Domaine Leflaive: A Burgundy Legend at Exceptional Prices

Olivier Leflaive Les Sétilles — Bourgogne Blanc, Burgundy 2023

Olivier Leflaive is one of Burgundy's most respected négociant-éleveurs, founded in 1984 in Puligny-Montrachet by a member of the legendary Leflaive family — one of the most storied names in white Burgundy. The maison specializes in white wines from the Côte de Beaune and is known for sustainable farming and minimal-intervention winemaking. Les Sétilles — named for the small stones found in the vineyards — is the flagship entry-level wine and one of the most consistently praised value Burgundies on the market. While technically labeled as a Bourgogne Blanc, the fruit is sourced primarily from vineyards in Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, two of the Côte de Beaune's most celebrated white wine villages. The result is a wine with the DNA of much more expensive village-level Burgundy at a fraction of the price — a genuine insider's choice for those who know.

The nose offers aromas of white flowers, peach, grilled almond, and lemon peel on a mineral-tinged background, with appealing Granny Smith apple and nectarine fruit and a hint of white blossom. The attack is full and warm on the palate, with a surprisingly fresh texture for the vintage — lively acidity driving spicy, bitter citrus through to an elegantly long and lasting finish. Astonishing quality given the volume of production.

Decanter 90 — "Appealing Granny Smith apple and nectarine fruit aroma with a hint of white blossom. Surprisingly fresh texture for the vintage, and an elegantly lovely finish — astonishing quality given the volume of production."

Wine Spectator 90 — "Peach, almond, toasty oak and earth notes highlight this plush white. Backed by lively acidity that drives the spicy, bitter citrus finish. Fine balance and length."

• Producer: Olivier Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet, Burgundy, France
• Vintage: 2023
• Appellation: Bourgogne Blanc AOC
• Fruit Sources: Puligny-Montrachet & Meursault vineyards
• Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
• Size: 750ml
• Tasting Notes: White flowers, peach, grilled almond, lemon peel, Granny Smith apple, nectarine, mineral, lively acidity, long finish
• Drink: Now through 2028
• Best Paired With: Lobster with drawn butter, seared scallops, grilled fish, roast chicken with tarragon, veal, Brie, aged Comté, light cream pasta

Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault fruit at a Bourgogne Blanc price — Les Sétilles is Burgundy's best-kept secret and one of the great white wine values under $40.

Olivier Leflaive · Bourgogne Blanc Les Sétilles · 2022

Chardonnay | Burgundy, France | 375ml Half Bottle

Producer & Terroir

Les Sétilles draws on vineyards within the communes of Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault, each contributing roughly half of the final blend. Multiple plots bring complexity to this Bourgogne Blanc, presented here in a convenient 375ml half bottle.

Tasting Profile

James Suckling’s 2022 review describes a crisp, lively Chardonnay with apple, lemon zest and mineral tang, gaining toasted almond and butter notes as it opens. Medium-bodied and balanced, it offers a detailed white Burgundy experience in a smaller format.

Expert Review · Vintage 2022

James Suckling, 92 Points: Very snappy and crisp on first sip, this gains depth and complexity in toasted almonds and butter as it opens. Alive with crisp apples, lemon zest and a mineral tang that gives a very lively texture and great balance. Medium-bodied. Blended from 60 sites in the region, it was partially barrel fermented.

Winemaker Description

Winemaker Description: Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc Les Sétilles (family garden) has become one of the most popular items in the entire Frederick Wildman portfolio. Year in/ year out this wine represents impeccable quality and unsurpassed value in the French wine category. This wine exceeds expectations of even the most discriminating of palates.

Les Sétilles is sourced from vineyards within the communes of Puligny Montrachet and Meursault, with each village representing roughly half of the final blend. Grapes are sourced from multiple plots within each village in an effort to maximize complexity of the final wine.

Vintage consistency is the goal with this wine so the blending of lots and aging technique will vary according. Roughly 60% of the wine is aged in Allier oak, only 10% of which is new. The remaining 40% of the wine is aged in stainless steel to preserve clean varietal character.

Food Pairings & Serving

Our suggestions: roast chicken, pan-seared fish or mushroom dishes. Serve chilled, allowing a little time in the glass to explore the developing almond and butter notes described in the review.

