This is a predominantly Bright & Crisp wine, but it shares structural nuances of Balance & Finesse as described in the tasting note below.
Tasting Notes
Medium plus bodied wine with pronounced acidity, this Olivier Leflaive Auxey-Duresses delivers a lemony apple and mineraly driven wine which coats the palate and finishes with a pleasant fresh biscuit note.
Body is the impression of a wines weight, density, or its ‘mouth-feel’. Some wines feel weighty, or full bodied, while others feel light bodied. Wine runs the gamut from light to full, with most falling somewhere in between.
ACIDITY
Low
Moderate
Balanced
Crisp
High
Acidity is a foundational component in wine. In fact, low acidity, or ‘flabby’ wine (as the term suggests) is a negative. You can sense acidity mainly on the sides of your tongue. Acidity generally ranges from balanced to high. Crisp acidity adds freshness, making your mouth water. Acidity is a necessary element and helps to balance other components.
SWEETNESS
Dry
Off Dry
Medium Dry
Medium Sweet
Very Sweet
Most wines are characterized as dry to off-dry, but there are some grape varietals, like Riesling, that run the gamut from dry to sweet. The tip of the tongue mainly detects sweetness, which is why it is often the primary characteristic detected. Sweetness is derived from residual sugar that did not ferment into alcohol.
ALCOHOL
13%
Alcohol is the by-product of fermentation. Differing grape varieties have differing potential alcohol levels, but regardless warmer areas result in riper grapes resulting in higher alcohol. Alcohol level is an objective number, but its affect on its palate impression is largely determined with how well integrated and balanced it is with other components.
Chardonnay may be the most versatile white wine grape, often seen as a blank canvas. It displays various flavors and aromas depending on where it is grown and more specifically, how it is made. It can range in Palate Character from Bright & Crisp to Rich & Full depending on the climate. It is also particularly malleable and highly affected by winemaking choices like as malolactic fermentation, lees stirring, barrel fermentation and ageing practices.
The Leflaive family has had roots in Burgundy since 1717. Olivier Leflaive was involved with the family estate, even acting as co-manager for many years, before venturing out on his own in 1995.
The estate now stands at 50 acres mainly in Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet, Meursault, and Pommard. Franck Grux has been the winemaker since 1988, working closely alongside Olivier, who retired in 2010. Franck brought a wealth of experience from his work at Domaine Roulot in Meursault.
Maison Olivier Leflaive has recovered the ownership of legendary vineyards formerly managed by Domaine Leflaive after the lapse of an 18-year lease to the Domaine. The white Burgundies have hit new heights in recent vintages, balancing precision and concentration with great fruit and minerality.
Lemon
Biscuit
Mineral
