100% Chardonnay grown in calcareous clay soils on vines with an average age of 40 years. 100% Biodynamic viticulture with manual harvesting and grape sorting. Long, gentle pneumatic pressing, debourbage over 24 hours, then racking and running the must into cask. Alcoholic fermentation in oak casks, 25% new (maximum 1/2 Vosges, minimum 1/2 Allier). Aged 12 months in cask, placed in tank for 6 months, then prepared for bottling. Homeopathic fining and very light filtering at bottling, if necessary.

Founded in 1717, Domaine Leflaive has long been considered one of the most highly regarded white wine growers in Burgundy. Currently under the stewardship of Anne-Claude Leflaive, the Domaine’s conversion to biodynamic farming in 1990 has produced remarkable results, raising the standard for one of the world’s greatest wines even higher.

The Leflaive family can trace its roots in Burgundy back more than 400 years, when Marc Le Flayve lived in Cissey, not far from Beaune. Nearly two centuries later, in 1717, his descendent Claude Leflaive took up residence in Puligny and married a girl from the village. Claude became one of the first vignerons on record in Puligny, and his house on the Place du Monument became the family’s headquarters for 10 generations, all linked to the vineyards surrounding Puligny-Montrachet. Over the next 200 years, the family’s land was divided with each new generation due to French inheritance laws. Among those to receive a parcel was Joseph Leflaive, who inherited the family headquarters and a mere 2 hectares (5 acres) of vines in 1905. He was a brilliant student and at the age of 20 became a maritime engineer, later taking part in the construction of the first French submarine. Despite his maritime career, Joseph retained strong ties to his heritage, and over the years, he gradually built up the family’s vineyard holdings.

In the aftermath of the phylloxera and oidium epidemics of the late 19th century, numerous vineyard owners began selling their land. This was a golden opportunity for Joseph, who acquired parcels in exceptional “climats,” or “specific vineyard sites”: Le Chevalier, Le Batard, Les Bienvenues, Les Pucelles and Le Clavoillon. By 1926, he had increased the domaine to 20 hectares (50 acres). He then returned to Puligny to personally oversee the estate. Working with his respected friend and “regisseur,” or “estate manager,” Francois Virot, Joseph systematically replanted his vineyards with Chardonnay vines grafted onto new rootstocks better adapted to each parcel.

Described by Clive Coates in his 1997 book, “Cote d’Or,” Vincent was a “doyen of Puligny and a man of great charm, wit, hospitality and winemaking genius.” He earned this praise when he and his brother Joseph (Jo) took over the family domaine after their father’s death in 1953. It was Vincent who, in 1991, acquired a tiny parcel of Le Montrachet which was only large enough to fill a single 500-liter cask. The domaine now has parcels in three of the four Montrachet grand crus and four of the best premier crus, including a large portion of Clavoillon, for a total of 23 hectares (57 acres). In 1990, Vincent’s daughter, Anne-Claude Leflaive, and Jo’s son, Olivier, became co-directors of the domaine. Olivier has since concentrated on his negociant business, and after her father’s death in 1993, Anne-Claude has assumed the responsibilities of the domaine. The ascendancy of a new generation at Domaine Leflaive brought a spirit of re-evaluation and experimentation, particularly in regard to vineyard management.

Anne-Claude has taken a passionate interest in the long-term health of the vineyards, and she strongly believes that the elimination of chemical sprays and fertilizers is a necessary step in achieving this goal. No inorganic fertilizers or herbicides have been used since 1989, and in 1990 Anne-Claude began biodynamic treatment of 1 hectare (2.47 acres) of vineyards. The aim of her experiment was to stimulate the vines to develop their own resistance to disease and at the same time to maximize the activity of beneficial microflora in the soil.