Wine Details

• Producer: Olivier Leflaive
• Cuvée: Les Sétilles
• Vintage: 2022
• Appellation: Bourgogne Blanc
• Region: Burgundy, France
• Grape: Chardonnay
• Vineyard sources: Communes of Puligny-Montrachet and Meursault
• Style: White wine
• Size: 375ml Half Bottle
• Rating: James Suckling, 92 Points (2022)

Our Professional Review

Bart of 67Wine.com writes | Beautifully sculpted and finely detailed, this delicious village white Burgundy has a terrific bouquet of white orchard fruits, wildflowers and lemon zest. There is lovely mouth presence with layers of flavor highlighted with mineral complexity and perfectly balanced acidity. This is a wine that presents itself in the glass with elegance and sophistication, and will accompany fine dining gracefully with finesse and savoir faire!

Winemaker Description 

Tasting note

Aromas of hawthorn, acacia which evolve with age to ambre, honey and spices. A harmonious and pleasant body on the palate.
Food pairings

Ideal with the pastas and risottos with seafood, the cheeses such as the blue cheeses.

Domaine Leflaive Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru En Vigneraie Biodynamic 2023 · Burgundy, France

Producer Description

This 1er Cru Chardonnay marks a new chapter for Domaine Leflaive in Pouilly-Fuissé, showcasing the same commitment to terroir and purity that defines their iconic Côte de Beaune bottlings. Sourced from the En Vigneraie vineyard and farmed biodynamically.

The Vineyard

The En Vigneraie vineyard is a very precocious terroir situated below the Roche de Solutré, facing due south. The 0.234-hectare parcel features clay-limestone soil with very shallow depth, creating a gentle slope that produces grapes of exceptional quality.

Tasting Profile

This wine showcases a beautiful pale gold hue. The 2023 vintage is both precise and powerful, revealing notes of white peach, citrus zest, and crushed stones, wrapped in a fine mineral structure. Layers of stone fruit, citrus, and subtle floral hints are complemented by a minerality that speaks to the unique clay-limestone soil composition. Vibrant acidity and excellent balance create a rich experience with elegance and depth.

Viticulture & Winemaking

Domaine Leflaive’s holistic biodynamic approach focuses on the relationship between soil health, vineyard growth, and ecological balance, employing natural preparations and following lunar cycles to enhance the vitality of the grapes. Harvesting is entirely manual, and after decanting, the musts are transported daily to Puligny-Montrachet for fermentation and aging under the watchful eye of Domaine Leflaive’s technical team.

• Pressing: Long, gentle pneumatic pressing, 24-hour decanting, followed by settling and racking
• Fermentation: 100% in oak barrels
• Aging: 12 months in barrel, followed by 6 months in vats for preparation before bottling (15-16 months total)
• Vinification: Takes place in vats with meticulous attention to detail

Details

• Bottle Size: 750ml
• Region: Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru, Burgundy, France
• Grape: Chardonnay
• Type: White
• Farming: Biodynamic

Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet Biodynamic 2022 · Burgundy, France

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Charles Curtis MW, Decanter, 94 Points — This village-level wine is a reliable benchmark for the commune. It reflects the sunny character of the vintage with its ripe stone fruit and citrus notes, yet offers depth and complexity as well, with saline hints, flint and fresh white flowers. The texture is silky and approachable. It’s drinking now, but with enough substance to hold for five to 10 years.

Vinous, 92 Points — The 2022 Puligny-Montrachet Village has a nicely detailed bouquet of green apples. It’s a touch spicier than the Bourgogne Blanc with a trace of walnut coming through with aeration. The palate is nicely balanced with a keen line of acidity sour lemon hints and again that spice that lingers on the aftertaste.

Allen Meadows, Burghound, 90-92 Points — A markedly more floral-suffused nose features notes of cool Granny Smith apple citrus and a touch of mineral reduction. The caressing delicious and plump but agreeably energetic medium-bodied flavors possess solid depth and persistence on the balanced firm and highly refreshing finale. This is also excellent for its level and a wine that should drink well after only 3 to 4 years of keeping but age gracefully for a decade. Recommended.

Details

• Bottle Size: 750ml
• Region: Puligny-Montrachet, Burgundy, France
• Grape: Chardonnay
• Type: White
• Farming: Biodynamic

Memo Summary Notes 

The Domaine Leflaive Mâcon-Verzé "Les Chênes" 2023 is a prestigious biodynamic white Burgundy that serves as an entry point into the world of the most famous Chardonnay producer on earth. While Leflaive’s Grand Crus from Puligny-Montrachet fetch thousands, their Mâcon-Verzé wines are crafted with the same biodynamic rigor and technical precision by the same winemaking team.

