1996 Domaine Leflaive Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
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Tasting notes
I have notes in our database on two 1996 Bâtards, from Verget and Jean-Noël Gagnard, both 17/20. Still in the Leflaive reductive-winemaking era with the weight of the climat . Lots of pleasure. Liquorice and not so different from the Clavoillon, but exciting. Not the fatness of most Bâtards but a great wine. Almost lithe! (JR)
Critic scores
Allen Meadows, Burghound
The Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 1996 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is a great wine from the late Anne-Claude Leflaive. Yes, there is quite a heavy reduction on the nose with strong struck match notes, but it dissipates with aeration after 90 minutes. The palate has lovely weight and intensity, notes of orange peel and curd, steely and taut at first but opening with time in the glass with real precision on the finish. Do not be afraid to give this an hour's decanting. Tasted blind at 67 Pall Mall in London.
The 1996 Bâtard-Montrachet from Domaine Leflaive rounds out the whites. Sensual, subtle and finely knit, the 1996 has lost some of the energy it had as a younger wine and now speaks with more nuance. In retrospect, the 1996 would have probably shown better with a bit more air or decanting.
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