Olivier Leflaive : Puligny-Montrachet Village 2023

Characteristics and Tasting Notes of the Puligny-Montrachet Village 2023 by Olivier Leflaive

Tasting

Color

The Puligny-Montrachet Village 2023 typically shows a pale straw-yellow color with green tints, bright and clear, reflecting careful settling of the juice and attentive barrel aging.

Nose

The nose opens with an intense burst of yellow citrus, reminiscent of lemon and grapefruit, joined by subtle notes of Japanese grapefruit, humus, and fern. Hints of flint and spice, brought by elegant reduction, add further intensity and intrigue to the bouquet.

Palate

On the palate, the wine is direct and deep, combining real power with a vibrant, energetic drive. Medium-bodied yet racy, it carries pure white fruit flavors through to an incisive, intensely aromatic finish marked by remarkable complexity and a lightly phenolic lift.

Food and wine pairings

This Puligny-Montrachet Village pairs well with delicate white fish served with a butter-based sauce, such as sole, as well as fine shellfish like scallops or langoustine. It also complements white meats served with a cream and mushroom sauce.

A Puligny-Montrachet Village Marked by Citrus Energy and Mineral Precision

The Estate

Olivier Leflaive is a family-run wine house rooted in Puligny-Montrachet, in the heart of Burgundy's Côte de Beaune. Built over the past four decades around inherited and acquired vineyards, the house today owns 26 hectares across 82 climats in Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, and Chassagne-Montrachet, complemented by a négociant network reaching nearly every appellation of the Côte de Beaune, Côte Chalonnaise, and Chablis. Today led by family members Patrick, Olivier, and Vincent Leflaive, the house is HVE level 3 certified and known for fresh, structured white wines that reflect the character of each individual terroir.

The Vineyard

The grapes for this cuvée come from the Puligny-Montrachet appellation, on the lower part of the slope between Meursault to the north and Chassagne-Montrachet to the south. The soil is brown, clay-limestone, and notably stony, with vineyards sitting between 230 and 250 meters in altitude. The cuvée draws on fruit from a wide range of climats within the appellation, from vines with an average age of 40 years, farmed sustainably and harvested entirely by hand.

The Vintage

The 2023 vintage stands as one of the warmest on record, with temperatures well above seasonal averages and a significant water deficit during the growing season. Disease pressure was notably high, leading to uneven ripening across plots that made harvest timing difficult to anticipate. The crop proved generous, allowing for thorough sorting at harvest to preserve fruit quality despite the challenging conditions.

Winemaking and aging

The Puligny-Montrachet Village 2023 is made from whole clusters, pressed and left to settle for 24 hours before both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation take place entirely in oak barrels. Aging lasts 18 months in total, including 12 months in barrel, 20 % of which are new oak, followed by 6 months in stainless steel tank for blending ahead of bottling. The wine reaches 13 % alcohol by volume.

Grape Varieties

This wine is produced from 100 % chardonnay.