The "Les Chênes" (The Oaks) is a specific vineyard within the Mâcon-Verzé appellation known for its older vines (some planted in 1935) and south-facing exposure, which produces a wine with more structure and "toasty" complexity than their standard Mâcon-Verzé.

    •    Food Pairing: Its mineral precision and creamy finish make it perfect for butter-poached lobster, grilled scallops, or a rich vegetable tart.

    •    Cheese: Pairs exceptionally well with Chèvre (goat cheese) or a younger Comté.

Winemaker Description 

Clay-limestone terroir with little depth before reaching the bedrock. Gentle to very steep slopes. Surface area: 3.43 ha located in the heart of the Verzé valley, "Les Chênes" comprises two south-west-facing parcels.

The vines are cultivated biodynamically.

Harvesting is entirely manual, and pressing is carried out in Verzé. After decanting, the musts are transported daily to Puligny- Montrachet for fermentation and ageing, under the watchful eye of Domaine Leflaive's technical team. Vinification takes place in vats, and ageing lasts from 15 to 16 months.
Pressing: Long, gentle pneumatic pressing, 24-hour decanting followed by settling.
Fermentation: 55% in stainless steel tanks, 42% in cement tanks and 3% in new oak barrels.

Ageing: After 10 months' ageing on lees in fermentation containers, the wine is racked into stainless steel tanks and aged on fine lees for 6 months. Winemaker Description. 

Domaine Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc Biodynamic 2022 · Burgundy, France

Winemaker Description

The Bourgogne Blanc from Domaine Leflaive has the particularity to only come from vineyards located in the town of Puligny, making it easily one of the best Bourgogne Blanc you could get your hands on. This is the perfect first step into the Domaine Leflaive’s unique offerings. All vineyards are farmed biodynamically.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Is a relatively refined texture while displaying fine depth and length for a wine of this level. The 20% addition of young vines from upper-level vineyards clearly helps and overall, this is excellent.

Details

• Bottle Size: 750ml
• Region: Bourgogne, Burgundy, France
• Grape: Chardonnay
• Type: White
• Farming: Organic, Biodynamic

Domaine Leflaive Meursault 1er Cru Sous Le Dos d'Ane Biodynamic 2022 · Burgundy, France

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Allen Meadows, Burghound, 95 Points — Here too the beautifully layered nose is decidedly cool with its more citrus-suffused aromas of green apple, wet stone and crushed fennel. The more refined, if slightly less concentrated, medium weight flavors flash an almost pungent minerality on the beautifully textured, bone-dry and sneaky long finale. This chiseled effort will need at least a few years of cellaring first as it’s quite tightly wound today.

Details

• Bottle Size: 750ml
• Region: Meursault 1er Cru, Burgundy, France
• Grape: Chardonnay
• Type: White
• Farming: Biodynamic

Domaine Leflaive · Mâcon-Verzé Biodynamic 2024 · Burgundy, France · 750ml

Domaine Leflaive Mâcon-Verzé brings the estate’s biodynamic approach to Chardonnay from Burgundy’s Mâconnais. The 2024 is presented here in a 750ml bottle, with supplied background on the estate’s careful vineyard work, gentle pressing, and lees aging.

Vineyard & Winemaking Notes

Clay-limestone terroir with a significant proportion of flint, characteristic of this vineyard site.

Lieu-dit located on the plateau overlooking the Verzé valley, at an altitude of 300 meters, on a gentle north-east-facing slope.

Surface: 0ha94a (2.3 acres), planted in 1965 and 1966.

Method of culture
Biodynamic Chardonnay grapes.

Manual harvesting with grape sorting and optimisation of choice of date through parcel-by-parcel ripeness monitoring.

Wine making
Long, gentle pneumatic pressing, decanting over 24 hours, then racking and running into fermentation vessels.

Alcoholic and malolactic fermentations in stainless steel vats, foudres, concrete tanks and 600L barrels (variable combination).

Aging 10 months on lees in the fermentation vessels, followed by approximately 6 months in stainless steel tanks on fine lees.

Optional fining and light filtration if necessary.

2024 Vintage ·Estate Notes

The following account discusses the estate’s season and harvest in Puligny. It is retained as broader estate context, not a specific harvest report for Mâcon-Verzé.

