“The vintage for the Domaines Leflaive Pouilly-Fuisse 2022, was an excellent surprise for all the winegrowers in Burgundy, in quantity and above all in quality. The hot, even scorching summer that we experienced made us wonder about how our vines would react. It is clear that they adapted very well, which allows us to be optimistic about this 2022 vintage.

Winter

The winter was mild, with little rain. The month of March was exceptionally dry and fortunately quite cool, which slowed down the start of vegetation a little. April, as it is now usual, gave us a succession of a few mornings with light frost. Late pruning and the installation of wind turbines allowed us to get through this very delicate episode without damage. On this occasion, we abandoned the use of candles in the vineyards because they are much too polluting.

Spring

Spring was more like the beginning of summer and the vines grew at an unprecedented speed. We were a bit late compared to previous years in mid-April, but by mid-May we were already ahead. Vine growth records fell at the same rate as monthly temperature records. Flowering ended on the hillside as soon as May 23 and ended at the beginning of June in the plain (Villages and Bourgogne Blanc).

We started the month of June with a rain deficit of 30 percent. This month turned out to be one of contrasts with a beautiful period of rain on June 3rd and 4th, then a heat wave from June 16-21 (peak of 37°C two days in a row), thunderstorms from the 22nd, and nearly 55mm of rain around June 30th.

The weather was nice and warm in the first half of July, then hot with a heat wave on July 19th and 20th. Fortunately, the morning temperatures remained below 20°C. We experienced a third heat wave from August 1-4. From August 14th, the weather became milder again with small daily rains which allowed the vegetation to finish its maturity.

Harvest

We began the harvest on August 25th by inaugurating our new cuvage Rue de l’Eglise which exactly met our expectations, enabling us to accelerate the harvest while allowing long pressings, beneficial for the
quality of the musts.”

Domaine Leflaive, 5th December 2022

Background

Domaine Leflaive is the most famous estate in Puligny-Montrachet. The Leflaive family has been rooted in Puligny since 1717, but the true founder of the domaine was Joseph Leflaive (1870-1953). He was succeeded by his sons, Vincent and Jo.

However, it was under Anne-Claude’s leadership from 1990 to 2015 that Domaine Leflaive became a pioneer in Burgundy’s biodynamic movement, fully converting the estate by 1997. The wines age for 12 months in 25% new oak before transferring to steel tanks, where they naturally clarify over the second winter. Afterward, they are fined and bottled. Leflaive’s wines showcase a superb balance of richness, depth, elegance, and refinement.

Learn about Domaine Leflaive here or visit their website here.