During the Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour 2018 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.
Patrick Leflaive was our host during the wine cellar tour. In the wine cellar we met Franck Grux, the Directeur Technicque of Olivier Leflaive, and Philipp Grillet, Maître de Chai of Olivier Leflaive. Patrick Leflaive also joined us for part of the wine-pairing lunch.
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 part (3). Parts (1) and (2) were already covered here: Olivier Leflaive in Puligny Montrachet: Vineyard Walk and Cellar Tour, with Patrick Leflaive - Bourgogne (and Champagne) Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2018, France
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.
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 Patrick Leflaive joining us.
We took the Repas Degustation Passion, including 9 wines (Euro90.00).
Starters
Champagne Valentin Leflaive Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Euro47.00
Gougères
Fish Course
MEURSAULT 2015 Euro50.70
SAINT-AUBIN 1er Cru Champlots 2013 Euro35.50
PULIGNY-MONTRACHET Les Enseignères 2014 Euro54.80
Cold gently roasted Salmon, Roman salad, lemon confit and leamon cream
Meat Course
MEURSAULT 1er Cru Santenots 2013 Euro66.00
CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET 1er Cru Clos Saint-Marc 2013 Euro64.00
PULIGNY-MONTRACHET 1er Cru Truffières Euro67.00
Roasted chicken supreme Label Rouge, Zucchini puree, dry ham and chorizo, hazelnut, reduced juice
Cheese Course
MEURSAULT Malporieres 2014 Euro32.50
VOLNAY 1er Cru Santenots 201 Euro44.10
Regional cheeses from Alain Hess
Dessert
Chocolate tart and blackcurrant cream
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