Working with Nature means humbly accepting its variations, challenges, and the difficulties it occasionally throws our way. This is certainly true for the 2024 vintage, which can immediately be classified as a challenging one. The year was particularly rainy: from January to October, rainfall reached one and a half times the usual amounts, and more than double the precipitation of the previous two years combined. The rain was consistent, leading to significant replenishment of groundwater. In October 2024, the old wells at Rue de l'Église and Place du Pasquier both overflowed, though fortunately only modestly.

The winter of 2023-2024 was not particularly cold, and the abundant rainfall was initially welcomed. However, spring turned out to be chilly, with minor hailstorms between mid-March and mid-April that caused no significant damage. We entered the season with a sense of apprehension.

Flowering occurred in a humid atmosphere that encouraged coulure (poor fruit set). The vine's growth was slowed by persistent cool weather. Frequent rainfall hindered vineyard work, and downy mildew quickly took hold.

The summer was mild without significant heat, and ripening was particularly slow, especially since September was also cool, rainy, and punctuated by regular thunderstorms.

Harvesting began in Puligny on September 16. The yield was modest, about half of the abundant 2023 harvest. However, we find solace in the excellent sanitary condition of the remaining grapes on the vines, suggesting that quality should still be present in this vintage

Historical Expert Review · 2022 Vintage

Wine Spectator · 91 Points · Bruce Sanderson · 2022 Vintage
"This white is harmonious and creamy in texture, featuring floral, peach, apple tart and lemon cake flavors, all buoyed by vibrant acidity. The oak treatment is subtle, with flashes of baking spices, and this ends with fine length."

This review applies to 2022, not the 2024 bottle listed here. No 2024 tasting review was supplied.

Estate Philosophy

"You have to respect the vine so that it gives its best. To work on it meticulously, with a limited number of means that lets nature express itself."

Serving & Pairing Suggestions

Serve chilled in a white wine glass. Consider seafood and shellfish, grilled or poached fish, roasted poultry, soft cheeses, or a light pasta dish with cream sauce.

Wine Details

• Producer: Domaine Leflaive
• Wine: Mâcon-Verzé
• Vintage: 2024
• Grape: Chardonnay
• Region: Mâconnais, Burgundy
• Country: France
• Farming designation listed: Biodynamic
• Bottle size: 750ml

Entirely located in the town of Puligny, this Grand Cru was first mentioned back in 1397 when the abbey of Maizière purchased some of it. Old records mentioned that this plot might have been planted with gamay and pinot noir a few hundred years ago. When Dr. Lavalle published his classification of Bourgogne back in 1855, the climat was already planted to Chardonnay.  The 2023 vintage was generous in quantity and balanced in quality, following the excellent 2022. A mild, dry winter was followed by a cool, wet spring that helped recharge water reserves. 

An exceptional white Burgundy from Domaine Leflaive, the 2023 Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru showcases the elegance, precision, and extraordinary complexity of one of Burgundy’s most prestigious vineyard sites. Crafted from Chardonnay grown in Puligny-Montrachet, this remarkable Grand Cru combines refined opulence, silky texture, vibrant acidity, and captivating minerality, delivering a beautifully balanced wine with impressive depth and aging potential.

Expert Ratings

96 Points – Wine Spectator: A ripe white, this exudes peach, pineapple, mango, and apple tart aromas and flavors. Toasted brioche and a range of baking spice notes emerge as this expands on the kaleidoscopic aftertaste. Starts out broad but gains focus and finesse on the aftertaste. Best from 2027 through 2037.

95 Points – Vinous: The 2023 Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru has a stern, backward, petrichor- and limestone-scented bouquet that is quite Zen-like after the range of Premier Crus. The palate is fresh and vibrant with a silver bead of acidity, gaining weight in the mouth and very saline on the finish, with hints of orange zest on the aftertaste. Excellent.

95 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: The 2023 Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is a full-bodied, dense, and ample wine evocative of peach, orange oil, honeycomb, buttered toast, and white flowers. Structured and imposing, it combines generous richness with remarkable depth and complexity, promising to reward bottle aging.

93–95 Points – Burghound: Sourced from the Domaine’s oldest vines, this outstanding Grand Cru offers beautifully textured, concentrated, and full-bodied flavors with focused power. A pronounced bitter-lemon character carries through to an exceptionally long finish, highlighting the wine’s impressive structure, intensity, and potential for extended aging.

