2010 Domaine Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc

The domaine’s 2010 Bourgogne is a gorgeous wine at this level. It captures all of the Leflaive signatures in a remarkably pure, crystalline interpretation of the year. Bright, saline notes frame the fruit in this precise, jewel of a wine. Readers will not want to miss this gem. If there is a relatively affordable entry-level 2010 from a top-notch domaine that captures the greatness of the vintage, this is it. Anticipated maturity: 2012+. Estate Manager Eric Remy has one of the sharpest memories of anyone I have ever met. His recall of specific dates and events is quite remarkable, so I will take advantage of that in reporting a very complete picture of the 2010 growing season. Accoring to Remy, in order to gain some insight on 2010, one has to start with the brutal frost of December 19, 2009, when temperatures dropped to a bone chilling -20C/-4F after having hovered around freezing for a few days prior. The very next day, temperatures shot up to 10C/50F. January was quite dry. A bit of snow fell in early February, but the rest of the month was dry. The last frosts at the domaine were recorded from March 10-14. The weather improved in April, especially towards the end of the month. May and June were cold. Flowering in the domine’s vineyards started on June 5th and ended between June 20 and 22. The first part of July was hot but stable, while the second part of the month was cold and humid. Unstable conditions persisted throughout August. A hailstorm with heavy thunder in Santenay on September 12 was a sign harvest time was approaching. A bit of botrytis was recorded on September 17. The harvest started on September 20. Yields came in around 45 hectoliters per hectare, pretty much in line with 2009, the only domaine I visited where that is the case. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661

Still in malo. A bit marked by fermentation and very gassy but pure and dry. Should be a great credit to the domaine, as far as I can see. Very floral. (JR)