Domaine Leflaive
While there are many excellent wineries in Puligny-Montrachet, mnay people would name Domaine Leflaive as one of their top choices. The wines here have been produced for over a century on rue de l'Église, located in the village's old town.
The winery's flagship variety is Chardonnay. In addition to four Grand Cru wines, five Premier Cru wines, one Village Cuvée, and one regional Bourgogne wine, the estate also owns vineyards in the Mâconnais region, which it has been developing since 2004.
Thanks to the introduction of biodynamic farming practices across its entire estate in 1997, Domaine Leflaive has become a leader in Burgundy's biodynamic movement. Production volumes can be very low; for example, Montrachet yields only about 300 bottles per year. Furthermore, since the 2018 vintage, the estate has been operating a négociant division, expanding its reach into Chablis and the Côte de Nuits.
The history of Domaine Leflaive
Leflaives have been in Puligny-Montrachet since 1717, but the domaine as it exists today starts with Joseph Leflaive (1870-1953). Two of his sons, Vincent and Jo, took over after him.
The turning point came later. Anne-Claude Leflaive ran the estate from 1990 until her death in April 2015, and it was under her that Domaine Leflaive became a leading voice in Burgundy's biodynamic movement, with the entire property converted in 1997. At the time that was a risky position for a producer with this much to lose.
Since 2015 the estate has been managed by Brice de la Morandière. In the cellar, Pierre Morey retired in 2008 and was succeeded by Eric Remy.
Pierre Vincent arrived as general manager in 2017 and stayed until the end of 2024, when he left to run his own domaine in Auxey-Duresses. Biodynamic farming was something he had practised long before Puligny, so the handover changed less than it might have.
Twenty-two hectares, five of them grand cru
Domaine Leflaive cultivates 22 hectares of farmland in Puligny-Montrachet and the surrounding areas. Of this, 10 hectares are classified as Premier Cru and include Les Combettes, Les Pucelles, Le Clavoillon, Les Folatières, and Sous le Dos d'Âne, located in Meursault-Blagny.
In addition, a total of 5 hectares of Grand Cru vineyards are distributed across parts of Chevalier-Montrachet, Bâtard-Montrachet, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet, and Le Montrachet.
Outside the Côte de Beaune region, the family has been gradually acquiring vineyards in the Mâconnais region since 2004. Currently, these vineyards cover more than 25 hectares; while the southern region is larger than the core Puligny area in terms of operational area, it is not as well-known.
Why the Mâconnais made sense
For an estate rooted in Puligny, the acquisition of Mâconnais seemed like a somewhat unexpected move. However, from a geological perspective, this is not the case. Domaine Leflaive argues that the terroir of Mâconnais is very close to that of Puligny, and that the region has long been underrated because of this.
The Premier Cru vineyards stretch widely along the slopes of Puligny, extending beyond the boundaries into Meursault-Blagny on one side and Chassagne-Montrachet on the other. Thanks to these two adjacent communes, the region offers a much greater variety of flavors than its general reputation would suggest.
The grape varieties
Domaine Leflaive is famous for its white wines, which range from the Bourgogne Blanc Chardonnay to Grand Cru. Pinot Noir appears only in the most recently added segment of this business.
- Chardonnay: Grapes used to produce Puligny-Montrachet wine, Meursault, four Grand Cru wines, and Mâconnais bottled wines.
- Pinot Noir is used in the Esprit Leflaive line.
The winemaking
Harvesting is always carried out by hand, and the main focus thereafter is on ensuring the berries are not damaged. The grapes are transported in double-bottomed containers, sorted by hand and gently pressed to allow the must to be extracted gently. Pressing takes place slowly, sulphur is used in minimal quantities, and the must is left to settle at a low temperature. The estate is quite open about why they keep the technology to a minimum: cloudy must contains impurities, but must that is too clear produces a wine lacking in substance. The aim is to observe, understand what is happening, and adjust the process accordingly.
Ageing lasts eighteen months and two winters. First, a year in oak barrels, then six months in stainless-steel tanks. During the second winter in the tank the individual batches from single appellations are blended into a single cuvée, so to make sure the wine is bottled as a whole, not because of the late blending of the wine.
The same approach is applied to the Mâconnais wines as to the grands crus. In the La Combe vat room, the domaine also experiments with various containers, stainless steel, concrete, concrete eggs and large wooden foudres, whilst maintaining its signature style.
Three labels, one family
Domaine Leflaive categorizes its production into three types. Wines produced from the family-owned vineyard located at Puligny-Montrachet are labeled Domaine Leflaive. Wines produced in the Mâconnais are labeled Domaines Leflaive, using the plural form to subtly imply their origin. Finally, Esprit Leflaive, launched with the 2018 vintage, is a négociant line that sources grapes from a variety of origins, ranging from Côte de Beaune and Mâconnais to Chablis and Côte de Nuits.
The hierarchy within the Puligny line begins with the regional-level Bourgogne Blanc, followed by the village-level Puligny-Montrachet, then Premier Cru, and finally Grand Cru. Pucelles is one of the best-known wines among the Premier Crus. At the very top are Bâtard-Montrachet and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet, along with Chevalier-Montrachet and the limited-production Montrachet.
Wines such as Mâconnais and, from the négociant sector, Esprit Leflaive Pouilly-Fuissé represent a completely different proposition: the same Chardonnay, the same philosophy, but at a fraction of the price.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Domaine Leflaive, Domaines Leflaive and Esprit Leflaive?
Domaine Leflaive covers the family's own vines in Puligny-Montrachet. Domaines Leflaive, with an s, is used for the Mâconnais wines, and Esprit Leflaive is the négoce range launched with the 2018 vintage.
Who runs Domaine Leflaive today?
Brice de la Morandière has managed the estate since the death of Anne-Claude Leflaive in 2015.
Is Domaine Leflaive biodynamic?
Yes. The entire property was converted to biodynamic farming in 1997, under Anne-Claude Leflaive.
Does Domaine Leflaive make red wine?
Its reputation rests on white Burgundy, but the Esprit Leflaive range works with both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
