For my 2,000th tasting note (on this platform) we have the 86 BBM. It had a medium yellow center with clear rims. The medium+ intensity showed green apple, kiwi, citrus, minerals, and a touch of apple cider.
In the mouth, this wine has a unique profile in that it was relatively rich but there was such solid acidity that it seemed a bit lean. It had a very long finish.
This was a lean (all muscle) long distance runner. It was fresh, stony, lean, long, and downright awesome. Drink up!
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Ex-chateau release. Initially ripe and rich with peach and dried extract. As the night progressed, it shed that baby fat into a more precise and rounded BBM. The acidity slowly glazed through the palate. Compared to the original 80s Leflaives I had, it missed the nutty and popcorn sensation. Interesting to see if these ex-chateau just needs more time. We opened the bottle two hours in advance given our experience with another ex-chateau Leflaive that had lots of sulphur.
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Absolutely stunning. The Leflaive sulfur is prominent and a sign that this is holding up beautifully. There is only a hint of botrytis but there is no heaviness or rich honey. In fact this wine is drinking so incredibly youthful. A lovely wine. My #2 for tonight.
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From magnum. Muddled citrus notes with fading minerality. Intriguing hints of sweet spice on the finish. A general lack of structure and focus across the palate here. Good but no longer great. 93-
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Tasted blind, this wine had a yellow center and clear rims. The medium intensity nose offered up pear, apple cider, egg custard, and citrus. The cider descriptor is indicative of volatile acidity.
In the mouth, this was rich and ripe with and old vine type intensity. It had a fantastic mouthfeel with the solid acidity buried under a mountain of fruit.
Clearly, this wine will not improve with age. The VA did tend to dissipate with air but never fully went away. If it did not have this issue the wine might have scored a 96+. However, this was a distraction.
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Tasted blind, this wine had a light yellow center and clear rims. The color was outstanding for its age. The medium intensity nose displayed apple cider (touch of VA), very ripe pear, and some honey.
In the mouth, this wine was very impressive with a big, rich mouthfeel, good acidity, and excellent balance. While the wine looked young, it tasted old. The acidity hit the sides of my mouth rather than running right down the middle of my tongue.
This was a nice bottle but I feel something was a bit off with it. I found the volatile acidity distracting. Hopefully, other bottles will not exhibit this negative attribute.
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Yellow. Willow-like colour. Great nose revealing mushrooms and raspberry (!) Huge luxurious structure. Very seductive. Beautifully integrated wood. Very opulent and a finish to remember; long, balanced.
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My first truly great white Burgundy and a wine which I will never forget. A wine of stunning beauty, steely and rich, concentrated and elegant, with complex and intense flavours (apricot, oak, honey, toffee, new oak, creamy hazelnut); marries serious power with effortless finesse, harmonious and calm, perfectly at one with itself; a peacock's tail of a finish. Quite sublime.
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8/1/2021 - fclarity wrote: 95 Points
For my 2,000th tasting note (on this platform) we have the 86 BBM. It had a medium yellow center with clear rims. The medium+ intensity showed green apple, kiwi, citrus, minerals, and a touch of apple cider.
In the mouth, this wine has a unique profile in that it was relatively rich but there was such solid acidity that it seemed a bit lean. It had a very long finish.
This was a lean (all muscle) long distance runner. It was fresh, stony, lean, long, and downright awesome. Drink up!
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6/29/2020 - Burgnick Likes this wine: 92 Points
Ex-chateau release. Initially ripe and rich with peach and dried extract. As the night progressed, it shed that baby fat into a more precise and rounded BBM. The acidity slowly glazed through the palate. Compared to the original 80s Leflaives I had, it missed the nutty and popcorn sensation. Interesting to see if these ex-chateau just needs more time. We opened the bottle two hours in advance given our experience with another ex-chateau Leflaive that had lots of sulphur.
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6/18/2020 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 94 Points
Quite good bottle. Clean, nice breadth. Resolved character but still with energy particularly in the backpalate and finish.
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1/7/2019 - tinybubbles wrote:
Disappointing bottle. Quite flat but more faded than oxidized. 90- at best
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8/9/2018 - FYC wrote:
Absolutely stunning. The Leflaive sulfur is prominent and a sign that this is holding up beautifully. There is only a hint of botrytis but there is no heaviness or rich honey. In fact this wine is drinking so incredibly youthful. A lovely wine. My #2 for tonight.
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9/26/2017 - tinybubbles wrote: 93 Points
From magnum. Muddled citrus notes with fading minerality. Intriguing hints of sweet spice on the finish. A general lack of structure and focus across the palate here. Good but no longer great. 93-
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6/4/2017 - fclarity wrote: 94 Points
Tasted blind, this wine had a yellow center and clear rims. The medium intensity nose offered up pear, apple cider, egg custard, and citrus. The cider descriptor is indicative of volatile acidity.
In the mouth, this was rich and ripe with and old vine type intensity. It had a fantastic mouthfeel with the solid acidity buried under a mountain of fruit.
Clearly, this wine will not improve with age. The VA did tend to dissipate with air but never fully went away. If it did not have this issue the wine might have scored a 96+. However, this was a distraction.
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5/22/2016 - fclarity wrote: 94 Points
Tasted blind, this wine had a light yellow center and clear rims. The color was outstanding for its age. The medium intensity nose displayed apple cider (touch of VA), very ripe pear, and some honey.
In the mouth, this wine was very impressive with a big, rich mouthfeel, good acidity, and excellent balance. While the wine looked young, it tasted old. The acidity hit the sides of my mouth rather than running right down the middle of my tongue.
This was a nice bottle but I feel something was a bit off with it. I found the volatile acidity distracting. Hopefully, other bottles will not exhibit this negative attribute.
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4/1/2002 - Joe Belmaati wrote: 95 Points
Yellow. Willow-like colour. Great nose revealing mushrooms and raspberry (!) Huge luxurious structure. Very seductive. Beautifully integrated wood. Very opulent and a finish to remember; long, balanced.
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3/24/1998 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 97 Points
My first truly great white Burgundy and a wine which I will never forget. A wine of stunning beauty, steely and rich, concentrated and elegant, with complex and intense flavours (apricot, oak, honey, toffee, new oak, creamy hazelnut); marries serious power with effortless finesse, harmonious and calm, perfectly at one with itself; a peacock's tail of a finish. Quite sublime.
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