During the Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours, we spent a morning and part of the afternoon at Oliver Leflaive. The visit comprised 3 parts: (1) We started out with an extensive walk through the vineyards of Puligny Montrachet. (2) This was followed by a visit of the new winery. (3) We ended the visit in Puligny Montrachet with a wine tasting lunch at La Table de Olivier, the restaurant of Olivier Leflaive.
Olivier and Patrick Leflaive along with Sommelier Charles Devarennes were our hosts. In the wine cellar we met Franck Grux, the Directeur Technicque of Olivier Leflaive, and Philipp Grillet, Maître de Chai of Olivier Leflaive.
The Leflaive family is a longstanding Burgundian “wine” family who always could call some of the best vineyards in Burgundy their own. But it was Joseph Leflaive, grandfather of Olivier, Patrick and cousin AnneClaude (owner of Domaine Leflaive, who died very suddenly last spring) who brought the family business to a different level when he founded Domaine Leflaive.
This posting covers parts (1) and (2). Part (3) will be covered in a separate posting.
The Leflaive Family in Puligny Montrachet
Just after the First World War, Olivier’s grandfather, Joseph Leflaive, was faced with the failure of his steel factory in Saint-Etienne. His investments in Burgundy were all he had left and he decided to enlarge his wine estate. Burgundy had not yet recovered from the effect of the phylloxera epidemic, which meant that vineyards were for sale at a very low price. Joseph Leflaive was able to buy 25 hectares for his domaine.
In 1920, Joseph Leflaive started a program of replantation with better adapted root stock, and progressively started to sell wine under his own label rather than to négociants. It became a family-run operation covering some 35 hectares.
After the death of Joseph Leflaive in 1953, his son, Joseph Régis, the father of Olivier and Patrick Leflaive, was in insurance and along with his brother Vincent, decided to take over the rein of Domaine Leflaive. The estate soon began producing top-flight wines.
In 1973, Domaine Leflaive was given a company structure to avoid splitting it up with subsequent inheritance, with the family members becoming the shareholders. Joseph Régis had 5 children and Vincent Leflaive had 3 children. Joseph Régis and Vincent Leflaive continued to manage the company.
Olivier Leflaive
Oliver Leflaive is one of the 5 children of Joseph Régis. Initially, he pursued a career in TV and radio for 10 years. In 1982, he joined his uncle Vincent Leflaive to co-manage Domaine Leflaive.
In 1984, Olivier Leflaive launched his own company Olivier Leflaive Frères, which we visited, with the help of his uncle Vincent and his brother Patrick. He quickly established his own reputation amongst Burgundy’s finest.
In 1990, Anne-Claude Leflaive replaced her father Vincent Leflaive in the management of Domaine Leflaive.
In 1994, the share holderss of Domaine Leflaive, i.e. the family Leflaive decided to give the management of Domaine Leflaive to Anne-Claude Leflaive. Olivier Leflaive left Domaine Leflaive and focused henceforth on his own company, Olivier Leflaive Frères, which he had already launched 10 years before.
Maison Olivier Leflaive Frères
Olivier Leflaive founded his own company Olivier Leflaive Frères, which we visited, with the help of his uncle Vincent and his brother Patrick, in In 1984. His brother Patrick invested in the business and became co-owner. His uncle Vincent also invested and acted in an advisory capacity, introducing him to winegrowers, and eventually to Jean-Marc Boillot who became his winemaker from 1984 to 1988.
Together, they brought this haute-couture business to life.
In 1988, Franck Grux took over as a winemaker and still holds this role today. Franck Grux was a young and talented winemaker who had been working at the Domaine Roulot in Meursault. He rapidly became Olivier’s right-hand man. Over the two past decades, he was able to establish a strong, long-term relationships with the best growers in the region.
Olivier Leflaive Frères is known today as a négociant (a wine buyer and seller) of high quality with a focus on the whites from the famous villages of Puligny, Chassagne and Meursault. Olivier Leflaive is continuously expanding and has acquired several vineyards that allow the Domaine to develop and build up its range of Domaines Wines alongside the négoce business.
In 1997, Olivier Leflaive Frères opened the Table d’Olivier Leflaive, Burgundy’s first table d’hôte enabling.
In 2001, Olivier Leflaive Frères extended its expertise to the Chablis AOC. In the same year, Olivier’s brother Patrick Leflaive, one of the initial investors, joined the company as President.
As numbers of diners grow, in 2006, Olivier Leflaive decided to open La Maison d’Olivier Leflaive, a 4 star hotel, to allow guests to stay longer in Puligny Montrachet.
2010, after several long years, Olivier and Patrick received their family legacy in the form of some fabulous terroirs:
– Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru
– Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
– Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles
– Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières
– Meursault 1er Cru Blagny Sous le Dos d’Âne
In the same year, Oliver Leflaive retired from Olivier Leflaive Frères.
In the Vineyards of Puligny-Montrachet
We started our visit with a vineyard walk. We (with other visitors of Olivier Leflaive) walked about a kilometer from La Maison d’Olivier Leflaive to the vineyards of Puligny-Montrachet.
Charles Devarennes: Our daily mission is to produce top quality grapes. This involves a sustainable approach to working the vines, and also supporting our partner winegrowers in cultivating their plots using an organic or biodynamic approach. We have not any organic certification as we don’t hesitate to use chemical treatment if it’s really necessary.
