Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon 2011
- Vintage
- 2011
- Country
- France
- Region
- Burgundy,Cote de Beaune
- Size
- 750ml
- Rating
- WS94, WA93
- Grape
- Chardonnay
Terrific from start to finish, this white starts out with lime blossom, apple, citronella and mineral aromas and flavors. Creamy yet fluid, intense yet airy, with harmony and a long aftertaste of citrus and stone. Best from 2016 through 2026. - WS94
Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. The Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon 2011 from Anne-Claude Laflaive has convincing pedigree on the nose: fine minerality here and impressive delineation, touches of slate unfurling in the glass. The palate has a slightly honeyed entry and it is more exotic than the nose suggests with hints of orange rind and sour lemon dovetailing into lively chalky textured finish. This has great potential, so I would cellar for 2 or 3 years if you can resist. Drink:2016~2035 - WA93
THE FOUNDING OF THE DOMAINE
Joseph Leflaive (1870-1953) graduated from the Ecole Polytechnique at age 20. An engineer in the marine engineering corps, he participated in particular in the design and creation of the first French submarine.
Then his marriage to Camille Biétrix du Villars, from the Dauphiné, changed his career. He ran the La Chaléassière metallurgical factory, at the same time looking after the family vines in Puligny-Montrachet.
At the time, this was a viticultural inheritance that had suffered from the phylloxera crisis, was not very extensive, and whose products were sold to the region's wine merchants.
Starting in 1920, Joseph Leflaive undertook a programme of replanting, extension and enhancement of the vineyard - with the help of his estate manager and friend François Virot (1890-1964). Together, they chose new rootstocks that were better adapted to each parcel of land, joseph Leflaive gradually began selling his wine under his own label and to his private clientele.