OLIVIER LEFLAIVE Saint Aubin 1er Cru 'En Remilly' 2023 Bottle

Description

IN BRIEF
Olivier Leflaive Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly 2023 pours pale gold with green highlights, offering citrus blossom, lemon zest and white peach over a stony seam of crushed shell and wet stone. Gentle whole-cluster pressing, measured oak and lees contact add soft brioche, toasted almond and a silky mid-palate weight while preserving primary clarity. The palate is poised and textural: bright lemon and orchard fruit lead, taut acidity provides lift, and a saline mineral thread lends savoury precision to a lingering finish. Elegant rather than opulent, it rewards short-term cellaring. Drink 2026–2034. Critic: Dunell’s 94 (“refined”). A mineral-driven Saint-Aubin with poise, freshness and delicious food-friendly appeal. Serve chilled at 10–12°C; pairs brilliantly with scallops, lobster, chicken velouté and creamy cheeses.

ABOUT THIS WINE
The 2023 season in the Côte de Beaune was warm with cool nights at the end of the ripening period, producing Chardonnay with ripe aromatics and good natural acidity when handled carefully. Olivier Leflaive Saint Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly 2023 is drawn from Premier Cru parcels on well drained limestone and clay soils that favour freshness and minerality. Winemaking combines whole bunch pressing with gentle temperature controlled fermentation, a portion in French oak of which some is new, and a period on fine lees with occasional bâtonnage to build mid palate weight and a silky texture while preserving primary fruit.

The wine pours pale gold with green highlights and shows an immediate, precise nose. Citrus blossom and lemon zest sit alongside white peach and poached pear, while blossom and a hint of acacia add floral lift. Beneath the fruit there is a stony seam of crushed shell and wet stone that gives the aromatics focus, joined by discreet toasty notes and a whisper of almond from measured oak ageing.

On the palate the 2023 is poised and textural. The entry is bright and precise with lemon and orchard fruit driving the front palate before a creamy mid palate appears, shaped by lees contact and gentle oak. Acidity is lively and frames the wine, providing freshness and tension. A saline mineral thread runs through to the finish and brings a cool, savoury edge, while subtle spice and toasted almond linger on the close. The overall balance is elegant rather than opulent, showing both approachability and enough structure to age gracefully.

Suggested drinking window 2026 to 2034. Serve chilled at 10 to 12°C. Food pairings: pan seared scallops with brown butter and capers, roast brill with lemon and herbs, chicken in a mushroom cream sauce, asparagus with hollandaise, or a tart of goat cheese and caramelised onion. For something more substantial try lobster thermidor or a delicate pork loin with sage butter. Overall this is a refined, mineral driven Saint Aubin with poise, fine texture and reliable mid term cellaring potential.

DUNELL'S 94 points
Colour is pale gold with green highlights. Aromas of citrus blossom, lemon zest, white peach and poached pear with a stony seam of crushed shell and wet stone beneath, plus discreet toasted almond from oak. Bright and precise on the palate with lemon and orchard fruit up front, a creamy lees-driven mid palate and lively acidity that keeps it focused. A saline mineral thread and subtle spice linger on the finish. Refined, mineral and ageworthy. Best 2026 to 2034.

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ABOUT OLIVIER LEFLAIVE
Olivier Leflaive is a prominent Burgundy négociant and domain family that has played a major role in promoting and vinifying the white wines of the Côte de Beaune. The company was founded in the 1980s by Olivier Leflaive, a member of the well known Leflaive family, combining hands on domaine sensibility with négociant scale to source and vinify high quality parcels across Puligny Montrachet, Chassagne Montrachet, Meursault and surrounding villages. The firm bridges terroir driven sourcing and careful cellar work to produce a broad range of single vineyard, village and premier cru whites as well as select reds.

Vineyards and sourcing emphasize classic Côte de Beaune limestone and marl soils that give the whites saline mineral drive and focused acidity. Many cuvées come from long term grower partners and from estate owned parcels, allowing the team to craft wines that reflect site specificity while maintaining consistent stylistic benchmarks. Viticultural priorities include reduced yields, canopy work and selective hand harvesting to preserve freshness and aromatic purity.

Winemaking at Olivier Leflaive aims to showcase primary fruit and terroir expression. The cellar employs gentle whole bunch pressing for whites, controlled temperature fermentations and a mix of stainless steel and oak for elevage. Oak ageing is used with restraint; a proportion of new French oak is applied to add texture and complexity while lees ageing and occasional bâtonnage build roundness. Fermentations may use indigenous or selected yeasts according to cuvée and vintage goals. Reds are handled with similarly measured extraction to retain finesse.

Stylistically the wines are noted for bright citrus and stone fruit aromas, floral lift, a clear mineral core and balanced acidity. Premier cru and village bottlings show greater depth, complexity and ageing potential. As both négociant and domaine the Olivier Leflaive signature is consistent quality across a wide range, combining Burgundian tradition with modern cellar precision to produce white Burgundies that are approachable young yet reward careful cellaring.