The harvest is entirely manual and the grapes are picked with the utmost respect for the plant. Harvesting by machine is to be avoided at all costs as it damages the vines and can never match the skill and judgment of a human being.
In the Cellar of Olivier Leflaive
From the vineyards, we walked back to La Maison d’Olivier Leflaive and from there to the new production facility. The whole group was split up into two and Olivier Leflaive took one group and Patrick Leflaive took the ot group. We were with Patrick Leflaive.
During the tour of the wine cellar, we met Franck Grux, the Directeur Technicque of Olivier Leflaive, and Philipp Grillet, Maître de Chai.
Olivier Leflaive: Although the quality of the harvest is key, vinification and ageing also play a major role in bringing out the essence of each appellation. Franck Grux and Philippe Grillet make it their daily task to ensure the quality of the wines and respect for the terroir. As such, the estate’s approach is to treat each cuvée individually.
Olivier Leflaive: We vinify and age the equivalent of 120 hectares of vines (including 17 of our own), the majority of which are white wines from the three prestigious Côte de Beaune villages of Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet and Meursault, as well as from Chablis and the Côte Chalonnaise.
Lunch and Wine Tasting at La Table de Olivier
From the production facility, we walked back to La Maison d’Olivier Leflaive, where we had lunch cum wine tasting with Olivier and Patrick Leflaive joining us for part of the lunch. The lunch will be covered in a separate posting.
Postings: Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours:From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History (Published and Forthcoming Postings)
Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours: From Lyon to Reims - Wine, Food, Culture and History
Dinner at a Bouchon - Chez Paul - in Lyon: Schiller’s Favorite Bouchons in Lyon, France
Introduction to the Burgundy Wine Region at Antic Wine in Lyon with Flying Sommelier Georges Dos Santos - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch at L’Auberge du Pont de Collonges, Paul Bocuse’s Iconic Restaurant in Collonges au Mont d’Or, France - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
In the Most Prestigious AOC in the Mâconnais: Pouilly-Fuissé, France
Vineyard Walk, Cellar Walk and Tasting at Domaine Ferret in Fuissé, Poully Fuissé, Mâconnais, with Winemaker Audrey Braccini - Burgundy (and Champagne) 2016 Tour by ombiasy WineTours
Visit and Tasting at Domaine Georges Descombes in Vermont, Villié-Morgon, Beaujolais - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Lunch at Restaurant Le Mercurey in Mercurey - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
At Domaine Theulot-Juillot in Mercurey, Côte Chalonnaise, with Nathalie Theulot - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour of Château de Rully and Tasting of Domaine du Château de Rully Wines, with Count Raoul de Ternay - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Michel Prunier & Fille in Auxey Duresses, Côte de Beaune - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Where Robert Parker likes to Eat: Lunch at La Crémaillère in Auxey-Duresses - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Vineyard Walk in Meursault with Karoline Knoth - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at the 1 Michelin Star Restaurant Ed.Em in Chassagne Montrachet - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours
Maison Olivier Leflaive in Puligny Montrachet, Côte de Beaune: Vineyard Walk and Cellar Tour with Olivier and Patrick Leflaive along with Sommelier Charles Devarennes
Wine Pairing Lunch at Restaurant La Table d’Olivier Leflaive in Puligny Montrachet
Visit of the Hospice de Beaune
Lunch at Brasserie le Carnot in Beaune
Tour of the Ancient Cellars and Tasting at Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune, Côte de Beaune
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Beaune, Bourgogne
An American in Burgundy: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Dublère in Savigny lès Beaune with Owner/ Winemaker Blair Pethel
Charcuterie and Cheese Paired with 12 Burgundy Wines at La Maison de Maurice in Beaune with Maurice Marle
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Faiveley in Nuits-Saint-George, Côte de Nuits
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Jean-Jacques Confuron in Prémeaux-Prissey Côte de Nuits with Louis Meunier
Lunch at Restaurant La Cabotte in Nuits-Saint-George
Visit and Tasting at Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair in Nuits-Saint-George with Thibault Liger-Belair
Visit of Château du Clos de Vougeot
Where the Most Expensive Red Wines Come from: Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Anne Gros in Vosne-Romanée, Côte de Nuits
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Guillon & Fils in Gevrey-Chambertin, Côte de Nuits, with Jean-Michel Guillon
An Institution: Lunch at Restaurant Chez Guy in Gevrey-Chambertin
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Armelle et Bernhard Rion in Vosne-Romanée, Côte de Nuits, with Alice Rion
Tour at the Fontenay Abbey (Bernard de Clairveau), Montbard
Wine Pairing Lunch, Cellar Visit, Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Domaine Jean Marc Brocard in Préhy, Chablis
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars and other Wine Venues in Chablis, France
Champagne – An Introduction, France
French Champagne Houses and German Roots
Visit and Tasting at the Grower Champagne House Champagne Jean Josselin in Gyé sur Seine, Champagne, with Jean Pierre Josselin, his Wife and Sharona Tsubota
Cellar Visit and Tasting at the Champagner House AR Lenoble in Epernay, Champagne, with Export Manager Christian Holthausen
Cellar Visit and Tasting at the Champagner House Taittinger in Reims, Champagne
Lunch at Brasserie Flo in Reims
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