Volnay 1er Cru Clos de la Barre Olivier Leflaive 1991

Procedente de una familia borgoñona de viticultores, Olivier Leflaive heredó unas veinte hectáreas de viñedos. Tras estudiar comercio en Reims, llevó una vida de artista antes de regresar a Borgoña en la década de los ochenta y asumir la gestión conjunta del domaine Leflaive junto a su prima Anne-Claude. Es entonces cuando decide crear su propia bodega para la crianza y la vinificación. Acude por tanto al enólogo Franck Grux, con quien elabora unos vinos de calidad, además de asequibles, a partir de uvas compradas a otras explotaciones.

The Volnay appellation sits at the heart of the Côte de Beaune and has been renowned for the finesse of its red wines since the Middle Ages. Among its treasures is Clos de la Barre, a historic monopole of the Lafon family and one of the appellation’s emblematic sites. The climat enjoys ideal exposure and well-drained clay-limestone soils that give Pinot Noir its signature ethereal elegance and precision. The clay provides depth and substance, while the limestone sharpens freshness and fine-grained tannins. At Domaine Olivier Leflaive, the grapes are hand-harvested with meticulously sorted. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats with gentle punch-downs to extract colour and structure without excess. The wine is then aged for around 16 months in oak casks, including a proportion of new oak.
In the glass, the wine displays an intense ruby hue with garnet glints. The nose is alluring, with violet, red and black berries, sweet spice and a subtle hint of oak. The palate is silky and finely balanced, combining intensity with lift, carried by elegant tannins, a pronounced mineral backbone and a long, refined finish.