road, but then again, not everyone wants to pay the price and not everyone has the means. So while in the cold light of day, my scores might seem parsimonious, there is another part of me, perhaps the more mercantile part, that understands that Olivier Leflaive’s wines fill a niche that other growers do not have the capacity for.
Importer: Frederic Wildman and Corney & Barrow (UK)
robert_parker
2010
Rating:
90
–90
The 2010 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres jumps from the glass with hints of white flowers, honey, spices and yellow stone fruits. It combines the energy of the Pucelles with the softer, more generous expression of the Champ Gain, one of the Puligny bottlings in Leflaive's negociant line. Anticipated maturity: 2012+.
Olivier Leflaive's domaine lineup will be getting a big boost in the next few years with the addition of parcels in Sous le Dos d-Ane, Pucelles, Folatieres, Chevalier-Montrachet, and Batard-Montrachet that previously were part of the Domaine Leflaive holdings. In addition, Olivier Leflaive continues with a negociant operation, whose wines are reviewed separately to avoid confusion. Overall, I find the Domaine Olivier Leflaive bottlings more interesting than the Maison wines. All of these 2010s are fairly open and accessible. The best wines may hold for some time, but I don't think cellaring will result in meaningfully more complexity.
Importer: Frederick Wildman and Sons Ltd, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700
robert_parker
1997
Rating:
87
–88
Maison Leflaive has sold its entire production of 1997 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres to its US importer. Its earth and honeyed nose is followed by a well-crafted medium body. This honeysuckle-flavored wine has traces of sur-maturite in its dense, velvety, and rich core of fruit. Drink it over the next 4 years.
Importer: Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; tel (212) 355-0700.
robert_parker
1992
Rating:
88
–88
This firm has dramatically improved the quality of its winemaking. Olivier Leflaive brought in the talented Frank Greux, and the quality of their wine since 1989 has gone from one strength to another. In 1992 several of the wines will be bottled unfiltered. With three consecutive good vintages, Olivier Leflaive is now a name to be considered seriously.
The Les Champs Gains is more subtle and restrained than the 1992 Puligny-Montrachet-Les Folatieres, a bigger, thicker, richer wine, with a citrusy, apple, honey-scented nose, and excellent richness and definition. Its long finish displays adequate acidity and plenty of glycerin, fruit, and alcohol.
Importer:Frederick Wildman and Co., New York, NY
robert_parker
1990
Rating:
90
–90
No specific tasting note.
This firm has dramatically improved the quality of its winemaking. Olivier Leflaive brought in the talented Frank Greux, and the quality of their wine since 1989 has gone from one strength to another. In 1992 several of the wines will be bottled unfiltered. With three consecutive good vintages, Olivier Leflaive is now a name to be considered seriously.
Importer:Frederick Wildman and Co., New York, NY
vinous
2017
Rating:
94
–94
The 2017 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières 1er Cru sports a very discreet reduction, but the mineralité and tension shine through here; quintessentially Puligny, with green apples and a light petrichor scent. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. The new oak lends a slight sweetness, but it feels in sync with the fruit. Taut and fresh on the finish, this is a delicious La Folatières in the making, but it needs 3–4 years to absorb the wood. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting in Savigny-lès-Beaune.
robert_parker
2017
Rating:
91
–91
Offering up aromas of fresh peach, candied peel, beeswax, pear and fresh pastry, the 2017 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and textural, with good concentration, lively acids and a nicely defined finish. It can't match the "Récolte du Domaine" Folatières this year—but nor, for that matter, can many other bottlings of Folatières. It's bottled under Diam 10.
robert_parker
2002
Rating:
88
–89
The 2002 Puligny-Montrachet Folatieres is earth and mineral-scented. Light to medium-bodied, tight, and linear, it has excellent depth, freshness, and length. This lively, focused effort should be drunk over the next 3-4 years.
Importer: Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700
robert_parker
1997
Rating:
87
–88
Maison Leflaive has sold its entire production of 1997 Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres to its US importer. Its earth and honeyed nose is followed by a well-crafted medium body. This honeysuckle-flavored wine has traces of sur-maturite in its dense, velvety, and rich core of fruit. Drink it over the next 4 years.
Importer: Frederick Wildman & Sons, New York, NY; tel (212) 355-0700.