92-94 Prominent honeysuckle aromas add a touch of breadth to the equally ripe yet somehow more elegant nose of spicy and exotic jasmine tea and gardenia. There is again very good detail and a highly appealing underlying tension to the gorgeously textured flavors that exhibit focused power on the superbly long, balanced and compact finale. This is also built to age a decade or more but in this case, it could reasonably be approached after only 4 to 5 years.  

Vintage 2024 also available - Text Us at 212-724-6767 for special offer price.

Rich yet exquisitely refined, the wine opens with aromas of white flowers, ripe peach, pear, orange zest, and delicate pastry, complemented by crushed limestone and subtle earthy nuances. The palate is silky and concentrated, balancing generous stone-fruit flavors with bright acidity and a distinctive saline minerality. Layers of honeycomb, toasted brioche, and gentle spice lead to a long, harmonious finish of remarkable finesse. A magnificent expression of Grand Cru Chardonnay, offering both immediate sophistication and outstanding potential for graceful evolution in the cellar.

An exceptional white Burgundy from one of the region’s most celebrated producers, the 2023 Domaine Leflaive Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru combines extraordinary concentration, refined elegance, vibrant acidity, and profound mineral complexity. Crafted from Chardonnay grapes in the Côte de Beaune, this prestigious Grand Cru is a powerful yet beautifully balanced wine with remarkable aging potential.

Expert Ratings

98 Points – Vinous: The 2023 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru has a little more intensity on the nose than the Bienvenue, with touches of struck flint, cold stone, and light Granny Smith apple scents that are tightly coiled and unfold with aeration. The palate is crisp and taut, much more mineral-driven than the Bienvenue, with a truly complex and persistent finish that is a joy to behold. This riveted me to the spot and is one of the finest expressions of this holding that I have encountered in over 25 years of tasting at Leflaive.

98 Points – Wine Spectator: Taut and intense, featuring lime blossom, citronella, oyster shell, hazelnut, vanilla, and pastry aromas and flavors, this white is driven by its laser-like acidity. Balanced, with a seemingly endless finish that echoes the complex flavors and leaves you wanting more.

96 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: Notes of orange oil, pear, and peach mingle with hints of nutmeg, clear honey, and buttered toast, introducing Leflaive’s 2023 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Full-bodied, dense, and blocky, it is broad-shouldered and multidimensional, with an unctuous attack, a deep mid-palate, and a broad, expansive finish.

Rich and powerful yet remarkably refined, with aromas of ripe pear, white peach, citrus zest, and delicate white flowers, layered with toasted hazelnut, subtle spice, and crushed limestone. The palate is full-bodied and beautifully textured, balancing luscious orchard fruit with vibrant acidity and profound mineral complexity. A long, elegant finish reveals hints of citrus, saline freshness, and finely integrated oak. A magnificent expression of Grand Cru Chardonnay with outstanding aging potential.

Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon Biodynamic 2022 · Burgundy, France

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

Charles Curtis MW, Decanter, 94 Points — This emblematic premier cru is a lovely introduction to Domaine Leflaive, with hints of passionfruit, pomelo, coconut milk, spice and smoke. The texture is lush with extract, but there is enough acidity to bring everything into balance. Although this 2022 doesn’t show the same intensity or concentration of the other premier cru wines, the combination of ripe fruit and smoky reductive notes make it a tempting wine for mid-term cellaring.

Allen Meadows, Burghound, 92-94 Points — There is just enough reduction to push the fruit to the background though a whiff of floral character can be discerned. On the palate there is both more volume and concentration to the beautifully textured middleweight flavors that are also appealingly vibrant and particularly so on the complex balanced and impressively long finale. This is notably better than it usually is and a wine that should amply repay a decade or so of keeping.

Neal Martin, Vinous, 91 Points — The 2022 Puligny-Montrachet Clavaillon 1er Cru is much more backward and rocky on the nose; sea spray and crustacea come through with aeration. The palate is fresh and malic with plenty of energy. It is a little spicy towards the finish with a persistent peppery aftertaste. The palate was more expressive on the day that I tasted it though it seemed just a couple of paces behind Leflaive's other Premier Crus. Cellar for two or three years.

Details

• Bottle Size: 750ml
• Region: Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru, Burgundy, France
• Grape: Chardonnay
• Type: White
• Farming: Biodynamic