2013 Olivier Leflaive Rully 1er Cru Les Cloux

By now we are getting used to small quantity vintages in Burgundy, with the last healthy crop levels back in 2009. Vintages from 2010 through to 2014 have been anywhere from 20-50% down on the average, although there may be some hope to come with 2015. Inevitably this has had an impact on prices, but we are trying to help with more direct shipments such as this offer from Olivier Leflaive.

We've long admired the wines from this house, having seen them across many vintages and communes, they're always high quality and expressive of origin. Our offer focuses on the latest release whites from the 2012-2014 vintages, and if there is a common thread to these vintages it's reduced yields leading to wines with concentrated flavours, and fresh acid structure.

"Two thousand fourteen appears to be a very good, classic crop of concentrated, fleshy wines that will offer good early appeal and age well." - Antonio Galloni

2014 is shaping up as a top year, while the reds have come up well it's the whites that are particularly excellent. Each commune was also very consistent, from Chablis in the north, to the Macon in the south, they all produced wines of great balance, intensity and freshness. They are also very transparent, showing the true character of their parcel of land, with the quality of the top cru wines clearly evident.

"2013 burgundies I have tasted to date are generally delightfully terroir-specific... wines for true burgundy lovers" - Jancis Robinson

Freshness and aromatic intensity are the main themes of the 2013 vintage whites. Hail damage reduced the crop considerably but did allow grapes to ripen fully in a generally cool year. The resulting wines are quite powerful, with strong aromatic fruit and fine balancing acidity. Similarly 2012 has produced some very powerful wines, perhaps more dense in fruit profile than 2013, but equally fresh and ageworthy.

Based in the Cote Chalonnaise, the wines from Rully are often seen as fresh and easy drinking, but the 1er Cru wines can offer more than enough stuffing to warrant a few extra years of cellaring. Les Cloux vineyard is close to the town of Rully with an easterly aspect.