2010 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 1er Cru
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Tasting notes
It has been several years since I last tasted the 2010 Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 1er Cru. Now, at 13 years of age, it has an attractive nose, maybe not quite as "crystalline" as before, though it shows lovely white mushroom, lime and crushed stone scents. The palate is lively and poised. A killer tang of sour lemon verges on jarring towards the finish, yet somehow, it delivers fabulous tenderness and length. Excellent.
Critic scores
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Neal Martin
More reviews and scores
The 2010 Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 1er Cru is an absolute killer wine from the late Anne-Claude Leflaive. Lucid in the glass, it has a crystalline bouquet with crushed stone, a touch of oyster shell, Nashi pear and citrus peel. The terroir seems to just burst from the glass. The palate is cool, calm and collected. The acidity is nigh pitch perfect, the tension palpable from start to finish. This is a live-ware Les Pucelles: edgy and citrus fresh, yet utterly composed and befitting a wine that frankly is Grand Cru in all but name. Tasted at Fook Lam Moon in Hong Kong.
(I tasted a pre-bottling sample): Bright yellow. Sexy aromas of peach, spices, minerals and nut oil. Densely packed and powerful but a bit perturbed in its current form, with a recent SO2 addition accentuating the wine's acidity. Subtle notes of white pepper and wild herbs emerge with air to complicate the white peach and mineral flavors. Very juicy wine with superb depth and inner-mouth tension. Finishes with atypical energy for this cuvee and sneaky length.
About the producer
Domaine Leflaive is arguably Burgundy’s most famous white wine producer, setting the benchmark for top-quality Chardonnay in the Côte de Beaune and the world. The property is the largest land-owner in Puligny-Montrachet, with extensive holdings in the village and five hectares of Grand Cru vineyards