Olivier Leflaive

Olivier Leflaive was formed in 1984 by Olivier and his brother Patrick. Unlike a conventional negociant who buys finished wines, the firm actually vinifies a wide range of Burgundian appellations from grapes and must (or juice) and now owns 15 hectares, covering some of the most prestigious Burgundy appellations, including Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, and Chassagne-Montrachet.Under the auspices of winemaker Frank Grux, since 1988, the wines are vinified exactly as they would be at any other first-class Burgundy domaine, with all the whites being barrel-fermented and being aged in small oak barriques. Olivier Leflaive is looking for elegance and finesse rather than power and ‘specularite’. There is little new-oak effect and his wines are usually attractive young. The wines are hallmarks of elegance and purity rather than muscle and are more than worthy of the famous Leflaive name. Production is now around 70,000 cases across 65 different appellations, 85 per cent in white wine. Wines which are solely from Olivier Leflaive’s own vines are marked ‘Recolte du Domaine’.