Domaines Leflaive : Mâcon-Verzé "Les Chênes" 2023

Characteristics and tasting notes for the Mâcon-Verzé "Les Chênes" 2023 from Domaine Leflaive

Tasting

Appearance
This white wine displays a pale colour with subtle golden highlights.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet reveals notes of stone fruit such as peach and citrus such as grapefruit, along with indulgent aromas of apple tart. The whole is underscored by delicate hints of pastry and toasted oak.

Palate
Ample and generous, the palate offers a creamy texture perfectly balanced by a lovely, tangy tension. The remarkably long finish stands out for its stony, saline minerality.

Food and wine pairings

This cuvée pairs beautifully with white fish in sauce, such as pike-perch with beurre blanc, or poultry with cream and mushrooms. It is also an excellent match for shellfish such as pan-seared scallops or lobster.

Serving and cellaring

The Mâcon-Verzé "Les Chênes" 2023 can be enjoyed young to appreciate its vivacity, but it also has fine ageing potential of a few years, allowing it to develop greater complexity. It is best served at a temperature between 10 and 12°C.

The precision and minerality of a Mâconnais white wine by Domaine Leflaive

The estate

Although the family has been established in Puligny-Montrachet since 1717, Domaine Leflaive was truly founded in the early 20th century, around 1910, by Joseph Leflaive. Located in Burgundy, this illustrious estate now covers some fifty hectares. A pioneer of biodynamics since the 1990s, the domaine is renowned worldwide for the precision of its white wines. Currently run by Brice de la Morandière, representing the fourth generation, the estate upholds a philosophy of respect for living ecosystems and authentic expression of terroir.

The vineyard

This cuvée comes from the "Les Chênes" lieu-dit, a 3.43-hectare plot located in the heart of the Verzé valley, within the Mâcon-Verzé appellation. Facing south-west, the vines, the oldest of which were planted in 1935, thrive on slopes ranging from gentle to very steep. The terroir consists of very shallow clay-limestone soils resting on the bedrock. The entire vineyard is farmed biodynamically, with strict control of yields and soil work that respects biodiversity.

The vintage

The 2023 vintage brought favourable weather conditions to the Mâconnais, allowing the grapes to reach optimal ripeness and yielding a generous, abundant harvest.

Vinification and ageing

After manual harvesting and rigorous sorting, the grapes for the Mâcon-Verzé "Les Chênes" 2023 undergo a long, gentle pressing. The musts are then transported to Puligny-Montrachet for fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Fermentation takes place 55% in stainless steel tanks, 42% in concrete tanks and 3% in new oak barrels. Ageing lasts 15 to 16 months in total, beginning with 10 months on the lees in the fermentation vessels, followed by around 6 months in stainless steel tanks on fine lees, with minimal human intervention.

Grape variety

100% Chardonnay.