Domaines Leflaive : Pouilly-Fuissé Village 2023

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for the Pouilly-Fuissé Village 2023 from Domaine Leflaive

Tasting

Color

The color ranges from pale yellow to light gold. It is brilliant and perfectly clear.

Nose

The nose opens on mineral aromas, with stone fruit and white-fleshed fruit such as apple and pear. Citrus zest follows, along with subtle hints of hazelnut and wet chalk.

Palate

The palate is dense and structured, with an ample, silky texture. Lively acidity keeps the wine fresh and energetic. A mineral backbone brings wet stone sensations and a salty finish, which gives the wine length and persistence. Discreet oak adds nuances of dried fruit and fine pastry. When young, the wine can seem a little reserved, then gains complexity with aeration.

Food and wine pairings

This Pouilly-Fuissé pairs well with noble fish such as turbot, sole or sea bass, served with butter or light cream sauces. It also suits seared or roasted shellfish such as scallops, langoustines and lobster. Fine poultry in a creamy mushroom sauce makes another good match, as do aged hard cheeses such as Comté or Beaufort. Choose cheeses that are not too powerful, so they do not overwhelm the wine's nuances.

Serving and cellaring

Serve the Pouilly-Fuissé Village 2023 slightly chilled, at about 11 to 13°C (52 to 55°F), to preserve its tension and let its aromas develop as it warms in the glass. In its early years, decanting for 30 minutes to an hour can help the bouquet open up if the wine seems closed. A white Burgundy glass with a wide bowl and a slightly narrowed rim is ideal. According to Brice de La Morandière, director of the estate, the Pouilly-Fuissé Village 2023 is already excellent in its youth and could become truly exceptional after seven to eight years of cellaring.

A Mineral, Structured Pouilly-Fuissé from Domaine Leflaive, Vinified in Puligny-Montrachet

The Estate

Domaine Leflaive is an independent, family-owned estate in Puligny-Montrachet, in the Côte de Beaune in Burgundy. The Leflaive family has lived in the village since 1717, but the estate itself took shape in 1905, when Joseph Leflaive acquired 25 hectares of vines. Since 2015, it has been run by his great-grandson Brice de La Morandière. The estate covers roughly 24 to 26 hectares and has farmed biodynamically for more than 25 years. It has since expanded into the Mâconnais and the Hautes Côtes de Beaune, applying the same philosophy of restraint.

The Vineyard

This Pouilly-Fuissé comes from twelve Chardonnay plots around the Roche de Solutré in the Mâconnais. Brice de La Morandière describes it as a wine of several places, spread across four villages between the Roche de Solutré and the Roche de Vergisson. The plots differ in geology, altitude and exposure, with aspects ranging from north to south. The soils are clay-limestone and often shallow, so the roots quickly reach the limestone substrate. This favors a clearly mineral, taut style. The plots total 2.16 hectares (5.3 acres), planted between 1956 and 2011. The vines are farmed biodynamically by the estate's team based in Puligny-Montrachet. Biodynamic methods have been used in the estate's Mâconnais vineyards since 2014, and the 25 hectares there have been certified since 2023.

The Vintage

The 2023 growing season began with a mild, dry winter, followed by a cooler, steadier end of winter. April was temperate, with no spring frost. May was cool and rainy, which replenished the water tables. Until mid-June, days grew warmer while nights stayed cool, ideal conditions for the vines and their flowering. A short heat wave and storm threats arrived in early July, but caused no serious damage. Regular rain kept the soils fresh. Heat returned in early August with large temperature swings between day and night. From August 18 to 24, intense heat peaked at 37°C (99°F) on the 24th, followed by rain the next day. Ripeness then varied widely from plot to plot. Harvest began on August 29 with a reduced team to give the later plots more time. It sped up from September 2 as the heat wave returned. For the first time, the estate stopped picking at 2 pm. The vintage was generous in quantity and balanced in quality, and it follows an equally generous 2022.

Winemaking and aging

For the Pouilly-Fuissé Village 2023, the grapes are hand-harvested and sorted. The date of harvest is chosen plot by plot according to ripeness. After settling, the must is trucked every day to Puligny-Montrachet, where the estate's technical team oversees fermentation and aging. Pressing is pneumatic, long and gentle, followed by 24 hours of settling, then racking and filling of the containers. Roughly 25% of the wine ferments in concrete eggs and 75% in oak barrels, about 15% of them new. The wine then ages for twelve months in barrel, followed by six months in tank before bottling, in keeping with the estate's principle of two winters in the cellar. Fining is described as "homeopathic," using fish glue, and filtration is very light.

Grape Varieties

Chardonnay.