Olivier Leflaive Tasting and Dinner...

On Tuesday night we had an Olivier Leflaive tasting and Masterclass dinner at the Groucho Club.

First a bit of background…..O.Leflaive was Started in 1984 by Olivier Leflaive, a negociant arm (well it’s totally a separate company) of the same family as Domaine Lefliave, Olivier Leflaive is a negociant who buys grapes as well as owning vineyards, the term negociant doesn’t really do them justice as they have far more influence on the wines than would normally be the case.

The venue was superb and the food (ham hock terrine followed by salmon) was very good and complimented the wines well. Meeting customers that I had not met before and their friends was great stuff.

The dinner wines were:

Puligny Montrachet Les Meix 2006 - Les Meix is exactly next to 1er Cru Les Pucelles, This wine is delicious now and over the next 2-3 years, fresh ness but with a lovely, soon to be honeyed, palate. Start drinking or keep.

Puligny Montrachet Les Meix 2002 - Toasty and full on the nose but with decent acidity to…delicious now with food. Drink over the next year.

Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Abbaye de Morgeot 2006 - Quite a few peoples wine of the night, good minerality but also a feminine finesse. A good comparison to the Les Meix. Start drinking or keep.

Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Abbaye de Morgeot 2000 (magnum) - Deep yellow/gold colour. At or past its peak depending on how you like your white Burgundy. Should have been drunk (if in bottle), drink soon if in magnum.

2007 wines

Chablis Les Deux Rives 2007 - Classic Chablis nose and still youthful palate good value. Now and over the next 18months.

Chablis Vaudesir Grand Cru 2007 - First time I’ve tasted Oliviers Vaudesir – refined, classical nose followed by a complex and stoney palate. No rush, 2-4 years will improve its complexity.

Montagny 1er Cru Bonneveaux 2007 - Delicious and for value one of the picks, good weigh but equaling acidity. Drink now and over next 2 years.

Rully La Chatalienne 2007 - Subtle nutty nose with nice lemony freshness. Drink now and over next 2 years.

St Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly 2007 - If ever I show just one wine from the range to someone this is it, a little of everything…..lightly toasty, lovely texture and good acidity. Give it one year then drink over the following two.

Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts 2007 - A little closed and possibly the least revealing….lovely texture and long finish but taut on the nose at this stage. Leave 2 years then drink over the next 4-5.

Meursault Clos de Cromin 2007 - Broader and showing the tell tale richness of Meursault. Will drink well before the Puligny above but still needs time. Keep a year then drink over the next 2-3.

A lovely, tiring evening…….