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
The supplied vineyard notes describe a specific lieu-dit without naming it. They are preserved below as supplied context, rather than confirmed specifications for every parcel contributing to this Mâcon-Verzé.
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
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